Planet of Lana

On this planet, things are simple. People live fine lives in their little villages. You are Lana, a girl having an idyllic life. That is until the robots start to invade and kidnap everyone including your sister! Lana is the only one that managed to escape, but now she is all alone. She must set out and search for her family and other villagers all while robots roam the land in the search for more life.

This is a cinematic side-scrolling adventure game. It is Lana’s planet now as she struggles through the land in the hopes of maybe seeing her sister again. Find it on Steam.

Planet of Lana has a great atmosphere and an interesting world. The game is entirely in an alien language with no translations available. You’ll have to piece together what is going on based on context clues. But it seems like the game does have a developed language, at least one that’s good enough to pass first inspection. Lana does talk, and it feels consistent and meaningful.

The game is a side-scrolling adventure with some light puzzle and platforming elements. There isn’t anything too challenging here, but the world does feel satisfying to traverse. The platforming doesn’t require too much precision, and Lana has great upper body strength with how many times she can pull herself up from the ledge. As long as you jump near where you want to go, she’ll grab on.

The puzzles can be a bit more challenging, but you can take your time figuring things out. There aren’t many timed elements, though there are stealth sections where you need to hide from robots. The robots move in predictable patrol routes, though, so it is more figuring out how to get through. Though there are the rare quick-time-events and button mashing sections.

Overall, though, the game doesn’t really get harder the more it goes on. The final area, while interesting in atmosphere, isn’t that difficult. And the final puzzle is pretty basic.

The planet looks amazing. The entire game has an artstyle that feels like a painting. It is really apparent with the background which has gorgeous scenery. You go through a few different locations, and they all look great as well. The local animals are all an oddly stylized shadowy figure design. It makes them stand out from everything else and makes me wonder if they are even local animals or they came from somewhere else.

Over the game, you do learn about the history, somewhat, though old pictures and context clues. There is enough to build a good understanding of what’s going on, though there is room for interpretation as well. There is more to the planet than first appearances.

The main mechanic of the game that sets it apart from other side-scrolling adventures is a bit of a spoiler. You do get it about half an hour into the game, but if you don’t want to know, then go pick up Planet of Lana for a beautiful world and story told through an alien language. It isn’t a long game, about 4 to 5 hours. It is a good experience.

Alright, here is the main mechanic. You have a helper named Mui! You can tell the helper where to go and have Mui activate certain things that you can’t reach. Mui is an adorable little guy that helps make your journey feel not so alone. Many of the puzzles are to get Mui somewhere so Mui can help you get somewhere or vice versa. It is simple but you really feel the bond between the two of them. Both Lana and Mui show off a lot of character over the course of the game.

Planet of Lana is a great cinematic experience on a gorgeous planet. The gameplay isn’t too tough and doesn’t require a lot of fast-paced actions, but there are a few moments when that’s required. Numerous checkpoints means if you die, you won’t be set back too far. So go forth, explore the planet, and find your sister again!

Find it on Steam.