When I first found out that I’d be seeing Planet of Lana II at last year’s Gamescom, I was excited like a little kid. And when I finally got to play it there, I was left speechless after those 30–45 minutes. I just knew we were in for something special. The only problem was the wait, more than six months between that first hands-on session and the moment I’d get to dive back into this fantastic title.
And now, all those months later, after spending several days with the full game, I’ve realised that Wishfully didn’t just fix what was missing in the original, they exceeded every possible expectation I had. Planet of Lana II is a full, rich, challenging, brilliant, touching, and beautiful experience in every conceivable way. Unlike the first game, this isn’t just a title you admire for its visuals and presentation; it’s a true game in the fullest sense, one you’ll enjoy not only for its art design but for its gameplay, which has been improved across the board. So let’s start from the beginning.
The story takes place a few years after the events of the first game. After Lana uncovered certain truths about the beings who invaded the planet Novo, namely that they all originate from the same distant world (ours?), things slowly began to improve. Even her village started using the machines that once caused so much trouble, repurposing them to improve productivity and make life easier, without any malicious intent.
But not everyone sees things the same way. One of the tribes on Novo, the Dijinghala, is far more selfish and greedy. They’ve decided to exploit the machines to amass greater wealth, mining dangerous ores that threaten the very lives of Novo’s people. One such ore crashes near Lana’s village, and her niece happens to touch it, falling into a coma. Now Lana, ever the adventurer, must search the world for a cure scattered across its vast landscapes.
Like the first game, Planet of Lana II doesn’t use any recognisable language for character communication. All dialogue is fictional, leaving it open to player interpretation. It doesn’t matter what the characters are literally saying, what matters is how you understand it, what conclusions you draw, what feels important and what doesn’t. The story unfolds primarily through the environment and through what Lana and Mui encounter during their journey. Not a single moment feels dull, even if you don’t understand a word being spoken. You’re drawn in, compelled to listen, it’s charming, effective, and beautifully executed. Most importantly, it works.
The original Planet of Lana was known for its breathtaking, emotional atmosphere. As Wishfully’s first project of this kind, expectations weren’t sky-high. The story was sweet, quiet, yet surprisingly expressive. Gameplay, however, was serviceable, a gentle adventure with light puzzles sprinkled throughout. The experience leaned more toward atmosphere than mechanical depth, and that was arguably its biggest weakness. As fantastic as it was for what it offered, it lacked gameplay depth, something to truly engage players beyond simply holding the analog stick in one direction while soft music played and you admired the scenery.
Wishfully, clearly understood this. The sequel needed stronger, more developed mechanics. And that’s exactly what they delivered.
When I say refined and expanded, I don’t mean Lana suddenly runs around shooting everything or leaping like Lara Croft. I mean the way Wishfully realised their ideas in this sequel. The foundation of a puzzle-platform adventure was already there, now it needed substance, complexity, and more meaningful challenges. Thankfully, that’s precisely what we got.
The broader gameplay feels so natural within the world that it’s almost unbelievable. It’s not just about adding more puzzles, though there are certainly more than in the first game. These puzzles are deeper, more intricate, genuinely thought-provoking. They encourage experimentation, trial and error, and persistence until you reach that satisfying solution.
I’m genuinely glad Wishfully started small with the first game before fully opening up here. There were doubts about whether they could handle something more complex than the original Planet of Lana, but the sequel completely disproves that. Not only did they incorporate everything that was missing before, but they made it all look divine and function beautifully. The puzzles aren’t there just for the sake of it, they’re deeply intertwined with the narrative elements and the expanded abilities of Lana and Mui, creating a smart, layered, and consistently engaging puzzle experience from start to finish.
Lana herself is older now, a few years having passed. She’s quicker, more agile, more resourceful. You feel that growth in every movement. Gone are the long empty stretches of the first game. Something is always happening. There’s always a problem to solve before progressing. Running, sliding under obstacles, climbing in a very Lara Croft-like fashion, leaping across chasms to reach a distant goal, everything feels dynamic, and the animation work is flawless. Since Lana’s tribe has “adopted” the machines, you can now use them during puzzle-solving and traversal.
Stealth mechanics remain. You still need to move quietly around hostile figures, hiding in tall grass, heavy snow, or shadows to avoid detection. But all these elements are now better integrated into the overall design.
And then there’s Mui.
Ah, Mui, the little space cat of Novo. If anyone didn’t fall in love with Mui in the first game (assuming such a person exists), they certainly will here. Mui is Lana’s constant companion, and this time, the little creature can do so much more. You can disable enemy drones, have Lana hack them, yes, she can do that now, and then control them with Mui to traverse levels and solve puzzles. Mui can now take control of more than just small robots; it can influence other creatures inhabiting Novo.
With each new chapter and environment, you’re introduced to new mechanics and new beings to control. Fluffy, wool-like creatures used to manipulate fire-based puzzles. Fish that release ink to blind sharks, allowing you to dive into deeper, hidden areas. The creativity on display is astounding.
One of the best changes is that puzzles are no longer confined to a single screen. Some stretch across multiple interconnected areas. Early on, you’ll find yourself analyzing everything you pass, wondering what might be useful later, what’s part of a puzzle, what’s simply environmental detail. That attention the game demands from you is fantastic. The first game was something you experienced passively; here, you actively participate. Planet of Lana II is a game you truly play.
And because of that, you’ll experience constant “eureka” moments. Not once did I feel that a puzzle was unnecessary or exhausting. Everything is placed with intention, thoughtfully designed, and brilliantly executed.
While playing, I couldn’t shake the feeling that Wishfully had many of these ideas from the start but lacked the time or resources to implement them fully in the original. With the sequel, it feels like they finally realized every vision they ever had, and they did so masterfully. A small masterpiece.
One detail I loved: the game rarely gives you hints. Solutions are entirely up to you. Sometimes it even subtly misleads you, nudging you toward overcomplicated paths while the real answer sits right in front of you. That’s the beauty of puzzle design here, some challenges are genuinely complex, while others only appear that way but are cleverly simple once you understand them.
Gameplay improvements aren’t the only highlight. The music is phenomenal. In the first game, it was soft and subtle, rarely taking center stage. Here, within the first hour, you’ll hear orchestral pieces that sound as if they were lifted straight from an epic adventure film. The first time you hear them, you’ll get chills. Combined with the breathtaking hand-drawn visuals, just as stunning as before, the soundtrack elevates the atmosphere to an entirely new level. At times, I even wondered whether the first game’s music had made much of an impression at all, because this sequel raises the bar dramatically.
The animation work deserves praise too, from Mui’s tail flicking before a jump to Lana’s fluid running, climbing, and sliding. Everything feels polished to perfection.
As for flaws? Honestly, I didn’t notice any. Though I should mention that I adored the first game primarily for its presentation rather than its gameplay. The sequel fixes every shortcoming and then some, it’s more than twice as long, which is absolutely commendable. If I had to name a flaw, it’s simply that the game eventually ends.
We would like to thank Thunderful Publishing for providing us with a copy of the game for review purposes.
Planet of Lana II (PC)
By definition, Planet of Lana II is what a sequel should be. Everything is improved, better, smarter, more engaging, more ambitious. It’s difficult to find fault in a game crafted with this much care and love. If the original was for those who enjoy artistic, gentle platformers, the sequel is for anyone who loves great games. Because at the end of the day, this is simply an outstanding title in every possible sense.
