Planet of Lana looks like a painting in motion. The background layers scroll at different depths, the color shifts between biomes are striking, and the whole thing is designed to feel like someone's illustration come to life rather than a video game trying to mimic one. Developed by Wishfully and published by Thunderful, it runs about 5 to 6 hours. You play Lana, searching for her sister after machines invade her planet. No dialogue. No text. The story is told entirely through action and expression, and it mostly works. Puzzles involve your companion Mui, a small creature with abilities you use to interact with the environment: distract enemies, trigger mechanisms, cross gaps. Nothing here is going to stump you for long, and that's a reasonable criticism if you want real puzzle resistance. For the price it would normally cost, I think you'd want a bit more. As part of a bundle, it's a clean 5 hours of something genuinely pretty and well-made. Good for a Sunday afternoon when you don't want to commit to anything heavy.
Planet of Lana
May 23, 2023PlatformerESRB E10+Metacritic 80
The Verdict
Best if you want a visually stunning cinematic platformer where puzzle-solving and atmosphere take center stage over combat or mechanical complexity.
Software architect and father of two based in the Netherlands. Been gaming since MS-DOS Mario. Writes honest recommendations for people with limited evenings and too many games left to play.
What It's Like to Play
Planet of Lana sits in a comfortable sweet spot between meditative exploration and light puzzle-solving, making it feel closer to an interactive film than a traditional platformer. If you've ever loved the wordless, environmental storytelling of games like Limbo, Inside, or Journey, this occupies similar emotional territory — though with a warmer, more painterly aesthetic that feels distinctly its own. The core gameplay loop alternates between traversal and puzzles that lean on cooperation between you and a small creature companion. Puzzles are logic-based and environmental rather than abstract, meaning solutions feel intuitive and earned rather than frustrating. Most players will rarely feel stuck for long — this is not a game designed to challenge your reflexes or punish experimentation. The difficulty curve stays gentle throughout, making it approachable even for players who don't normally gravitate toward puzzle games. Pacing is deliberately unhurried. The game rewards players who stop to absorb the hand-crafted backdrops and ambient soundscape. Each area introduces a new mechanic or environmental wrinkle, keeping the experience fresh without ever overwhelming. There's no sprawling skill tree or inventory management to worry about — the focus stays entirely on moment-to-moment feel. Session structure is very flexible. The game runs around 4 to 6 hours to complete, and natural checkpointing means you can dip in for 30-minute sessions or sit through a full chapter in one go. This makes it a great fit for busy players who want a complete, satisfying experience without a long-term commitment. Replayability is limited — this is a linear, authored experience with a clear beginning and end. Its value lies in the quality of the single playthrough rather than repeated runs. Think of it less like a game you return to and more like a film you'd recommend to a friend. At its price point and runtime, it delivers a polished, emotionally resonant experience that doesn't overstay its welcome.
Best For
- Fans of cinematic puzzle-platformers like Limbo, Inside, or Little Nightmares who want a warmer, less oppressive tone
- Casual or lapsed gamers looking for a low-friction, high-atmosphere experience with a short time commitment
- Players who prioritize art direction and environmental immersion over mechanical depth or challenge
Not For
- Players seeking strong action, combat systems, or high mechanical difficulty
- Those who want high replayability or open-ended exploration — this is a linear, single-run experience
- Gamers who prefer narrative delivered through dialogue-heavy or text-rich storytelling
About Planet of Lana
Story setup
At a glance
Screenshots
Click any screenshot to view it full size.
How long to beat
Player-reported completion times for Planet of Lana.
- Rushed
- 4hoursMain story only
- Typical
- 5hoursStory plus some extras
- Completionist
- 5hoursEvery side objective too
Estimated from 6 player reports — a small sample, so treat these as approximate.
Multiplayer & game modes
Planet of Lana does not support crossplay.
Features
Play Modes
Single Player
Player Count
- Local
- 1
Additional Details
Planet of Lana is a single-player cinematic puzzle-platformer. Official store listings and technical databases show 1 player only, with no online, local co-op, LAN, PvP, or split-screen features. No cross-play applies because there is no multiplayer component.
Age ratings
How rating boards around the world have classified Planet of Lana. Open a board for its content descriptors.
