Planet of Lana II is studio Wishfully’s second attempt at crafting a visually charming and puzzle-heavy platformer. Three years after the success of their first game, the second entry to the series does a delightful job at expanding on its story, with several twists and turns.
This time around, Lana’s journey through an off-earth odyssey tells a new tale, one that gently nudges the corners of familiar themes, whilst courageously introducing new mechanics without ever burdening its gameplay.
It’s a powerful sequel to a story that, with its emotional highs and lows, reminds us of the beauty of friendship and family. It’s passionately crafted with clever platforming, puzzle-solving, and exploration that sets a tone rich in 2.5D game design.
Visual storytelling at its finest
Planet of Lana II’s art style depicts the game’s lore in beautiful ways.
Planet of Lana II builds on the foundations of the previous game in every way possible. The art direction, specifically, stood out to me. Every inch of this game is painted with a mix of 2D and 3D animations, environments, and interactive elements. As I moved Lana and Mui across different landscapes, the camera followed me, leading to new places to explore.
This sidescrolling nature of the game harnesses unique parts of its level design in ways that made me take screenshots almost every two minutes. Each frame appears like a hand-crafted painting done with a love for dystopian storytelling, founded in a version of Earth that’s true to its roots. Planet of Lana II’s distinct art style is an important part of its storytelling.
Emotional ties and purpose-driven characters are a big part of Planet of Lana II.
The narrative isn’t shown or told blatantly. It takes its time to slowly unfold different chapters, as Lana rediscovers the truth about the planet, the alien invasion, and the importance of family. With Mui as a sidekick, every challenge feels a bit more doable, especially when there’s an emotional factor attached.
The consequences of actions and a hero’s journey are two important themes in Planet of Lana II’s writing. And, they are felt through a cryptic language between characters that the players aren’t supposed to understand. No, they’re led to keep faith in the game’s progression instead, as it reveals new twists and turns. This is a fantastic way of telling a story, and it mixes well with the gameplay mechanics.
Fresh perspectives, familiar challenges
Mui can help you control other beings on the planet.
Mui’s adorable movements and mechanics were quickly introduced to me in the early parts of the game, and that’s where I felt honestly surprised. While I was able to control Mui’s movements freely, I could also use Mui’s superpowers to engage with the world. At the same time, stealth mechanics were a big part of journeying through most levels, so Lana’s presence didn’t feel redundant.
This let me take charge of machines, other beings, and several interactive options that could have otherwise been part of the world without any agency. I love how the developers chose to turn this into gameplay, and I genuinely believe this makes Planet of Lana II such a strong sequel.
As the environments shift and change, Lana and Mui must adapt their strategy accordingly.
Even though you can complete the game in less than 10 hours, it’s worth exploring each puzzle at your own pace. I remember the urge to rush through several pieces of a chapter when I knew in my heart where I was supposed to go next, but the level design kept me from doing so.
There’s a subtle beauty to exploring each part of Planet of Lana II’s environments, since every piece of the puzzle ties nonchalantly to the game’s overarching worldbuilding. On top of that, being able to navigate the world through different perspectives adds to the experience, letting you remember parts of the game distinctly.
Curiosity and its human consequences
Navigating each level brings new and old sets of challenges, with a mostly linear way of solving them.
One of the “hidden” mechanics of Planet of Lana II lies in its curious nature. This isn’t a tangible element, but a subtle call for nuanced progression. There are objectives, yes, but much of this world is best explored like a Metroidvania, even though it isn’t one. In the middle of quests, I found myself exploring snowy regions, a familiar hometown, natural resources guarded by machines, and more.
However, that’s when the visibility of puzzles can hinder the experience, depending on how “visible” they are. There were times when I was freely exploring the world, figuring out where to go next, and a piece of the environment showed itself to me, as if telling me, “Hey, I’m the puzzle! Solve me!” even when the soundtrack, art design, and narrative try to keep things mysterious.
Some areas hide more secrets than others. Don’t forget to explore each part of this game slowly.
This would often take away from the immersion. Imagine feeling lost (in a good way), only to find yourself being reminded of your purpose. It can be great for game progression, but takes away the charm of a world where Lana is curiously finding her place in life. Yet, none of this harshly paints Planet of Lana II. After all, the puzzle-solving and environment-exploring are what make this game so incredibly fun.
Towards the end of my journey with Planet of Lana II, I stayed curious as to what happens next. There’s a lot more to discover here, and discoveries to be made. A short but sweet game like this often has players longing for more, but I can safely say that this one is worth every minute of your time.
I sincerely hope that Wishfully continues to tell the story of Planet of Lana and builds on the adventures of Lana and Mui. I can’t wait to experience newer perspectives, especially from the eerie technology that builds and breaks this ever-evolving world.
Planet of Lana II is studio Wishfully’s second attempt at crafting a visually charming and puzzle-heavy platformer. Three years after the success of their first game, the second entry to the series does a delightful job at expanding on its story, with several twists and turns.
