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.

It's On!

In almost perfect timing, the Steam Summer Sale started right as I was wrapping up my 943rd Mass Effect: Legendary Edition playthrough (*synthesis ending, romanced Ashley, lost Kaiden, Legion, and Mordin--made all the same choices I always do...lolz).  I had just been thinking that it was about sale time and pondering my wishlist to decide what I wanted to grab.  So far, I've only made 1 purchase (well, sort of 2 because it was one of those bundle deals).

What did I snag up?  I decided to pounce on an indie game called Planet of Lana (Steam Store link: here).  For the low price of $4.18 I got it and another game that I've never heard of.  I'm currently playing through it and should have a full review soon.  As for the other game in the bundle...we'll see (it does have positive reviews, so it's probably worth a shot).

I generally like to grab indies during sales--especially if the price is low.  I love the creativity of indie games, but their short length and occasional lack of replayability make me hesitant to pay full price.  I've got a few triple A's on my list, but probably won't bite the bullet on any of those.

There was some exciting Two Point Museum news this week!  On July 17th, the first paid DLC is coming out.  The "Fantasy Finds" DLC adds a new selection of fantasy themed items to populate our museums with even more whacky fun times.  There are also other non-paid updates like seasonal items and even a bonus museum that could be coming out later.  I'm extremely excited!  (Check out the trailer)

The Games of 2022

I enjoy gaming, but I'm not the kind of person who wants to spend a bunch of time watching all the uber-announcement megashows (your E3's or Nintendo Direct or whatevergamerconthing)--just point me to the trailers and I will decide from there.  There has been a recent spate of gaming related announcements from these events and there are several upcoming titles that I'm going to be keeping my eye on.  Fingers crossed that 2022 shapes up to be a great year in gaming!

The game that has most piqued my attention is Starfield, a Bethesda title that was described as "Skyrim in space."  I like Skyrim and I like space...so those two factors lumped together are enough to get my blood pumping.  It's going to be interesting to see how the acquisition of Bethesda by Microsoft impacts the game, the release, or various other factors.  Unshockingly it will be an XBOX exclusive (sorry Playstation peeps).  Will Starfield contain the numerous hilarious bugs and general weirdness of the classic Bethesda title?  Will I have a space-equivalent Lydia to haul around all of my space dragon bones?  I'm watching you Starfield, so don't disappoint!  

Since I'm not hugely into triple A titles, the other announcements that were noteworthy were for games that skew more toward indie status.  Most notably, the adorable Slime Rancher is getting a sequel!  Slime Rancher 2 looks to include tons of everything that I love--cute slimes to interbreed (seriously, bunny slimes? Slimes with little anglerfish-like lures?  Bunny-Anglerfish slimes!), sucking up tons o' plorts, and a bright, sparkly world to explore.  If you want a cute, relaxing game to chill out to...do check out the original Slime Rancher.  

As a big fan of the whacky and comedic hospital management sim Two Point Hospital, I was floored to see that Two Point is releasing a whole new world to meticulously manage...the world of the university campus!  Of course, this isn't your typical university and the courses look like a mishmash of goofiness (which I'm completely here for).  Excitingly, the trailer also promises that there will be even more freedom in designing and managing your campus.  AWESOME!  

A couple of other indie titles also caught my eye--Terra Nil offers a compelling twist on the traditional city builder--what if instead of destroying nature to build a city you were tasked with restoring nature?  The trailer features several of my favorite features--namely relaxing music and the promise of a chillaxin' good time.  (There's actually already a demo on Steam of you want to check it out)  

I was also intrigued by the animation in a game called Planet of Lana.  It is tagged on Steam as a sidescroller/platformer but also "story rich."  Color me curious!  Plus, I'm a sucker for any game that includes interactions with cute critters (and I'm getting some Ori-esque vibes from the little black creature).  I've already wishlisted it and can't wait to see what shakes out.  

So many trailers and so much promise!  Let's hope that nothing crazy happens (like more pandemic delays) and that 2022 shapes up to be a wonderful year filled with great games.