Studio Ghibli-inspired platformer Planet Of Lana comes to PC and Game Pass on May 23rd
With scary robot spiders and a cute monkeycat pet
Wishfully’s scenic platformer Planet Of Lana has received a fast-approaching release date: May 23rd. Planet Of Lana has been on the RPS Hivemind’s radar since its announcement thanks to its hand-painted art, evocative soundtrack, and comparisons to Ori and Inside - two excellent platformers in their own right. The newest trailer (embedded below) is just an extra treat.
Pitched as an “Off-Earth Odyssey”, this puzzle platformer follows the titular Lana as mechanical menaces land on her planet and kidnap her sister. Along with your monkeycat pet Mui, you’ll do plenty of jumping across the dunes, forests, and caves of this alien world, in order to find your lost sibling.
The main point of focus, though, is the central relationship between girl and beast. Or girl and petite pet. You'll need to solve puzzles and sneak past the aggressive robots in tandem with Mui, making the adventure somewhat of a two-hander. Reactive animal companions in games are probably the easiest way to pull on the old heartstrings, so hopefully there’s no Old Yeller-type ending here.
The soundtrack is also being handled by Takeshi Furukawa who's done amazing work on melancholy PlayStation exclusive The Last Guardian, another windswept adventure about a little kid and their fantastical pet - although The Last Guardian’s cat-dog-monkey hybrid makes our Mui look like an ant. No complaints here, as that minimalist music fits right into a game like Planet Of Lana that seems to be chasing low-key thrills.
Katharine spoke with developer Wishfully a couple of months ago where creative director Adam Stjärnljus explained the Studio Ghibli influences: "That's been kind of like a guiding star from the beginning in terms of tonality with this serious, emotional story, but [also] still, like, a fun quirkiness to it.” The rest of the demo she saw sounds like it captured that balance of drama and playfulness, too.
Planet Of Lana will be available on PC via Steam and Game Pass on May 23rd. (Also, since when did May begin!?)