When it first launched back in 2023, Planet of Lana was met with solid feedback from both critics and the average gamer alike, so it’s no surprise that the developers over at Wishfully Studios are back with Planet of Lana II: Children of the Leaf.
I was a little bit apprehensive about covering this game because I haven’t played the original, but the developers promised this was a standalone adventure, and after finishing it, I’d have to agree. I’m sure there were probably callbacks to the first game – characters I would have recognised, or details I would have appreciated more if I’d played it, but I don’t think I missed out. If anything, playing Planet of Lana II has encouraged me to check out the first one once my ever-growing backlog of games has gone down.
Story
Planet of Lana II follows Lana and her cat-like companion, Mui, as they embark on an adventure to uncover the history of their planet. It’s an abstract story that leaves a lot up to your own interpretation because, aside from the opening prologue that summarises the events of the first game, the rest of the story is told through a made-up language without the aid of subtitles.
Where the first game told the story of a machine invasion, this sequel tells the story of what happened afterwards. New technology has allowed for progress, but it has also created an environment where greed and lust for power are common. It’s a timeless trope that reminded me a little of a movie I used to watch when I was younger – Origin: Spirits of the Past. Despite the lack of understandable dialogue, I think Planet of Lana II told its story particularly well through the visuals, music, and voice acting. Even if you don’t know what the characters are saying, you can pick up on things through how they say it. It’s subtle but impactful.
Much of the early game is focused on gathering ingredients to cure a sick loved one, but the story turns deeper as they discover hidden truths about both their planet and Mui him/herself.
It’s not a particularly long story – it took me around 7 hours to complete – but it packs a lot into those hours. It’s worth noting that I only found a couple of the hidden holograms too, so completionists might be able to draw out a couple more hours.
Sound and Graphics
Before I get into the gameplay itself, I want to talk briefly about the game’s presentation because it is absolutely beautiful. The hand-painted artwork manages to depict an effortless contrast between the serenity of nature and the coldness of machinery. From icy mountains to vast ocean areas, each section of Planet of Lana II is distinctive, which is something I find particularly important in a side-scrolling game. I was never left feeling like I was seeing the same old thing.
Then there’s the music. Takeshi Furukawa, the composer of the first game, has returned for Planet of Lana II, and the hopeful, ethereal music pairs perfectly with the hand-painted graphics. Together, they do a brilliant job of creating atmosphere.
Gameplay
Planet of Lana II is a puzzle-platforming game with stealth elements woven throughout. The mechanics are simple enough. As Lana, you can run, jump, and slide across obstacles and solve physics-based puzzles. Many of these puzzles are stealth and timing-based. You need to time your movement to avoid a hostile creature or robot, or a strong gust of wind that would blow Lana over if she were out in the open.
You can control Mui to a lesser degree. He can follow Lana or stay put, or you can direct him towards a specific point. Since he’s more agile than Lana, he can jump higher and interact with things she can’t. He also has a special ability that can short out machines and hypnotise creatures. A lot of the puzzles revolve around this mechanic.
There are a few sections of the game that require you to explore underwater. As a rule, I’m not usually a fan of underwater levels. I find them difficult to navigate, but in this instance, I found them to actually be quite enjoyable. Mui can’t go in the water, but there are several workarounds for this depending on where you are in the game.
Between Lana and Mui, there’s a fair amount of gameplay and puzzle variety. I did find that controlling Mui could be a little tedious at times, though. My review copy was for PlayStation, and you control Mui using the bumper. This worked fine for most of the game when you’re primarily controlling Lana, but there were a few short sections where Mui is the focus, and I found that the movement was a little slow and sluggish. In these sections, I’d have preferred to be able to just control him with the joystick before switching back when Lana is present.
My other minor niggle was that there were some instances where the action was just a little too far away. I assume it was an intentional choice to fit more onto the screen – it was usually during fast action scenes – but I found it a little hard to see what was going on.
Final Thoughts
If I had to sum it up in a few words, I’d say Planet of Lana II: Children of the Leaf is short but sweet. It’s a beautifully presented sci-fi adventure with thoughtful puzzles woven throughout. It’s a nice difficulty. Some puzzles took me a little while to solve, but there were never any that made me feel frustrated. The highlight, however, would have to be the bond between Lana and Mui. I’m a sucker for a human protagonist and their little robot or animal companion – Star Wars Jedi and The Last Guardian are two of my favourites – so I loved that their relationship was front and centre. Oh, and you can pet Mui! Games that let you pet the animals will always earn some brownie points from me.
Developer: Wishfully
Publisher: Thunderful Publishing
Platforms: PlayStation 4/5, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch, PC
Release Date: 5th March 2026
Gaming Respawn’s copy of Planet of Lana II: Children of the Leaf was provided by the publisher.
