You are only human though and there’s a good chance you will miss some jumps or simply fall to some of the local wildlife. Something shiny out of reach? Create your own path and be inventive - it’s where this game really stands out. Jumps flow nicely into swings, grapples, bounce pads and more as you use the tools available to traverse the planet.
Stray from it though and the effort employed in creating an extremely tight control scheme which fluidly interacts with the various upgrade mechanics on offer creates an absolute dream of a game to play and enjoy.
Very rarely does any sense of impending doom enter the player’s mind, it’s welcoming at nearly all times with some challenging sections which really don’t need to be completed if you just wish to enjoy the main story path. Other than base environmental items like rock and grass, it’s all very alien and unique giving you a great sense of discovery as you turn a corner to find another new plant or animal. Each level of seniority accounts for 20% completion of the Kindex so it’s important to try to scan everything to minimize cleanup at the end of the game. Nearly everything on the Savage Planet is new and as such must be scanned and recorded before you can return home to a hero’s welcome. Each level has four missions which entail advanced usage of an unlocked item as well as a fifth mission tied to completion of your research log - the Kindex. Termed as Science Quests in your quest log, these missions are supposedly offered by Kindred to bolster your rank upon completion up to four levels of seniority in Kindred’s hierarchy. Most of these can also be upgraded with the resources you find and scavenge from the planet but many of the upgrades are locked behind side quest related gates. As well as the locally acquired upgrades, you can also craft others back at the ship. It’s this sort of design trend that keeps the game interesting throughout. What was previously just some local fauna becomes a smart new transit method. **SPOILERS**)Įven with the quest system giving you some clues, the way in which many of the items you find are utilised is hidden in plain sight in some rather clever level design. It’s a double-edged sword since it handholds you to save you wasting time trying but at the same time, it takes something away from the mystery of discovery.
If you don’t know how to solve a particular problem or simply can’t progress, the quest icon generally pops immediately. Journey to the Savage Planet doesn’t hang about or leave you in the dark and for the most part, the quests come at you thick and fast. Initially, many are very straight forward, taking a few slaps or pistol shots to dispatch, but as you delve deeper or travel further from the safety of the Javelin the more dangerous everything becomes. The planet has a wide varying cast of wacky characters which act as both predator and prey to your character. That said, not all of the planet’s inhabitants are as docile or squishy as the Pufferbird. Without hesitation, the Pufferbird explodes into a cloud of feathers and green goop which covers anything in the immediate vicinity. Your only offensive weapon at this point is a slap which you can power up into a delightful backhand. The AI kindly points out the Pufferbird is a great source of carbon molecules which you coincidentally need to complete your first mission. It hops around the cave you find it in with a few friends oblivious to your next move. It’s a small, cute, innocent flightless bird. Two minutes later and you’re introduced to one of the indigenous species - a Pufferbird. Your Javelin’s chatty, sarcastic artificial intelligence tasks you with some minor repairs and shows you how to both scan and track your targets.
Your first steps outside of your trusty Javelin class spaceship really sets the scene for the remainder of Journey to the Savage Planet. Join Kindred Aerospace, Earth’s 4th best space exploration company, as you endeavour to seek out a new potential home for humanity in Typhoon Games‘ Cooperative Metroidvania exploration shooter - Journey to the Savage PlanetĪfter landing, and receiving your mission by a video message from Kindred Founder (and eccentric inventor) Martin Tweed, it’s time to suit up and start exploring.