When Planet of Lana was released back in 2023, it was welcomed with many divided opinions. Everyone agreed on the stunning visuals, world-building and incredible cinematic score that it offered, but some couldn’t gel with its controls or its environmental puzzles. They are fair criticisms; not everyone is going to connect with its Prince of Persia style of movement and its two-character control schemes, but for those that did connect with it (like me), it brought an unforgettable experience that lodged itself in my and many people’s gaming memories, never to leave.
It was always a hope then that a sequel would arrive at some point, and in June 2025, that hope was answered with the announcement of Planet of Lana II: Children of the Leaf. Promising to build on the foundations of the first game, especially in its narrative, the reveal was a favourite moment of 2025, and eight short months later, it’s ready to be released to the masses.
Although the first game did have a strong narrative throughout, the developers, Wishfully, have acted on the promise of a much stronger and more involved story in every way, as the twists and turns involved in Children of the Leaf’s plot left me yearning to learn as much as I possibly could. It’s a more personal story for Lana too, as we delve much more into her relationships with not just her community but other inhabitants and villages of this planet and the issues they are facing. It’s a massive step up from Planet of Lana in every way, fleshing out Lana, other inhabitants and the world in general. It now all feels more alive and more populated than just a village out in the wilds.
Mui hasn’t been forgotten either, as we learn more about their backstory, where they were before joining up with Lana, and the problems that arose that led to Mui ending up where we found them in the first game. These flashbacks also hold context on the robots that invaded the planet and the bigger part they play, not just from Mui’s history but for others too. What makes all this more fascinating is that it’s all told through the games’ made-up language, characters’ body language and through murals and other visual clues. It’s quite a bold way of telling the narrative, but it works incredibly well.
Mui has also gained some new tricks since we last saw them. Now with the ability to create an aura full of electricity, they can activate many power blocks to trigger doors and change direction or power off security cameras. Their other new ability is from possessing other small creatures that are needed if Lana is to progress on her journey. The creatures vary from location to location, and each brings a different ability. My favourite being the white ball creatures that can leave a flammable liquid behind, especially handy when you need to burn down some blockages that are in your way.
Although Lana can still take control of the robots, she did feel a little lacking in the new ability front. Though, saying that, there was one that was slightly explored in the first game, which took on a much more pivotal role this time around, and that was in Lana’s swimming abilities and the many underwater sections that littered their path. These areas helped to break up the gameplay, as they brought new challenges from either solving more environmental puzzles, evading attacks from giant fish, managing Lana’s oxygen levels or working out ways to get Mui across the water (as they still cannot swim).
I’m not usually the biggest fan of underwater segments in video games. I find the usual swimming motions slow the gameplay down; it’s a bit of a slog to navigate the sections, and I hate having to worry about oxygen levels, especially when I am enjoying the exploration and have to break it up by trying to find some kind of air source so I can carry on. But, in Planet of Lana 2, this was not the case. As the game is pretty slow in its nature, it wasn’t as jarring when entering the water, plus these areas reek of thoughtful design from the developers, as nothing felt frustrating, nothing took me out of the game, and it was actually a pleasant experience.
Another reason for this was Lana’s smooth animation while in the water; it was frictionless and made traversal a breeze. This goes for the whole experience really, with butter-smooth animation not just from Lana but from every character, every robot and every animal. It was frankly a joy; Wishfully’s improved skill set in the animation shone massively, and it all just embodied the cinematic nature of the game.
The way the game takes this cinematic approach and runs with it is majestic, and it’s the incredible hand-drawn visuals and orchestral score that just piece it all together. The scenery throughout is just stunning, with so much detail everywhere. The whole screen is filled with vivid, location-appropriate dressings and backgrounds that are always busy, always showing the locals going about their day or wildlife scurrying about in the more remote areas. Lana’s, Mui’s and the supporting characters’ movements were all silky smooth, and it all added up to a highly polished, meticulous adventure that not only looked beautiful but was also great to play.
The score, handled once again by Takeshi Furukawa, is a full-bodied orchestral treat for your ears. Heightening everything occurring on screen, the music elevated the action wonderfully and played the perfect companion during the quieter or more emotional moments. Takeshi has scored multiple games and TV shows, including The Last Guardian, and his experience really shows in how to get the best out of a scene through music, and this is fully on show here.
Planet of Lana 2: Children of the Leaf left me wanting more. I wasn’t ready for it to finish, but once it had, I had the compulsion to start it again. That’s a rarity for me, but I just wanted to go back to Lana’s world, to revel in its beauty and to find anything I may have missed about its civilisation and its history. Anyone hoping for an improved control scheme or puzzle mechanics will be disappointed, but for the rest, this is truly a treat to your senses, and it will be one that will stay in your memories for some time to come.
