Revenge of the Savage Planet is making some major leaps from its predecessor, with an arsenal of new tools to unlock, at least four planets to explore, and an emphasis on dynamic splitscreen couch co-op. While a healthy dose of new content and mechanics are a welcome sight for fans of the Metroidvania sleeper hit, a few lessons learned from Journey to the Savage Planet have led to some significant improvements this time around.
Game Rant recently sat down with Raccoon Logic co-founder and creative director Alex Hutchinson, as well as game design director Steven Masters, to discuss some of the game’s key features intended to smoothen its open-ended Metroidvania exploration. A new map feature is a massive boon to Revenge of the Savage Planet completionists, while keeping players pointed to primary objectives ensures that they always have somewhere to go if they’re unsure of their next move.
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Revenge of the Savage Planet’s Map Is Perfect For Completionists
A common criticism among Journey to the Savage Planet players was that, although the main game could be completed relatively quickly, the hours could really rack up when shooting for 100% completion. This was largely attributed to the lack of a map or useful ways to track progress on undiscovered secrets, leading to a lot of guide consulting and hunting for that final unchecked box. Revenge of the Savage Planet addresses this by including an informative map that allows players to track their progress, added specifically for completionist players who encountered these issues. Detailing the map functions, Masters said,
Now, every area you enter has a stat pool that shows you all the tasks you can complete in that area for the completionist goals. As you roam around, you can scan the world by clicking the right stick, and it will highlight all the chests you can collect. If you get an upgrade, those get recorded on the map, and they’ll inform you whether or not you have the right upgrades to collect them…As you get toward the end, after you’ve played out the narrative, you can shift into “Okay, I want to get everything.” The map becomes a really useful way to scrub the world and get it all done.
Initially, there was a lot of back-and-forth on the idea, since Raccoon Logic didn’t want people to be “playing the map” as they might in activity-heavy open world RPGs like The Witcher series. After some iterations, they landed on an implementation that should ease frustration for completionist players without interfering with the fluid exploration that defines the Metroidvania genre.
Players Are Never Lost In Revenge of the Savage Planet
Metroidvania games can take the open-ended exploration a little too far for the tastes of some players, with beloved games like Hollow Knight dropping players into a massive world after just a slight nudge in the right direction. Revenge of the Savage Planet has several large planets to explore that are each littered with secrets and side content, but Hutchinson points out that players will always know where to tackle the next story beat. This aids in pacing and helps players explore the width of the game, without ever losing sight of the main objective.
Another thing to consider is the pacing—like, when does something become frustrating and annoying versus satisfying? You don’t want to keep a mental “checklist” going for too long. But I think, building on Steve’s point, you have this central goal. If you use the area scan, you can see where it is. Those level design goals are meant to distract you, so you should be trying to go there and thinking, “But wait, what’s that? I’m going to check over there.” If we do that right, we’re luring you into the width of the game, as Steve was saying.
As players scan the area on the way to the main objective, they’ll inevitably be confronted with loads of distractions to engage with. Thanks to Revenge of the Savage Planet‘s more informative approach, it’s easy for players to know if they have the means to complete that side content or not, which eliminates the headache of stumbling upon a hidden chest and being uncertain if it’s accessible at all. By keeping players on a loosely guided path and hinting at nearby curiosities, Revenge of the Savage Planet is shaping up to be an approachable Metroidvania for story-focused players and discerning explorers alike.
Revenge of the Savage Planet is an upbeat, satirical action adventure Sci-Fi. Jump, shoot and collect your way across vibrant alien worlds, uncovering new gear and upgrades, while discovering various hidden secrets.