Review by Jon Donnis
Planet of Lana arrives on mobile as a thoughtful, quietly confident puzzle platformer that wears its influences openly. Developed by Wishfully Studios, this 2025 release brings its cinematic ambitions to Android devices, placing players in control of Lana, a teenage girl navigating a beautifully imagined world under siege by hostile alien machines. It is a gentle game at heart, but one that understands how to layer tension, mystery and emotion without ever raising its voice.
From the outset, the presentation does a huge amount of the heavy lifting. The hand painted visual style is striking, clearly inspired by the softness and warmth of Studio Ghibli films, even when depicting a planet scarred by mechanical invasion. Lush landscapes, subtle animation and careful use of colour create a world that feels alive and worth saving. There is a constant undercurrent of unease, balanced by moments of calm beauty, which keeps the pacing taut without ever feeling rushed.
The story is simple but effective. Lana is searching for her abducted sister, and that clear motivation anchors the adventure nicely. There is no excess exposition, and the narrative unfolds naturally as you move through the world. It works because the game trusts its imagery and atmosphere to do the talking, which suits the genre well.
Gameplay follows a side scrolling puzzle platform structure, heavily influenced by cinematic titles such as Inside. Lana is not a fighter, and neither is her cat like companion Mui. Instead, progress comes through observation, timing and cooperation. Lana can swim and issue commands, while Mui's smaller size and agility allow it to reach places she cannot. Puzzles are built around this partnership, asking you to think carefully about positioning, timing and environmental interaction. Mui's ability to hypnotise certain creatures and, later on, the power to temporarily tame creatures and hack machines, add welcome layers without overcomplicating things.
The puzzles themselves are well executed and nicely paced, even if they rarely feel truly original. They are satisfying to solve, logically structured, and varied enough to avoid monotony. The real hook is how seamlessly they are integrated into the world, rather than feeling like obvious obstacles placed in your path.
Stealth plays a key role, as Lana and Mui cannot directly attack enemies. Avoiding detection and using the environment to bypass threats keeps encounters tense, especially when timing is tight. It reinforces the vulnerability of the characters and fits the tone of the story well.
Where the mobile version stumbles slightly is in its controls. Directing Mui can be fiddly at times, and touch screen input does not always feel as precise as the game demands. This is clearly a title designed with a gamepad in mind. Using a controller dramatically improves the experience, making movement and commands feel far more natural. While it is possible to connect the game to a larger screen and use a Bluetooth controller, that does somewhat undermine the appeal of having the game on a phone in the first place.
Despite these issues, Planet of Lana remains a strong example of the puzzle platformer genre. It may not reinvent the formula, but it executes its ideas with confidence, charm and a clear artistic vision. The sense of mystery carries you forward, and the bond between Lana and Mui gives the journey real emotional weight.
Planet of Lana is a beautiful, absorbing adventure that occasionally shows the limitations of its mobile format. With the right controller, it becomes a genuinely rewarding experience. Even with its lack of originality in places, it stands out thanks to its atmosphere, pacing and visual splendour. I thoroughly enjoyed my time with it and would comfortably score Planet of Lana a solid 8 out of 10.
Out Now on Android
