Planet of Lana II review: A beautiful journey, subject to the small companion's swimming policy

The big picture

Lana and Mui have more of Novo to explore, including snowy heights, deep water and ancient structures. That sounds like a lovely itinerary until you remember that a cinematic puzzle adventure rarely supplies a scenic location without also making it difficult to leave. Planet of Lana II: Children of the Leaf gives the pair new ways to cooperate, new creatures to understand and several excellent reasons to stop treating the view as a photograph.

Wishfully's sequel fully launched on March 5, 2026, for Windows, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Switch and Switch 2. Its earlier demo was separate from the commercial launch. The game follows a focused journey through a world dealing with new technology and competing ideas about who should control it. Even on an alien planet, apparently nobody can introduce a useful invention without starting a disagreement. Official game overview

Mui has reviewed the water and declined

Lana can dive, but Mui remains afraid of water. Special bubble plants let them travel underwater together, preserving the companion's reluctance without preventing the sequel from exploring a new environment. It is a nicely specific problem for a partnership: one of you has discovered an exciting possibility, and the other has quite reasonably decided that being submerged sounds awful. Wishfully on creature and underwater puzzles

Underwater sections add breathing pressure and a different arrangement of space. The question is no longer only how to get across an obstacle; above and below it can matter as well. The designers also describe an ink-producing fish whose ability changes visibility and provides cover. Learning what a creature does becomes a way to understand the situation around it.

That is a more interesting use of wildlife than assigning every animal one of two roles, obstacle or decoration. It encourages attention to the world's behaviour. The practical caveat remains that solving an idea and executing it are related but separate tasks. Knowing what to do does not guarantee that you will immediately do it at the appropriate moment, particularly when breathing has become part of the discussion.

Nobody is handing out a vocabulary test

Storytelling uses an invented language, visual action and music rather than conventional spoken exposition. Expressions, movement and the arrangement of scenes therefore carry some of the work that another game might put into a conversation. Players willing to watch closely have room to interpret, without every emotional beat being followed by somebody helpfully explaining the emotional beat.

That approach also leaves less room for explicit reassurance. If you want long conversations spelling out history and motivation, the presentation may feel withholding. Discoveries about Novo and Mui's past give the journey direction, but the style expects some comfort with implication. The characters have not forgotten to provide subtitles for an ordinary lecture; the storytelling is choosing another route.

The hand-painted world connects natural spaces and machinery, making the technology question visible. Technology can bring benefits and imbalance, which is a more useful conflict than asking every machine to admit it was a mistake. The interesting issue is how people use power, even when the people discussing it live somewhere that makes every landscape look worth framing.

A sequel you can actually make room for

Wishfully estimates roughly six to eight hours, depending on playstyle. That is a developer estimate, not a promise about your finishing time. It indicates a contained adventure rather than an open-ended project that expects to occupy every evening until you forget what other games look like. Official FAQ

The opening recaps key events, and the sequel is designed to work independently. Returning players bring familiarity with Lana and Mui; newcomers can begin here without treating the previous adventure as an entrance examination. Playing in order may still appeal if seeing the relationship develop matters to you.

Planet of Lana II is a focused choice for players who enjoy environmental puzzles, companionship and storytelling that leaves room to notice things. Expanded creature control and underwater cooperation give the sequel concrete ideas to investigate. Come expecting an authored journey rather than extensive builds or endless replay systems. And before heading into the next lovely stretch of water, remember that one member of the party would very much like a bubble.