Few puzzle adventure games manage to balance emotional storytelling, cinematic presentation, and thoughtful gameplay as gracefully as the Planet of Lana series. With the release of Planet of Lana Collection, players can now experience the full journey of Lana and her companion Mui in one complete package.
The collection includes the critically acclaimed original Planet of Lana alongside its brand-new sequel, Planet of Lana II: Children of the Leaf, offering a visually stunning, emotionally resonant puzzle adventure that spans two games and a much larger narrative arc.
Developed by Wishfully Studios and published by Thunderful Publishing, the collection represents one of the most cohesive cinematic puzzle experiences in recent years. While neither game radically redefines the genre, the combination of breathtaking art direction, thoughtful puzzles, and a powerful musical score makes this bundle a must-play for fans of atmospheric storytelling.
A Journey Told Without Words
At the core of both games is Lana, a young girl whose peaceful world is torn apart when mysterious machines invade her planet. The first game is a personal quest: Lana must rescue her sister and survive the perilous landscape alongside her small alien companion, Mui.
The narrative develops almost entirely without dialogue, relying instead on visual storytelling and environmental cues. This approach echoes classic cinematic puzzle platformers like Inside and Limbo, but the Planet of Lana series places greater emphasis on emotional warmth and companionship.
The sequel, Planet of Lana II: Children of the Leaf, greatly broadens the scope of the story. While the first game centred on survival and escape, the second explores the wider conflicts shaping the planet itself. Tribal factions clash, ancient mysteries resurface, and Lana’s journey becomes less about rescue and more about protecting the delicate balance of her world.
The result is a two-part narrative that feels both intimate and epic.
The Heart of the Game: Lana and Mui
The key mechanic of the series is the relationship between Lana and Mui.
Mui isn’t just a companion following the player; instead, the creature serves as a partner in solving puzzles. Lana can give commands that enable Mui to activate switches, distract enemies, access narrow spaces, or manipulate objects Lana cannot reach herself.
This system creates puzzles focused on cooperation rather than purely platforming skills. Players must consider how Lana and Mui can work together to progress through each environment.
The mechanics stay simple throughout both games, but they gradually evolve. Later puzzles introduce multiple interactive elements, requiring precise timing and positioning between the two characters.
Importantly, the game rarely punishes experimentation. Most challenges encourage creative thinking rather than demanding perfect reflexes.
This design philosophy maintains a relaxed pace while still delivering rewarding “aha” moments.
A Cinematic World That Feels Alive
From its opening moments, the Planet of Lana series stands out visually.
The environments resemble interactive paintings, blending vibrant natural landscapes with the unsettling presence of mechanical invaders. Rolling green fields, glowing forests, and ancient ruins create a sense of wonder that sharply contrasts with the cold machinery threatening the planet.
Each area feels intentionally designed to tell part of the story. Rather than overwhelming players with exposition, the world itself offers context through environmental details and subtle visual storytelling.
The sequel vastly expands the scale. Larger settlements, tribal territories, and ancient planetary structures feature throughout the adventure, providing a stronger sense of history and culture.
Despite the broader scope, the game retains its quiet, contemplative tone.
Exploration remains linear, but the journey never feels restrictive thanks to the continual introduction of new environments and visual themes.
A Soundtrack That Drives the Story
The emotional impact of the series largely stems from its music.
Both games feature a sweeping orchestral score composed by Takeshi Furukawa, best known for his work on The Last Guardian.
Furukawa’s compositions carry much of the narrative’s emotional depth. Soft piano melodies accompany moments of reflection, while full orchestral swells intensify dramatic sequences.
Since the games contain little spoken dialogue, the music plays a vital role in shaping the player’s emotional experience.
The soundtrack seldom feels intrusive. Instead, it flows naturally with the pacing of each scene, reinforcing the cinematic quality of the journey.
Alongside the game’s visual storytelling, the music helps create an atmosphere that is both serene and melancholic.
Puzzle Design That Evolves Across Two Games
Puzzle design in the collection follows a careful progression.
The original Planet of Lana concentrates on introducing the core mechanics and teaching players how Lana and Mui can interact with the environment.
Puzzles generally involve:
- Navigating environmental hazards
- Avoiding patrolling machines
- Coordinating movements between Lana and Mui
- Manipulating platforms and switches
These challenges rarely become overly difficult, but they remain consistently engaging.
The sequel builds on these foundations with more complex puzzle structures. Some areas require coordinating multiple actions across larger environments, while others introduce new enemy behaviours and environmental mechanics.
Even so, the game maintains accessibility. Players who enjoy thoughtful puzzle-solving without intense difficulty spikes will appreciate the balanced design.
Where the Collection Falls Short
Despite its many strengths, the Planet of Lana Collection isn’t flawless.
The main criticism concerns its relatively linear structure. While the environments are stunning, exploration seldom diverges from the main route. Players seeking open-ended puzzles or hidden secrets might find the experience somewhat restrictive.
Furthermore, the difficulty level stays quite gentle throughout both games. Although this makes the series accessible to a broad audience, some puzzle fans could wish for more challenging puzzles.
Lastly, the sequel’s expanded narrative sometimes feels slightly hurried in its final act. The story presents intriguing ideas about the planet’s history, but some of those concepts could have been examined more thoroughly.
These issues don’t spoil the overall experience, but they do stop the collection from achieving absolute genre-defining status.
Pros
- Beautiful hand-painted art direction
- Strong emotional storytelling without dialogue
- Excellent puzzle mechanics centered on Lana and Mui’s bond
- Expansive sequel that broadens the world and narrative
- Outstanding orchestral soundtrack by Takeshi Furukawa
Cons
- Linear progression limits exploration
- Puzzle difficulty may feel too easy for some players
- Certain story elements in the sequel feel underdeveloped
Final Verdict
Planet of Lana Collection exemplifies how games can convey powerful stories through atmosphere, music, and simple mechanics instead of dialogue-heavy exposition.
By combining the original Planet of Lana with the ambitious sequel Planet of Lana II: Children of the Leaf, the collection presents a cohesive narrative that expands from a personal rescue mission into an epic planetary tale.
The bond between Lana and Mui remains the emotional centre of the experience, anchoring the story in friendship and cooperation even as the world around them becomes more intricate.
While the puzzles stay accessible and the structure is largely linear, the series excels in areas that matter most for cinematic puzzle adventures: atmosphere, artistry, and emotional impact.
For players who appreciate beautifully crafted worlds and thoughtful storytelling, Planet of Lana Collection offers an unforgettable journey worth undertaking.
