This is perhaps one of the strangest games out there. You have a gun, but it’s really not a shooter. There are platforming elements, but it’s really not a platformer. Rather Journey to the Savage Planet is in fact a First Person exploration game. Stranded on an alien world full of strange plant-life, mysterious alien structures and the most bizarre array of creatures you’ve ever set eyes on, it’s up to players (who can play the game either as a single-player experience or with a friend) to explore the planet, catalogue its flora and fauna, investigate the mysterious alien structures, and find enough fuel for the return trip as Kindred Aerospace, the 4th best aerospace company, didn’t supply enough fuel for a return trip.
What they did supply, however, was a basic space-craft with replication technology (if you die, don’t worry, the ship’s computer will simply print a new version, with no noticeable degradation in quality until about 999 copies), no front door (teleport only), a PC with a lightning fast 100Mhz CPU, ample opportunities for ‘on the job training’ (if something kills you, don’t do it again), and a television which will incessantly blare more and more ridiculous ads at you – including a computer game made up entirely of microtransactions, ‘mind-wipes’ for cleaning away negative thoughts, and vegan-burgers made from minced vegans. Then there’s the ship’s computer. At turns chirpy, cheerful, snarky and sarcastic (and prone to the odd bout of vogon-esque poetry), it helps guide the poor fool – sorry – intrepid explorer through their mission, highlighting points of interest, and labeling flora and fauna once the player scans it and putting amusing and insane references in the player’s database.
For example, there’s the health plant which doesn’t actually heal the player, but makes them feel better so they think they’re more healthy; Space Lettuce (even computers get bored of naming everything); the cute and friendly Puffer Birds; and the wonderfully strange looking Moroon. It’s in the animation of these creatures that Journey to the Savage Planet excels, with each creature exuding a distinct personality. My personal favourite is the Baboushka, a strange multiheaded creature that lives in permanent fear, and runs away shrieking should the player get too close. Some of these creatures are dangerous, but many are harmless and can be ‘harvested’ by the player for resources needed to upgrade the ship and the player’s equipment. (In fact, after introducing you to the cutest creature in the game, you’re then made to kill it for resources... you’ve been warned)
Alongside the wildlife, there are plenty of different environments for players to explore, ranging from icy-wastes and floating volcanoes to green valleys, dozens of secret areas to find, tons of stuff to collect. If you like exploration then you’re in for a real treat, as there’s always something interesting to discover or a new secret location to figure out how to reach. This is helped by the fact that movement is smooth and easy, and quite fun when you’ve managed to unlock all the various upgrades. Exploration isn’t totally flawless and I did encounter on or two invisible walls, but in general, if you can see it, you can probably get to it.
Also, in an absolutely brilliant design move, there are more collectible items littered throughout the world than you actually need to complete your objectives. So instead of turning into a maddening ‘where is that last pickup’ type of game (which too many games do), it simply rewards player’s curiosity and a willingness to explore. For example, I was still finding hidden fuel-cells long after I had fully refueled the ship, simply because I wanted to continue exploring this strange world.
I had an absolute blast exploring its colourful, bizarre, and funny world. It has to be said that humour is always a difficult thing to nail, as what appeals to one person won’t another. Along with the bizarre and silly, Journey to the Savage Planet has a strong puerile and scatological element, which is something to be aware of if that type of thing doesn’t appeal. That said, no single comedy element predominates, so even if you’re inclined to role your eyes at names like ‘The Valley of Farts’, you’ll still find something which provokes a chuckle.
All in all, Journey to the Savage Planet is a fun, bizarre and funny exploration game. Simultaneously cute, grotesque, cartoon-y, callous and puerile, it’s also refreshingly different, and actually quite relaxing to play. If you like exploration, and if you like strange and otherworldly locations, then you’ll probably enjoy Journey to the Savage Planet. ■