Good sequels are rare. Not impossible, but there’s a much larger pile of follow-ups over the years we’d rather not talk about than ones we’d praise.Journey to the Savage Planetwas a silly, fun adventure through a bizarre-but-savage planet.Revenge of the Savage Planetis a silly, fun adventure through multiple bizarre-but-savage planets. As simple as the formula upgrade seems, it’s a brilliant sequel.
How many times can I say ‘savage’ in one article? Dear reader, you ain’t seen nothing yet.
Revenge Takes What Journey Did Well, And Does It Better
While the original entry was a first-person adventure that had you explore the world, surveying life and unlocking upgrades that allowed you to explore further while aiming to get off the savage planet for good, the sequel takes a refreshing approach without retreading too much old ground.
Revenge of the Savage Planet is a third-person game that still has you explore, survey, and ultimately aim to leave the savage planet(s), but this time there’s an extra focus on base-building, decoration, more exaggerated slapstick comedy, and the returning option of playing co-op with friends. It not only presents the opportunity to introduce much more alien life and environments, but can further explore worthwhile story elements from the original, and what has changed in the time since.
It Feels Like There’s A Stronger Identity Underneath
While I did play Journey to the Savage Planet, it never stuck with me. Sure, it was fun and comedic, and had a wonderfully colourful art style, but that wasn’t enough to keep me playing. Going into Revenge of the Savage Planet, I was expecting to relive those feelings after a few hours; instead, I immediately felt much more drawn into a game that learned from the best parts of the original while taking strides to deliver something much stronger.
Journey isn’t a bad game in the slightest, and Revenge doesn’t reinvent the savage wheel, but instead, it evolves the charm of the original to bring its identity forward in a proud fashion. If you loved the first game, I don’t doubt that you’ll love this one even more, despite the adjustment from first- to third-person. However, if you’re like me and you weren’t super drawn into the original game, then it means that it’s enough of a change to give this follow-up a chance - and you’ll likely enjoy it a lot more.
More Sequels Should Aim For This Approach
There’s something so special about a sequel that can hone in on its identity. Unless it’s the goal from the start, a sequel should never fully reinvent itself, but at the same time, it should never purely do the same thing a second time. Fans can be savage when it comes to the reception of a sequel, and Revenge manages to do just what it should: provide something even better for fans of the original, while also providing something better for newcomers and returning skeptics.
All around, it’s a game that sticks to its guns - or slapstick style, in this case - while ultimately making for a better game overall.
