Journey to the
Savage Planet
A great time no matter what you do.
$59.95, PS4, Xbox, PC, http://www.savageplanetgame.com
US$14.99, PC
paintbucket.de/en/ttdotA short and satisfying space adventure
which really is laugh out loud funny.
Austin WoodA superbly crafted game that serves
as storyteller, teacher, and
concerned friend..
Luke KempThrough the Darkest
of Times
LEAD A RESISTANCE GROUP IN
1933’S BERLIN IN THIS
UNCOMFORTABLE AND
IMPORTANT STRATEGY GAME.No matter how intelligent or
empathetic you are, it’s incredibly
difficult – arguably impossible – to
truly comprehend the enormity of
the atrocities of Nazi Germany.
Games usually seek to loosen your
grip on the concept further, by
saying little more than “go shoot
every German you find in the
face”. This pigeonhole-defying
game, while still failing to
communicate the scale, opens
your eyes wider in a very
impressive way. It is, really, more
an emotional journey than
anything else.
You and your small band of
resistance members are German
citizens; names, attributes, and
appearances randomly generated.
The story begins with Hindenburg
appointing Hitler Chancellor in
1933 , and runs right through until
the aftermath of the war in 1946.
The story is firmly grounded in
reality, so there’s no chance of
preventing WWII or having any
effect at all on historical events.
It’s all about doing what little you
can for the persecuted, trying to
spread the truth of what the Nazis
are doing... and looking on
helplessly as huge amounts of the
populace cheer Hitler on.As a new member of Kindred
Aerospace’s Pioneer Program, you’re
sent to the alien planet AR-Y 26 to scout
it out, see if it’s habitable, and shake it
down for resources if it’s not. It quickly
becomes clear that this planet is a bit
more than you bargained for – savage,
you might call it – and that your
employer isn’t terribly concerned for
your safety. So begins an irreverent tale
of capitalism and climate change which
is every bit as scathing as it is satirical.
Journey to the Savage Planetis a
first-person action-platformer about
collecting resources, crafting upgrades,
using them to explore the titular planet,
and shooting various critters which get
in your way. Just as importantly, it’s a
blunt and relentless caricature. It’s set in
a time when Earth has officially kicked
the bucket due to climate collapse,
forcing humanity to find a new home
among the stars. Naturally, blatantly
evil corporations – not unlike Kindred
Aerospace – are trying to monopolise
the galaxy and monetise free will.
More than anything,Journey to the
Savage Planetreminds me of Rare circa
Conker’s Bad Fur Day. It’s bright, cute,
colorful, and endlessly charming. AR-Y
26 is filled with adorably boggle-eyed
creatures as well as ferocious predators,
and there’s a dark silliness to it all that
plays into itsDr. Seussaesthetic perfectly.
The best part is that every last element
serves as a comedic vehicle. This gives
the game aFar Cry 3: Blood Dragon
quality where I feel compelled to find
more creature descriptions and lore
entries just to see what they say, because
it’s usually hilarious.
While I finished the game in just over
six hours, that was only with 67%
completion. I’m the kind of person who
generally blasts through story stuff in
open-world games, so I’ve still got
dozens of upgrades and secrets left to
find which could easily pushJourney to
the Savage Planetover the 10-hour mark.
This game doesn’t need to be any longer,
and given the wealth of time vampires
on the market, I respect and welcome a
good short game.2020EDITOR’S
CHOICE