Planet of Lana Review – A Puzzle Platformer Straight Out of a Movie

Planet of Lana on PC

Hand-drawn animations have comparatively grow to be a factor of the previous to include extra lifelike options into the fashionable gaming world. But, a number of builders attempt to maintain this artwork model alive, including a extra private contact to their storylines. Planet of Lana is an ideal instance of this feat, because it brings hand-painted scenes to life in an immersive sci-fi world. 

It’s been some time since a platformer captured my consideration, however Planet of Lana instantly caught my eye with its picturesque surroundings. In a means, it felt like I used to be controlling a personality in an ever-changing portray that includes its personal units of challenges that enticed me to wish to play extra. The epic journey additionally furthers the movie-like really feel of all the narrative, taking you on an enthralling journey from begin to end.

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On the story’s starting, you’ll be launched to one of many three fundamental ideas: nature, with the 2 others being machines and people. You’ll see how Lana, the primary protagonist, and people round her use the atmosphere to ascertain a small settlement the place everybody works collectively to outlive. However, simply as she meets up together with her sibling within the wilderness, her sister will get taken away by a fearsome mechanic beast, alongside the villagers. 

Lana manages to flee the machine’s clutches, leaving the younger lady alone in a large world filled with lethal enemies. Fortuitously, she encounters a cat-like creature, Mui, to assist her together with her quest to avoid wasting humanity. So far as companions go in video video games, Planet of Lana has among the finest I’ve seen, contemplating the animal’s wide selection of skills. 

Gamers can direct the cat to work together with gadgets, go to sure areas, and even manipulate different critters to maneuver. Oh, and you may pet Mui anytime you need, as an lovely bonus. Nonetheless, future gamers ought to use the advisable controller gameplay to make it simpler to regulate.

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Collectively, Lana and Mui make for a wonderful crew, which is useful for the quite a few puzzles. Whereas these challenges can generally be tedious in different video games, Planet of Lana’s puzzles someway at all times really feel totally different from the final. At any time when I felt assured in my fixing expertise, I used to be perplexed by the following riddle, however by no means sufficient to make me wish to shut out the sport in frustration. 

For instance, a number of puzzles showcase a collection of musical notes so that you can rearrange within the right order, utilizing historical hieroglyphics as a coding system. One other conundrum gamers will come throughout is the problem of water, the place Mui, in true cat nature, will refuse to go throughout one of these atmosphere. Subsequently, not solely will you must discover a technique to make it to level A to B with Lana, however you’ll additionally want to make sure that your companion can safely journey alongside you. 

In case you are a cozy gamer, Planet of Lana shall be proper up your alley, on condition that there isn’t essentially any fight. Other than the platformer and puzzle facet, it’s a stealth recreation, permitting you to cover in tall blades of grass each time a machine is close by. The perfect strategy I discovered is to attend and comply with the enemy’s sample, then devise a plan to keep away from their detection. 

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Though Planet of Lana is primarily a calming recreation, you’ll be able to count on a number of horror-like parts, particularly when the musical rating has a blood-curdling eerie sound. However then, it turns into much more terrifying when the machines chase you at an amazing pace, fastening the tempo of the cinematic soundtrack. 

When issues settle down, the piano’s peaceable melody will put you relaxed to associate with the assorted biomes you’ll discover. I appreciated the totally different landscapes of every stage, from a sea of darkness in caves to the sandy storms of the deserts to the greenery of forests; it makes you’re feeling as if you’re traversing a complete planet. Much more so, these areas introduce new challenges to finish via their terrain, by which you have to transcend your earlier methods. 

Whereas touring to those many locations, gamers will proceed progressing via the mysterious storyline to find the connection between nature, machines, and people. It could additionally generally be heartbreaking to observe Lana undergo the journey alone at such a younger age, primarily when she shouts out for her sister in a number of scenes.

Other than the unhappy moments, you’ll be able to nonetheless see a way of naivety from Lana as she continues to search out pleasure within the little issues. Particularly, when she laughs with Mui and learns to have enjoyable all through her expeditions, regardless of her lonely circumstances. There are a number of delicate occurrences I admired as effectively, like when Lana begins whispering throughout sneaky missions or Mui meowing in disappointment each time I fell to my demise. 

Even when there aren’t many phrases exchanged within the recreation, it someway says a lot via the character interactions and mesmerizing atmosphere. By the top, you’ll have a deeper understanding of the person versus machine ideology, with a satisfying conclusion that may make all of it price it. 

So, if you happen to’ve been searching for one other platformer like Limbo, I extremely advocate selecting up this gem and getting misplaced in its enchanting world for a number of hours. Alternatively, those that love the brand new Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom might take pleasure in its puzzle and exploration gameplay, that are extremely comparable as compared. 

Studio Ghibli followers may relish within the art work and storyline of Planet of Lana, on condition that Wishfully co-founder took inspiration from the critically-acclaimed Spirited Away, amongst different movies. At its core, it really does really feel like you might be in a captivating film, solely this time, you’re the fundamental character. 

Reviewer: Kristina Ebanez | Award: Editor’s Alternative | Copy offered by Writer.

Execs

• Stunning scenary
• Gripping storyline
• Entertaining puzzles
• Glorious team-based mechanics with a useful companion

Cons

• Occassional bugs right here and there
• No trace system for puzzle rookies

Launch Date
Might 23, 2023

Developer
Wishfully

Writer
Thunderful Publishing

Consoles
PC, Xbox One, Xbox Sequence X|S

Concerning the creator

Kristina is a Freelance Author and has been with Twinfinite for one yr. She usually covers Minecraft, The Sims 4, Disney Dreamlight Valley, anime, Name of Obligation, and newly launched video games. She loves the Metallic Gear Strong collection (Snake Eater particularly), Rockstar’s Bully, the Horizon franchise, What Stays of Edith Finch, and plenty of extra. Her canine can also be an avid online game watcher, primarily when there is a horse or a cat. She has a Bachelor’s diploma in English from the College of Hawaiʻi at Hilo and grew up gaming on the islands.