Remap Radio

Two Friends and a Naive Dream: Make a Cinematic Platformer

Mar 5, 2026
Klas Eriksson, co-game director and writer who shaped Planet of Lana’s wordless storytelling. Adam Stjärnljus, creative director with a film and concept art background who led the game’s visual direction. They recount a decades-long friendship turned game-making journey. They discuss silent storytelling, cinematic versus puzzle platformer design, expanded player mechanics, and lessons from indie production.
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ANECDOTE

Childhood Collaboration Became A Game Studio

  • Adam and Klas met in middle school and bonded over drawing, film and early Photoshop experiments.
  • They later formed a production company, did film/animation work, and parlayed that collaboration into founding Wishfully and making Planet of Lana.
ANECDOTE

Lana Started As One Key Image And Weekend Work

  • Adam sketched the first Planet of Lana key art in 2017 then worked nights and weekends to prototype the idea.
  • By 2018 they had ~9 people, spent two years on a prototype, and pitched for three years before signing with Xbox and Thunderful.
INSIGHT

Silence Demands Better Visual And Musical Storytelling

  • Removing spoken dialogue forces the team to show story through animation, music, and design.
  • Klas created a simple constructed language and a glossary so scenes have consistent emotional beats even without readable speech.
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