Just Keep Running

The Steam Summer sale is in full swing and for my first purchase I decided to check an indie that I had been eyeing for a looooong time off my wishlist.  When I first saw the trailer for Planet of Lana I was immediately interested--it looked like a unique game with lots to offer.  I was reticent to buy it though due to the fact that several reviews mentioned the fact that it is short.  I decided to wait for the perfect sale price (I grabbed it and another game in a bundle for $4.18) and it's definitely worth that and much more!

What is it?

A sort of puzzle game with some light platforming.  There's an aura of a sort of side-scrolling vibe as you spend a lot of the game running and avoiding the various baddies blocking your path.

How much play time can I expect?

~5-8 hours would be my best estimate.  I clocked my complete playthrough at 5.1 hours (and that was with some pausing).  It's a short, but captivating adventure.

The graphics aren't super fancy, but they manage to be beautiful.

Pros:

+ Simple but beautiful graphics.  There's not a ton of uber-graphical realness, but the nature of the many environments in the game are captured in a way that make them fit the setting.

+ Gameplay that is relatively simple and easy to follow.  The game does a good job of teaching you the controls and reminding you of them throughout (which some people might find a bit handhold-y).  The platforming aspect isn't anything too difficult--running, jumping, swinging on ropes, the occasional hanging leap.

+ Puzzle play that manages to feel just right for the game.  Most of the challenge comes from moving two characters at the same time and in a way that keeps them from being discovered (and killed) by enemies.  It might take you a few tries, but you likely won't find yourself feeling frustrated or wanting to give up.

+Story within a story to puzzle out.  The basic story is that the planet of your character (Lana) has been invaded by some sort of hostile robots who are abducting all the humans.  They abduct Lana's entire village (including his/her best friend) and he/she is actively trying to find them.  Along the way you encounter other clues that seem to be part of the story.  I'm not sure I've fully parsed together a full accounting of everything, but it's fun to think about what the exact story is.

Lana and Mui navigating the world.

+ Cute, cat-like alien companion.  Before you ask, yes it's fully pettable!  Mui can jump onto high ledges, can dig through holes (and serve as a distraction to keep enemies busy while Lana scampers to safety), can bite through certain ropes (creating a climbable rope). and can even flip certain switches.  A big part of puzzle-solving is figuring out how to command and utilize Mui.

+ The music is great and fits the environment and action perfectly.

+ Chapter select allows you to easily return to different parts of the game to look for hidden shrines.

Cons:

- As mentioned, it's short.  I thought the length fit the story well, but knowing that it's on the shorter side might be something that some folks want to avoid.  However, if you're someone with limited playtime, this might be the perfect option.  There is some replayability built in--there are hidden shrines throughout the game (I only found 2 out of 10, so they're well hidden).

- Controller recommended.  Honestly, it's probably easily doable with mouse and keyboard, but it will prompt you to use a controller (I use my handy-dandy Amazon Basics XBOX 360 controller--nothing fancy, but it gets the job done).

Recommendation:

I greatly enjoyed Planet of Lana and even though it is short, it was a unique and touching game.  The sale price made it well worth it (although I would be willing to pay full price to support the devs--they've made something great!).  If you're looking for something on the shorter (*but still a creative and memorable adventure) side, grab Planet of Lana.