Planet of Lana II Review: A Much-Needed Sequel

The peaceful existence of Lana and Mui is shattered by an invasion; on a journey as beautiful as it is significant, we must save both our new adventure companion and our entire community.

The characters in Planet of Lana II: Children of the Leaf communicate in a language unknown on Earth, making their words unintelligible to us. However, despite Wishfully's clear intention for players to interpret events themselves, the emotions conveyed in every conversation, encounter, and situation within this sequel are unmistakable. The return of Lana, the game's titular protagonist, and Mui, her inseparable quadruped companion, is more than just timely—it's essential. It's essential for the story, which still has much to unfold; it's essential for the sheer audiovisual delight, where the beauty of its landscapes is only surpassed by the soaring peaks of its soundtrack; and perhaps most importantly, it's essential for the relevance of a narrative filled with heart and soul, a quality always welcome, but in 2026, it feels like a breath of fresh air.

Planet of Lana II opens with a summary of the original game's events, providing an ideal introduction for those unfamiliar with the 2023 "cinematic platformer." We learn about Lana, an intrepid young girl who bravely confronts challenges to rescue her sister from the metallic grasp of machines fallen from the sky. These initial tutorial segments reveal how Lana's village coexists harmoniously with various robotic creatures, touch upon a few mysteries regarding android-human coexistence somewhere in the galaxy, and most crucially, teach us how to navigate Lana's world: simple lateral movement, richly enhanced by the protagonist's animations (who quickly finds a place in our hearts); occasional jumps, remembering that a running start always helps; and a significant number of obstacles in the form of puzzles, such as a door requiring Mui to press a switch or a lever to activate before our path continues.

The tranquility and happiness that permeate the early stages of Planet of Lana II are abruptly shattered by the violent arrival of angry men. First, we discover their actions have lethally poisoned the small, enthusiastic girl who had turned the duo into a trio. But the horror doesn't cease, as a glance at the horizon reveals it's an invasion. The newcomers waste no time, deploying their machinery in nearby areas, destroying entire landscapes with enormous excavators that bore into the earth in search of valuable minerals.

Although Lana intends to join her people in defending their village, she is still too young. Fortunately, if fiction has taught us anything, it's that size doesn't matter as long as the embarking heroine possesses an unyielding will. So, Lana undertakes a crucial mission that only she, alongside Mui, can accomplish: saving the little girl before it's too late. To do this, we must acquire a series of materials needed to create a cure. The first ingredient is in the village itself, serving as another tutorial, requiring Mui's help to control friendly fish so Lana can safely dive for it. The other three components of the recipe will lead us from the deepest mine to the highest peak, without neglecting the always unsettling marine depths and a Ghibli-esque forest as beautiful as it is doomed.

The mention of Studio Ghibli is not trivial, as a certain forest deity could easily have been part of one of their films, much like the adorable Mui. Beyond design and aesthetics, the connection to the Japanese animation studio finds its deepest meaning when we consider some of the themes that underpin Planet of Lana II: the unilateral confrontation between machine and nature, the depiction of human progress as an incessant force that devastates everything in pursuit of an advancement that only leaves behind a large part of a region's biodiversity.

This concern has been reflected by Miyazaki in Princess Mononoke, Tolkien in The Lord of the Rings, and—I want to believe—Cameron in Avatar. This insatiable appetite for exploiting a region's natural resources is founded on human greed, or rather "the greed of men"; as Clara Doña wrote in her review of Lucas Pope's game Return of the Obra Dinn, such people "think that everything natural is, by right, possessable." A self-sabotage that humanity loves to commit, especially if it can strip the territory far from its habitable zone—after all, it matters less if it doesn't affect my space.

Planet of Lana II may not delve into eco-terrorism, but it does shine a spotlight on the horrors of powers that destroy everything in their path. Fortunately, in our attempt to save a life, we can also do our part to curb this imperialistic advance that is wiping out everything and everyone. Few images are more devastating than traversing what was once a vibrant village amidst a forest, only to find death and ashes remaining.