CLASS_IND10
- Violência (Violence)
ESRBE10+
- Fantasy Violence
GRACALL
- Fear, Horror, Threatening
Edition and platform notes
Which version to buy, and what differs between platforms.
Which Edition to Buy
No major edition differences noted. The game launched as a standard release and was available on Xbox Game Pass at launch, making it a low-barrier entry for subscribers.
Platform Recommendations
Available on PC (Steam/Xbox), Xbox consoles, and PlayStation. The Game Pass version is identical in content. Controller play is recommended for the intended cinematic feel, though keyboard and mouse is fully supported.
Accessibility Features
The gentle difficulty curve and absence of punishing fail states make it naturally accessible. No extensive accessibility menu has been widely documented, so players with specific needs around remapping or visual assists should verify current options before purchase.
Games similar to Planet of Lana
Titles we've handpicked for readers who liked Planet of Lana, grouped by what they share with it — a similar vibe, more challenge, or the same multiplayer setup.
Darker & Grittier
4Mature, atmospheric alternatives to Planet of Lana featuring darker themes, grittier visuals, and more serious storytelling.
A wordless cinematic platformer with tight environmental puzzles and constant forward motion, but its oppressive atmosphere and harsher imagery make it a much bleaker journey.
Shares the side-scrolling puzzle-adventure DNA and minimalist storytelling, yet leans into cruel traps, stark monochrome visuals, and a more unsettling sense of danger.
Another cinematic trek led by a vulnerable child figure, but stealth, grotesque set pieces, and threatening pursuers push the mood far darker and more horror-tinged.
Keeps the childlike perspective and environmental problem-solving, while expanding the chase sequences and menace into a grimmer, more nerve-wracking cinematic ordeal.
Story-Focused Alternative
4Narrative-driven games that prioritize storytelling and character development over the gameplay focus of Planet of Lana.
A heartfelt journey built around companionship, traversal, and environmental puzzles where emotion leads the experience, making it ideal if you want narrative resonance first.
Delivers a quiet, lonely trek across striking landscapes with minimal dialogue and strong visual storytelling, letting atmosphere and movement carry the emotional weight.
If the visual poetry and emotional pacing were your favorite parts, this offers a similarly elegant platforming journey centered on mood, symbolism, and expressive art.
Another side-scrolling adventure where presentation and narration take center stage, pairing light puzzles with a fable-like storybook tone and memorable staging.
Similar Vibe, Bigger Scope
3Expansive alternatives to Planet of Lana featuring larger worlds, deeper progression systems, and extended campaigns for players seeking more content.
Deepens the child-and-creature bond into a larger 3D adventure, with bigger spaces, more elaborate traversal, and a stronger sense of scale built around trust and companionship.
Offers a similarly emotional, beautifully animated journey, but grows it into a broader world with more navigation, upgrades, and larger interconnected platforming spaces.
Builds on the same lush, heartfelt adventure appeal while adding a wider map, more abilities, side content, and stronger progression for a more expansive odyssey.
Puzzle & Brain Teasers
1Logic and puzzle games that challenge your problem-solving skills in ways similar to Planet of Lana.
Keeps the lonely sci-fi atmosphere and deliberate pacing, but shifts the emphasis toward clever clone-based logic puzzles that demand more careful thought than reflexes.
Featured in our articles
This game appears in 1 article on this site.
Frequently asked questions
Common questions about this game, answered by our team.
How long does it take to beat Planet of Lana?
Most players finish in 4 to 6 hours. It's a compact, complete experience — ideal if you want something you can finish over a weekend without a major time investment.
How hard is it?
It's quite gentle. Puzzles are logical and environmental, and the game rarely punishes exploration. If you can handle basic platforming and enjoy thinking through simple environmental challenges, you'll be comfortable throughout.
Is it good for beginners or non-gamers?
Yes — it's one of the more accessible games in its genre. Low mechanical demands, forgiving checkpoints, and an intuitive puzzle style make it a great entry point for infrequent players.
Is there much replayability?
Very little. It's a linear, story-driven experience designed to be played once. Its value is in the quality of that single playthrough, not repeated runs or branching outcomes.
Does it play well on a controller?
Yes — a controller is the recommended way to play. The cinematic pacing and fluid traversal feel most natural with analog input, though keyboard and mouse works fine too.
Game data and imagery provided by IGDB.com