Planet of Lana II is studio Wishfully’s second attempt at crafting a visually charming and puzzle-heavy platformer. Three years after the success of their first game, the second entry to the series does a delightful job at expanding on its story, with several twists and turns.
This time around, Lana’s journey through an off-earth odyssey tells a new tale, one that gently nudges the corners of familiar themes, whilst courageously introducing new mechanics without ever burdening its gameplay.
It’s a powerful sequel to a story that, with its emotional highs and lows, reminds us of the beauty of friendship and family. It’s passionately crafted with clever platforming, puzzle-solving, and exploration that sets a tone rich in 2.5D game design.
Visual storytelling at its finest
Planet of Lana II’s art style depicts the game’s lore in beautiful ways.
Planet of Lana II builds on the foundations of the previous game in every way possible. The art direction, specifically, stood out to me. Every inch of this game is painted with a mix of 2D and 3D animations, environments, and interactive elements. As I moved Lana and Mui across different landscapes, the camera followed me, leading to new places to explore.
This sidescrolling nature of the game harnesses unique parts of its level design in ways that made me take screenshots almost every two minutes. Each frame appears like a hand-crafted painting done with a love for dystopian storytelling, founded in a version of Earth that’s true to its roots. Planet of Lana II’s distinct art style is an important part of its storytelling.
Emotional ties and purpose-driven characters are a big part of Planet of Lana II.
The narrative isn’t shown or told blatantly. It takes its time to slowly unfold different chapters, as Lana rediscovers the truth about the planet, the alien invasion, and the importance of family. With Mui as a sidekick, every challenge feels a bit more doable, especially when there’s an emotional factor attached.
The consequences of actions and a hero’s journey are two important themes in Planet of Lana II’s writing. And, they are felt through a cryptic language between characters that the players aren’t supposed to understand. No, they’re led to keep faith in the game’s progression instead, as it reveals new twists and turns. This is a fantastic way of telling a story, and it mixes well with the gameplay mechanics.
Fresh perspectives, familiar challenges
Mui can help you control other beings on the planet.
Mui’s adorable movements and mechanics were quickly introduced to me in the early parts of the game, and that’s where I felt honestly surprised. While I was able to control Mui’s movements freely, I could also use Mui’s superpowers to engage with the world. At the same time, stealth mechanics were a big part of journeying through most levels, so Lana’s presence didn’t feel redundant.
This let me take charge of machines, other beings, and several interactive options that could have otherwise been part of the world without any agency. I love how the developers chose to turn this into gameplay, and I genuinely believe this makes Planet of Lana II such a strong sequel.
As the environments shift and change, Lana and Mui must adapt their strategy accordingly.
Even though you can complete the game in less than 10 hours, it’s worth exploring each puzzle at your own pace. I remember the urge to rush through several pieces of a chapter when I knew in my heart where I was supposed to go next, but the level design kept me from doing so.
There’s a subtle beauty to exploring each part of Planet of Lana II’s environments, since every piece of the puzzle ties nonchalantly to the game’s overarching worldbuilding. On top of that, being able to navigate the world through different perspectives adds to the experience, letting you remember parts of the game distinctly.
Curiosity and its human consequences
Navigating each level brings new and old sets of challenges, with a mostly linear way of solving them.
One of the “hidden” mechanics of Planet of Lana II lies in its curious nature. This isn’t a tangible element, but a subtle call for nuanced progression. There are objectives, yes, but much of this world is best explored like a Metroidvania, even though it isn’t one. In the middle of quests, I found myself exploring snowy regions, a familiar hometown, natural resources guarded by machines, and more.
However, that’s when the visibility of puzzles can hinder the experience, depending on how “visible” they are. There were times when I was freely exploring the world, figuring out where to go next, and a piece of the environment showed itself to me, as if telling me, “Hey, I’m the puzzle! Solve me!” even when the soundtrack, art design, and narrative try to keep things mysterious.
Some areas hide more secrets than others. Don’t forget to explore each part of this game slowly.
This would often take away from the immersion. Imagine feeling lost (in a good way), only to find yourself being reminded of your purpose. It can be great for game progression, but takes away the charm of a world where Lana is curiously finding her place in life. Yet, none of this harshly paints Planet of Lana II. After all, the puzzle-solving and environment-exploring are what make this game so incredibly fun.
Towards the end of my journey with Planet of Lana II, I stayed curious as to what happens next. There’s a lot more to discover here, and discoveries to be made. A short but sweet game like this often has players longing for more, but I can safely say that this one is worth every minute of your time.
I sincerely hope that Wishfully continues to tell the story of Planet of Lana and builds on the adventures of Lana and Mui. I can’t wait to experience newer perspectives, especially from the eerie technology that builds and breaks this ever-evolving world.
by Tanay Sharma
