Planet of Lana

Planet of Lana is an atmospheric puzzle platformer in which a girl named Lana sets out to rescue her sister and the planet's other inhabitants, abducted by mysterious robotic forces. The key gameplay element is cooperation with a feline companion named Mui, who can be directed to activate mechanisms, lure away enemies, or help overcome obstacles that Lana couldn't manage alone. The puzzles skillfully combine the interplay between the two characters with platforming sections and quiet stealth sequences that require avoiding robotic patrols, while the game gradually introduces further animal companions with their own abilities that enrich the solutions to later puzzles.

The game's visuals are among its greatest strengths – hand-painted environments reminiscent of animated-film illustrations create a sense of a vast, mysterious world, while the orchestral score heightens the story's emotional moments. On Xbox Series X|S it launched day one on Game Pass, runs smoothly at high resolution, and fast loading times cut down the waiting between sections of the game, a welcome detail for a title with many repeated puzzle attempts.

Critics praised especially the visual craftsmanship and the thoughtful puzzle design built around cooperation with Mui, though some players noted that the difficulty stays fairly mild for most of the game. Even so, Planet of Lana has taken its place among the acclaimed atmospheric platformers of recent times and is often cited as an example of how strongly a visual style can carry a game's overall impression, even without extensive dialogue or text explanations. The relationship between Lana and Mui is told purely through animation and small gestures, which gives the game an emotional dimension comparable to other standout platformers of recent years, and that's also why Planet of Lana is often mentioned alongside similarly toned titles like Inside or Ori.

Why play it: For the striking visual style and puzzles built around cooperation with Mui, telling their story purely through animation – ideal for fans of Inside or Ori.