Planet of Lana Reviews
Planet of Lana intelligently combines elements of classic cinematic platformers to make something distinctive and characterful. For a tight five hours or so, it keeps up the pace, with very few taxing puzzles or tricky action segments to slow progress. Leaning into easier gameplay in favour of visual and auditory spectacle, it looks the part and runs consistently well. It's a treat for the long-suffering cinematic platforming fan – perhaps even destined to join that short list of classics.
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.
It might not end up matching the influence of Limbo or the perfectly-judged arc of Inside, but Planet of Lana is a welcome addition to the side-scroller genre on PlayStation regardless. It looks amazing, sounds great, and tells a nice succinct story.
When the whole package comes together, Wishfully's debut release truly sings. A straightforward narrative and relatively simple gameplay loop simply feel bigger than they are, made even more engaging when accompanied by an audiovisual experience as strong as Planet of Lana's. Planet of Lana is the epitome of the whole being greater than the sum of its parts. Every piece taken separately may not seem like something extraordinary, but when Wishfully has each piece of its experience clicked together, it made for one of our favorite experiences of the year.
The game is great and every aspect of the game is positive. It's not perfect though, having slight issues with the gameplay and story pacing. The good and fun things overwhelm the tiny amount of negative things making this game definitely worth buying.
If you like puzzle-platformer games or if you have experienced and loved games like Limbo and Inside before, I definitely recommend you to give Planet of Lana a chance.
Review in Turkish | Read full review
Overall, Planet of Lana is a side view, semi-3D platformer at its best. Give this game a little of your time and it will give you back a wealth of entertainment from its puzzles to the rich story told with very few words. The game has tons of character which shines through in its characters, picturesque landscapes, and wholesome narrative. Definitely give this game a try. I award Planet of Lana the Thumb Culture Gold Award!
Ultimately, this title is a great relaxing game for a quiet evening with a glass of wine. Of course, even the non-alcoholic one. It took us about 5 hours to finish it, and we hope we will see the second part in time because we will remember this experience for a long time.
Review in Czech | Read full review
Planet of Lana was a game that promised a lot because of its visuals, but I couldn't get what I wanted in terms of gameplay and story.
Review in Turkish | Read full review
Planet of Lana is one of the best platformer / puzzle games in recent years. If you're looking for a delightful platformer experience filled with amazing moments, give it a try.
Review in Persian | Read full review
Planet of Lana is a rare game. It's a clean, tight experience, that manages to tell a charming, if simple, story in its short runtime. The hand-drawn illustrations are truly works of great talent, bringing a gorgeous, nearly surreal ambiance to the design. Its puzzles and platforming may not be a lot to write home about, but there are a few diamonds in the rough that make the gameplay worthwhile. If anyone has even a passing interest in the puzzle-platform genre or simply wants to appreciate some art, they should play this game. Plus, since Planet of Lana is available on Game Pass, there's little reason not to check it out.
A beautifully crafted side-scroller with a restless puzzle imagination.
Planet of Lana doesn't reinvent the wheel within its genre of atmospheric 2D games, but it has the charm, beauty, and necessary challenges to emotionally invest us for a handful of hours.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
Experienced platformer and puzzle game players will have seen Planet of Lana’s mechanics before, maybe executed with more style or depth. What they won’t have seen is art quite as affecting or heard music that’s so in sync with the visuals. Planet of Lana is only around six hours long. More than that, and the lack of combat or missing originality in the puzzles might be an issue. Planet of Lana is an artistic, beautiful game with just enough satisfying gameplay to keep the player moving from one lovely scene to the next.
I really enjoyed the narrative and gameplay behind The Planet of Lana with Wishfully successfully drawing me into this wondrous yet dangerous alien world with its characters and story. As a result, you immediately relate to the young protagonist and equally heroic alien catlike creature who works in union with you to achieve your goals. Sure, there are some elements of frustration to be found along the way, particularly when you mistime a puzzle, become electrocuted by one of the invaders or fall to your death but thankfully respawn points are well placed and the only person to blame for these mistakes is you. So if you love thinking platformers with an equally beautiful story, then look no further because The Planet of Lana not only delivers but leaves you craving for more.
At times, it feels like Planet of Lana tragically works to oppose itself. For every bit of exquisite scenery and artistic richness, there’s gameplay that’s overly familiar, rote and unappealing. It’s a shame that such a stylistically spellbinding game is compromised by its dearth of exciting gameplay ideas. Planet of Lana is by no means a shoddy game. It’s actually pretty good thanks to a cocktail of challenging puzzles and pinpoint platforming. However, its lack of innovation, as well as its myriad of little kinks, stop it from becoming a true exemplar of the genre. For all Planet of Lana is, it really could’ve and really should’ve been so much more.
Planet of Lana today is a title that you have to play in this 2023, short, it may be, but an experience that will amaze you from beginning to end and leave you with a smile. In addition, it is part of Xbox Game Pass. Do not miss the opportunity.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Planet of Lana is a must-play for platforming fans, boasting vibrant visuals and a unique, family-friendly take on the classic action-adventure genre.
Planet of Lana is a visually captivating side-scrolling platformer with a narrative delivered through environment and character actions. Despite minor control issues and simple puzzles, the game's stunning art style and compelling story make it a worthwhile experience.