There are few games that manage to paint such beautiful landscapes and vistas on the screen as Wishfully’s Planet of Lana. Not knowing the details of the game’s story and formula, I was immediately intrigued by the title with its cinematic sequences and vivid locations. However, these days games need to offer more than just visual pleasure, so the question arises: can Planet of Lana compete in other ways?
Unfortunately, the answer is both yes and no. I’d love to say that this title manages to balance an impressive art style with immersive gameplay and an immersive narrative, but in reality Planet of Lana has several flaws.
The concept is based on the sci-fi premise that dangerous robots appear out of nowhere on a distant planet, capturing living beings and destroying anyone who tries to resist. In this scenario, a young woman takes on the task of confronting the threats posed by robots and rescuing her loved ones. Accompanied by a small creature that could be described as a cat with a monkey tail, the protagonist Lana has to traverse different biomes and environments while avoiding dangers and solving platforming puzzles. However, it is important to note that Planet of Lana contains no dialogue or text, instead communicating primarily through grunts and short calls, allowing the narrative to be interpreted by the player based on their understanding of Lana’s environment and journey.
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It’s not a new concept as we’ve seen many other games based on environmental storytelling. Unfortunately, Planet of Lana fails to emotionally engage or build suspense due to a lack of character development and major plot points. While the story is passable, it’s not enough to make it stand out from the other visual and audio aspects of the game.
And what about the controls? Planet of Lana uses a 2D perspective, although 2.5D elements are occasionally included. Due to the profile focus, most of the game is side scrolling, constantly moving to the right of the screen. Sometimes there are platform challenges where you have to complete additional tasks before you can continue your journey (e.g. find a raft to transport the feline creature across open water) or fight robot or animal enemies. Regardless of the challenge, the solutions are usually quite simple and shouldn’t require much thought. Even the most complex puzzles offer clues so you never get stuck, and the game isn’t really challenging either. At least that’s how it should be.
The platforming system itself is slow and sluggish, resulting in missed jumps, poorly timed dodges, and incorrect platforming movements. Also, the command mechanism for controlling the cat and other companion abilities are not implemented as well as in other games. The platforming system and overall gameplay makes you wish Lana was more agile and stronger as at the moment it feels like struggling with the controls just to complete the most basic tasks. If you were hoping to have the opportunity to explore alternate paths, Planet of Lana doesn’t offer much in that regard either. Platform and environment puzzles often only have one solution, and if you find another way to solve them, the game will force you to solve it the “correct” way (for example, after the cat outwits an enemy once had, she decided to run towards him There is a risk of being killed since the game aims to eliminate the enemy instead of avoiding them.Throughout the s tory you can find some collectibles, but they don’t add much to the overall experience and doesn’t seem like an activity worth investing time in.
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Despite Planet of Lana’s platforming issues and not-so-solid narrative, the roughly four-hour game manages to engage and impress thanks to its exceptional art style and sound design. The mesmerizing, atmospheric sci-fi soundtrack blends seamlessly with the bold and vibrant art style, reminiscent of Studio Ghibli aesthetics. It’s an immersive experience that pushes you to keep advancing the story to discover the surprises hidden in each new biome. With jungles, beaches, lakes, hills, caves, futuristic facilities and many other environments to explore, there’s plenty to fall in love with.
As such, Planet of Lana is a mixed experience. On the one hand, it offers excellent aesthetics and atmosphere, but on the other hand, it lacks proper narrative development and engaging gameplay. It’s a clear example of style over substance, and will impress those looking for a charming indie game. However, those who place more value on gameplay and story might have trouble appreciating this title. It’s undoubtedly a perfect complement to Game Pass. Anyway, I’m looking forward to finding out what new worlds Wishfully will create in the future, as Planet of Lana will no doubt grace my desktop wallpaper for months to come.
