DaRmaZat Primal Planet is a pixel-art 2D Metroidvania with survival elements, created by solo developer Seethingswarm and published by Pretty Soon. Mixing dinosaurs, ancient tribes, and sci-fi mystery, it tells the story of a father separated from his family after a terrifying T-Rex attack. Together with Sino, his loyal pet dinosaur, he must trek across a hostile prehistoric world, gathering resources, crafting, and fighting for survival while uncovering a stranger truth behind alien technology scattered across the land.
The opening moments are intense: your family flees a rampaging T-Rex, only for the father and Sino to become separated from the mother and daughter. What begins as a simple rescue quest quickly expands into a larger journey involving survival, tribal conflict, and alien interference. Along the way, you’ll carry and protect your daughter, rebuild your village, and meet companions, all framed by a day-night cycle that makes the wilderness feel alive.
Beyond the village, Primal Planet opens up into a sprawling, sometimes chaotic jungle. You’ll explore new biomes, dive underwater with limited oxygen, and encounter both dinosaurs and rival tribes. Survival mechanics, crafting, and resource management remain key, and every outing demands attention to health, inventory, and Sino’s well-being.
Clever Ideas, Clumsy Combat
Despite its Metroidvania tag, Primal Planet often feels closer to a retro action-platformer. Movement is quick and snappy, with useful tricks like throwing spears to create makeshift platforms, swimming with limited oxygen, and respawning enemies to farm for EXP. Nearly every item you throw—spears, bone shards, even flaming weapons—can be retrieved, though durability means nothing lasts forever.
Combat, however, is messy. Instead of tight, skill-based duels, most encounters devolve into button-mashing chaos as you juggle your limited arsenal. There’s some strategy in managing traps, bait, or Sino’s support, but more often you’ll be scrambling to survive.
Crafting and survival systems add welcome variety but aren’t always intuitive. Your caveman’s campfires act as the heart of progression—you can heal, cook meals, and upgrade skills for both father and dino—but oddly, food can’t be consumed directly from your inventory, making the backpack screen feel more like clutter storage than a proper tool.
A World Alive, A Soundscape Less So
Visually, Primal Planet is striking. Its lush pixel art ranges from glowing caves to ocean depths full of life, each biome shifting with unique palettes across the day-night cycle. Animations add charm, whether climbing vines or pausing to rest with your daughter. The occasional alien reference hidden among the foliage sells the sci-fi twist without breaking immersion.
Audio is less polished. The soundtrack captures a dreamy, SNES-like vibe, but sound design can be chaotic—combat noise and ambient effects often clash rather than complement. The quietest, most memorable moments are ironically found at the bonfires, where music, fire crackle, and rest bring calm after the chaos.
Primal Planet‘s performance is smooth and trouble-free, even on PC handhelds. The biggest technical complaint actually lies in the world map—it’s blurry and hard to read, even on larger screens, making navigation harder than it should be.
Final Thoughts
Primal Planet is a heartfelt, eccentric mix: part survival sim, part Metroidvania, part retro action platformer. It’s rough around the edges—combat is unrefined, the map system frustrating, and item management clumsy—but its heart shows in the world-building, atmosphere, and charm of its pixel art. This is a game made with passion, and it shines through despite the flaws.
To conclude, it’s a memorable adventure for those with patience and a soft spot for retro-inspired oddities. Not perfectly polished, but absolutely unique, with real moments of warmth and wonder.
Additional Information
Release Date: July 28, 2025
Reviewed On: PC. Download code provided by the publisher and PR agency.
Developer: Seethingswarm
Publisher: Pretty Soon
Relevant links: Primal Planet on Steam
