Planet of Lana Review (Xbox Series S)

by Jim Smale · Published May 24, 2023 · Updated May 24, 2023

For our Planet of Lana Review, we play a game where a young girl and her loyal friend embark on a rescue mission through a colorful world full of cold machines and unfamiliar creatures. Planet of Lana is a cinematic puzzle adventure framed by an epic sci-fi saga that stretches across centuries and galaxies.

Planet of Lana Review Pros:

Beautiful graphics.
Download size.
1000 Gamerscore.
Accessibility options – quick time events on/off.
3 save slots.
In-game cutscenes and interactions.
Action-platformer gameplay.
The backgrounds and foregrounds are fully animated and 3D.
It has such a unique feel in that it looks like it Combines pixel art and cartoon-like graphics.
Tutorial pop-ups as you play.
Enchanting soundtrack.
Feels like a living world.
Day and night cycle.
The lighting is really well done.
Stealth mechanics at play.
Puzzle elements throughout.
A real visual treat with nonintrusive cutscene transitions.
Decent loading times.
Plays a lot like Limbo amd Inside.
Hidden collectible Artifacts.
You get an unlikely sidekick who helps you navigate the world.
With your side kick you can get them to stay still or follow you along with being able to aim where they go.
The game is all about the fascinating world and how you interpret it.
Traveling the world is really well done.

Planet of Lana Review Cons:

Cannot rebind controls.
Slow starter.
You don’t get any camera control.
At times the foreground can distract you.
Stealth can be hard to judge at times.
Never sure when the checkpoints kick in.
Sometimes it goes into a cutscene amd you are not aware.
At times the background and foreground can make you think an obstacle is there when it’s not or vice versa.
Uses the same actions over and over like stopping on pressure points for platforms and ripping off wooden boards.
Not as great to play with a keyboard.

Planet of Lana:

Official website.

Developer: Wishfully Studios

Publisher: Thunderful Games

Store Links –

Xbox

9/10
Graphics - 9/10
8/10
Sound - 8/10
8/10
Accessibility - 8/10
8/10
Length - 8/10
8/10
Fun Factor - 8/10

8.2/10

Summary

Planet of Lana is a beautiful almost Ghibli-looking puzzle platformer. It’s light on communication in the spoken sense and goes with a more muted approach that is actually very impactful and tells the story in a very unique way. Of course, later you get a sidekick with which you communicate with grunts or shouts buts it’s not as expressive. I got and still catch myself describing it as a bright beautiful version of Limbo or Limbo with the lights on. That’s not to be lazy but the two games share so much DNA and the feel and atmosphere are near on identical. Planet of Lana does do enough to differentiate itself so don’t think it’s just a rip-off far from it but in a nutshell kind of description it’s a close comparison. I really enjoy Planet of Lana and it has so much charm and gameplay hooks that you cannot help but love your torrid time there.