Planet of Lana - Review
Over the past few years, there have been a number of side-scrolling titles that are less about platforming and more about telling unique stories. Limbo and Inside from Playdead Studios are such titles, as is the debut title from Jumpship, Somerville. Planet of Lana falls into that same category, but unlike the ones mentioned before, this one striking colours, silhouettes and minimalistic design, to stand out. Does that work help take this side-scrolling adventure to an elevated level?
Planet of Lana’s narrative is revealed with its gorgeous visuals, and not dialogue as it’s set in an entirely different universe where you can hear a foreign language between the main protagonist Lana, and who seems to be her more adventurous older sister, Elo. Within the first few minutes of the game, mechanical aliens crash land, invade and abduct Elo away. As you run to follow the flying mech with Elo in hand, you notice the village you started the game at is in ruins and the townsfolk have also been captured and taken away. From here on, you meet an unlikely friend who’s a cat-like creature Lana named Mui, which they set off on an adventure to find the maniacal captors to rescue her sister and villagers.
It’s no secret that this game is beautifully designed, as mentioned previously, with visuals you’re just wanting to see more of. The game has set a foreground, middle and background which moves cinematically as you progress across the planet. The environment itself could easily be considered a character as there are a lot of moving parts with it, transitioning from different elemental themes like a forest setting, a watery swamp, dark caves to a dry and windy desert, just to name a few. This variation in settings and layout also changes the puzzle component of the platformer from using logs lying around as a floating device, to lighting up dark caverns and using the alien mechanics to activate platforms, robots and more. Additionally, the detailed movement of the background such as the blades of grass dancing in the air, all the way to trees and leaves swaying, provides simple feedback to players that this world is alive.
There are also moments when Planet of Lana truly makes you feel as though you’re isolated and alone (from your captured villagers) by adding the quaint sound of wind and atmosphere, while having moments of intensity when the mechanical antagonists appear on screen. Clearly the sound design of the game was very well thought out to bring out the emotion from players. Wishfully Studios have truly made a platform puzzle game, that evokes such a cinematic feeling, so when the camera dollies to the left or right, or zooms in and out, it helps make the adventure feel more. That feeling when combined with the games visual style and puzzle elements, truly helps make the game feel like a grand and artistic videogame. Not only is the detailed visual design something worth seeing, but there are moments when the game uses an amazing colour palette coupled with minimalist visuals, to make things really stand out. For example there are times when the foreground and background seem as one, but breaks when Lana runs between them, which distinguishes the two from each other. We’ve definitely come a long way compared to the old platformers of the past, and this is a prime example of art in gaming.
While the game shines in its visual approach, the gameplay side does feel a little simplistic, in that you control Lana’s movements, are able to jump up and drop down on platforms and also being able use Mui to get to crevices. Using Mui to trigger mechanical equipment that the invaders have left lying around, and using the environment to help Lana reach new heights is fun, but there are some frustrations as there’s only one pace of movement, and no sprint option. Additionally, the puzzles littered across the game are a little too easy, but that does help keep a certain tempo across the entire game.
Overall, Planet of Lana is absolutely gorgeous. Its soundtrack is beautiful, the use of sound and score hits the right marks every time, bringing intensity when there needs to be and isolation when you feel there should be. The visual movement and design is so stunning that it captivates you and leaves you wanting to see more. Not only that, but the development of Lana and Mui’s friendship is so loving that you definitely want them to succeed in their quest against the mechanical creatures, while wanting to learn more about the world they live in. The only downfall is the basic puzzles, and the duration of finishing the game… in this instance was just under 4 hours. That being said, it’s just enough to leave a very positive impression and that we’re sure this game is going to leave you wanting more, and looking forward to Wishfully Studios’ next game.
The Score
8.0
Review code provided by Thunderful Games
The Pros
+Beautiful visual animation and design
+Fantastic use of sound for create atmosphere and environment
The Cons
-Puzzles could come across a little too easy
-Character movement could come across frustrating at times
