scanning and cataloguing flora
and fauna – and making sense of a
strange and massive structure you
discover along the way.
That description might be conjuring
up memories of No Man’s Sky, but
the developer’s goal is to create
something small and focused, not
a sprawling, procedurally generated
epic. That restrained scope aids the
game’s comedy leanings, allowing
Typhoon to craft all sorts of little
moments of humour for you to run
into. That especially includes the
constant commentary of your AI
companion, EKO – their clueless
attempts at advice make a fun change
of pace from the typical cool and
competent robot partner.Weird science
During our hands-on, we’re tasked
with a few different objectives, though
we have the freedom to pursue them
in whatever order we choose. Each
seems to open up new possibilities
and approaches to the world. First,
we take on a mission to create our
own grappling hook – once built, we
can swing gracefully around and
access previously unreachable areas.
Second, we seek out and scan alien
teleporters that dot the landscape.
Once catalogued, these function as
fast travel points, allowing us to get
right back in the action when we die –
another friendly touch that allows us
to take death in our stride.
Despite the high mortality rate, it’s
not a particularly violent game – the
focus is very much on exploration
and discovery over combat. While you
do get a gun, it’s the only weapon in
the game, and any greater stopping
power will only come from giving it
occasional upgrades.
That said, our last mission makes it
clear that some of the wildlife is just
too rowdy for peaceful coexistence.
We’re forced into a duel with Cragclaw,
a hulking, crab-like monstrosity.
Though this confrontation has the feel
of a boss battle, it’s as much a test of
our platforming skills as our aim, as we
hop and crouch to dodge the alien’s
slow, sweeping attacks.
As the beast falls, we’re left eager
to see more of this weird planet. Clever
design makes even our ineptitude just
a part of the fun – we can’t wait to see
how we’ll die next... QExploring the vastness of space is no
trifling matter – it demands precise
skill, expert knowledge, and the very
best of equipment. Well, normally at
least. Journey To The Savage Planet
dares to ask the question, what if a
rank amateur set out for the stars with
nothing but a head full of dreams, a
pocket full of hope and the backing
of the world’s fourth best interstellar
exploration company?
The answer is, er, die a lot. This
first-person survival adventure
tasks you with exploring a colourful,
bizarre and, yes, deadly alien world.
But far from feeling punishing, a
comedic spirit turns every death into
a punchline, after which you simply
reform back on your ramshackle ship.
It’s the debut of Typhoon Studios,
a small team of 24 devs who all hail
from prestigious triple-A backgrounds.
The creative director Alex Hutchinson,
for example, previously led the way
on Assassin’s Creed 3 and Far Cry 4,
and others on the team have worked
on the Batman: Arkham and Splinter
Cell series – so the studio’s got no
shortage of talent.
Dropped onto the ‘savage planet’
AR-Y 26 by your employer, the rather
suspect Kindred Aerospace, your
ultimate goal is to determine whether
it’s fit for human habitation. That
means traversing the landscapeJourney To The
Savage Planet
Astronauts needed, no
experience necessary
Adam Bryant
PUBLISHER 505 GAMES DEVELOPER TYPHOON STUDIOS
ETA 2020FOOD CHAIN
You’re supplied a food
paste called Grob,
which probably tastes
as horrific as it
sounds, and it can be
used to lure alien
creatures. A
carnivorous plant you
find has vines that
block access to an
area. Using Grob, you
can lure an animal
towards it, which
causes the plant to
feed on the critter,
making its vines
shrink. It sounds
cruel, but it’s all in the
name of science.“Despite the high mortality
rate, it’s not a particularly
violent game”
The 27-strong team at Typhoon studios is made up of alumni from the likes of EA and UbisoftMore Xbox news at gamesradar.com/oxm THE OFFICIAL XBOX MAGAZINE 035
PREVIEW