There’s a brilliant lineage of cinematic puzzle-platform games, such as Another World, Prince of Persia, and Inside. Wishfully Studios’ Planet of Lana wears its inspiration on its sleeve, never afraid to show reverence to the games that clearly served as an influence. While it doesn’t reach the heights of the best of the genre, it does offer a beautiful adventure that doesn’t overstay its welcome, with plenty of thoughtful puzzles along the way.
Like Limbo and other games before it, Planet of Lana will feature players dying over and over and then once again for good measure in what is a non-verbal adventure that excels with deep layers of atmosphere. Mechanics and puzzle logic are often taught through failure as the player tries to navigate the suddenly hostile planet, which has been invaded by alien creatures that look like they could be straight out of a Studio Ghibli movie. You play as a young girl who is unable to directly put up a fight, so players instead have to use their wits to maneuver out of the way of danger and continue on.
If you’ve played other titles in the genre, such as Playdead’s excellent games, then the puzzles will feel pretty familiar. You’ll lure enemies away, move boxes to figure out how to get up on a ledge, and all that fun stuff. There is a fresh mechanic, though, which is that the girl comes across a small animal companion that she can then order around. This leads to some more varied puzzle designs as it can reach some places she can’t and opens up more possibilities in the puzzle design. It also helps that the creature is adorable and the type of sidekick you’d want to join you on a life-or-death journey.
The game is on the short side, lasting four to five hours, although I certainly wouldn’t see view it as a negative. It sticks around to explore all of its mechanics thoroughly, shows off beautiful locations that never feel too repetitive, and then ends before any of it could potentially drag on. That’s a pro, not a con, especially in an age where games tend to drag out ideas far too long in order to squeeze every ounce out of them.
Planet of Lana isn’t revolutionary, but it’s an extremely solid cinematic puzzle-platform game that is a joy from start to finish. With a wonderful art style and some fresh puzzle design thanks to an adorable sidekick, this is more than just a Limbo knock-off and has its own worth. Fans of the genre should definitely check out this gem.
SCORE: 8/10
As ComingSoon’s review policy explains, a score of 8 equates to “Great.” While there are a few minor issues, this score means that the art succeeds at its goal and leaves a memorable impact.
Disclosure: The publisher provided a PlayStation 5 copy for our Planet of Lana review. Reviewed on version 1.000.000.
