The development of Revenge of the Savage Planet as a sequel holds both surprising and anticipated elements

The game studio Raccoon Logic is making waves at Gamescom with their upcoming release, "Revenge of the Savage Planet." Reid Schneider, the studio's head and co-founder, explains that their aim was to deliver something less conventional than a typical sequel. The team has a legacy, having emerged from Typhoon Studios, the developers of "Journey to the Savage Planet," which was shut down as part of Google's Stadia closure. Fortunately, they reacquired the rights to the Savage Planet series from Google and are now pressing ahead with a new installment.

In "Revenge of the Savage Planet," much like its precursor, players are set to explore a vibrant and unusual alien environment. The game involves discovering and analyzing life forms, combating adversaries, collecting resources, and crafting or upgrading gear. It retains the quirky humor of the original, taking a satirical jab at corporations aiming to profit from space colonization.

While it presents as a sequel, Raccoon Logic strives to defy typical expectations. According to Schneider, a straightforward follow-up would merely add a couple of planets and stick to a first-person view. Instead, the new game allows exploration of four planets, introduces a customizable colony area, and notably shifts to a third-person perspective. Schneider believes this perspective opens up new avenues, especially for comedic elements, citing an increase in physical comedy, drawing inspiration from slapstick genres.

Art director Erick Bilodeau reveals that the idea of a third-person perspective was considered even during the first game's development, particularly in handling platforming aspects. The team had third-person animations ready from the cooperative gameplay but hadn’t shipped it that way initially. Moving forward with the new game, they’re emphasizing more visible humor through character animation.

The narrative retains its corporate-critical theme, resonating with current industry experiences of layoffs and closures. Alex Hutchinson, the creative director, states the storyline reflects industry trends, even though some might speculate a connection to Google’s closure of Typhoon Studios.

"It's a story about all of those companies who got caught up in an exciting moment, and then [the people who were] turfed out by large multinationals"

Reid Schneider elaborates on the broader industry context, mentioning that the timing aligns with recent trends of studio closures. The game has been crafted by a small but efficient team of around 30 people, allowing for a collaborative approach and ensuring everyone’s input is considered. This contrasts with the more scattered approach at Typhoon Studios. The project’s structure spans conception, production, and polishing phases, enabling thorough development and refinement.

The experience of working with smaller teams appears more rewarding for many former AAA developers at Raccoon Logic. Alex Hutchinson, who previously worked on major titles like Ubisoft's "Assassin's Creed 3" and "Far Cry 4," notes that smaller teams offer more comprehensive engagement across the entire project.

"Revenge of the Savage Planet" is expected to deliver around 15 to 20 hours of gameplay. Despite uncertainties surrounding the original game's reception due to its varied release strategy and multiple publishers, the team is optimistic about the audience interest, noting high download numbers on platforms like Xbox.

Hutchinson emphasizes that sequels now need to stand alone without players requiring prior knowledge of the original games. The team is focusing on ensuring a robust launch across PC, Xbox, and PlayStation, with the hope of ongoing improvements and potential future developments facilitated with Tencent's support.