We will find even more relevant themes throughout Lana and Mui's journey. Our seemingly egalitarian community contrasts with what appears to be an army led by a messianic figure guiding their people to a promised land. Mui's flashbacks allow us to uncover certain secrets intimately tied to everything happening on Lana's planet, as well as addressing issues like interspecies coexistence. While serving as puzzle-solving tools, the help of certain creatures to advance emphasizes something as basic as the value of collaborating with others and being part of a whole, rather than stepping on heads to climb higher—a counter-natural and senseless, yet widespread, way of life.

The label "cinematic experience" fits Planet of Lana II perfectly. It masterfully controls the pace, ensuring that the alternation between contemplative movement sections, puzzle rooms, platforming zones, and plot-advancing sequences feels organic and fluid. Some players might meticulously strategize to solve the obstacles Wishfully has scattered along the way, but perhaps driven by a certain childish spirit, many of them were, in my case, resolved by simply diving headfirst into them—poor Lana! Trial and error is allowed, but the design of each obstacle offers the necessary clues to progress without getting stuck.

One of the reasons Planet of Lana II avoids repetition is that the variety of environments goes hand-in-hand with presenting familiar situations in new ways. We might use a fish's ink to hide or the ability of fluffy mountain creatures to leave a trail of flammable material to spread fire at different points in the game, but each time, we encounter new challenges to keep the situation exciting. The same applies to Mui and her array of resources, all excellently mapped to the controller, making it intuitive and simple to control both protagonists. In addition to moving Lana, we can instruct Mui to accompany us—a crucial verb in their story—or to wait at a specific point, an essential tactic for her to press a button, disable a hostile robot, or simply stay safe until we clear a path for her.

Perhaps the part of the game where we suffer most for Mui is in the aquatic zones, as this adorable creature cannot swim. Fortunately, Lana's planet boasts a type of aquatic plant capable of protecting Mui while we dive, dodging fast-finned predators or using Mui's area ability to open natural gates. There's a lot of water in Planet of Lana II, and each aquatic level is so beautiful that it compensates for the difficulty it poses for those of us who struggle with navigating an environment that leaves us so defenseless. Those with thalassophobia should be warned: if we "just keep swimming," as a certain fish once said, we will uncover essential secrets to understand everything, but the risk might be too high.

The art direction of Planet of Lana II is a delight. It's easy to be captivated by its colorful landscapes, especially because they are spaces brimming with life thanks to everything we observe as we pass. It helps that the backgrounds feature various characters living their lives, regardless of our actions in the game, as does the clever trick of adding a layer between Lana's two-dimensional path and our screen, effectively enhancing depth. This is one of those games where you'll wear out your screenshot button.

Adding to this is a wonderful soundtrack, an ideal accompaniment to everything that unfolds during the handful of hours this sequel offers. The journey is far from feeling short; on the contrary, it's an intense story capable of leaving us with our hearts in our throats on more than one occasion. Without spoilers, Planet of Lana II invites us to anticipate a third installment, but it doesn't leave us with an unsatisfying ending. Just as it functions perfectly on its own, even without knowing what happened before, if there were no continuation, we could embrace these two games without issue, despite never knowing what might come next. That said, I sincerely hope Wishfully develops Planet of Lana III to discover what happens to Lana and Mui, as they are two characters we quickly grow to embrace and want to protect.

Planet of Lana II: Children of the Leaf is a self-contained adventure that knows not to overstay its welcome, ensuring that none of its wonderful sensations or its message are diluted. While its art style might suggest a simple stroll, it's far from being just a walk in the park. Instead, it’s one of the most important, meaningful, and beautiful journeys we've played this year. If there's one thing we can learn from the tireless Lana and Mui, it's that there's no greater driving force than love for those closest to us.

[ 8 / 10 ]