Planet of Lana

Lore & Background

Planet of Lana is the debut project of independent developer Wishfully, founded in August 2018 by director Adam Stjärnljus and his wife Maria Brunsson. The game originated from a picture Stjärnljus drew in 2017 of a girl gazing at a large robot creature, which later became the game's key art. The title was inspired by cinematic platformers such as Inside and Limbo, and older adventure games like Another World and Oddworld: Abe's Oddysee. Stjärnljus aimed to create a colorful sci-fi universe, contrasting with the dark backdrops of other games. Studio Ghibli films such as Spirited Away and My Neighbor Totoro, along with The Legend of Zelda titles Wind Waker and Breath of the Wild, influenced the visual style. The team initially planned a 2D look but switched to a 2.5D style after feedback from publishers. Writer and co-director Klas Martin Eriksson noted that the team originally wanted no dialogue, communicating through body language, but later created a fictional language for emotional expression. Composer Takeshi Furukawa, who worked on The Last Guardian, offered to compose the soundtrack after seeing the game's artwork.

Reader's Guide

Planet of Lana is a side-scrolling puzzle-platformer where Lana and Mui lack combat abilities and must rely on stealth and environmental tactics to avoid hostile alien machines. Lana can swim, direct Mui to locations, and issue commands, while Mui can access out-of-reach places, open pathways, and hypnotize some creatures. As the player progresses, they gain the ability to temporarily tame creatures and hack into machines. The game was announced in June 2021 during Summer Game Fest, initially set for 2022 but delayed to early 2023. It released for Windows, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S on May 23, 2023, followed by Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, and PlayStation 5 on April 16, 2024, and Android and iOS versions on December 9, 2025 via Playdigious. The game received generally favorable reviews on Metacritic. Critics praised its art direction, music, and sound design, with some comparing it favorably to Inside. However, some criticism targeted the lack of innovation in puzzles and the short length. The game was nominated for Outstanding Achievement in Original Music Composition at the 27th Annual D.I.C.E. Awards. A sequel, Planet of Lana II: Children of the Leaf, was announced in June 2025 and released on March 5, 2026.

Did You Know?

• Planet of Lana was inspired by cinematic platformers such as Inside and Limbo, and its visuals were influenced by Studio Ghibli films.
• The game's director, Adam Stjärnljus, drew the initial concept picture in 2017, which later became the game's key art.
• Composer Takeshi Furukawa, known for The Last Guardian, reached out to Wishfully to work on the soundtrack after seeing the game's artwork.