Planet of Lana II: Children of the Leaf Review

A couple of years ago, Planet of Lana took players on a journey with its hand-painted aesthetic and heart-warming story of a young girl and her friend, Mui. The game surprised many, scoring well across critics and players who placed a premium on environmental storytelling.

Enter Planet of Lana II: Children of the Leaf, and while it is mostly the same game we’ve known from before, it is safe to say that this installment delivers improvements across the board, making it another emotional journey

Journey of Silence

Two years after the events of the first game, Planet of Lana II tells the story of Lana and Mui, her companion, as they go on a journey to look for an antidote for her sister/niece, who has unfortunately been the victim of an attack. Throughout their journey, they’ll face puzzles, puzzle-filled areas, and more, as they eventually uncover the secrets of the world.

One interesting thing about games of this type, and Planet of Lana II in particular, is how there is very little to no text or dialog. Rather, the game offers players a chance at their own interpretation of the events through a fictitious language and a focus on what is happening in the environment. Thus, players can expect a lot of environmental storytelling and actions, and the game definitely succeeds at doing this through breathtaking locations and views, along with themes like resiliency, relationships, and more.

Gameplay in Planet of Lana II is quite simple and straightforward, but implements great partner mechanics between Lana and Mui. Players will primarily control Lana through pretty basic platforming but will also have the capability to issue orders to Mui, having them move around and interact with objects in the environment. Lana is also pretty capable, with wall jumps and run-slides as part of her repertoire of moves.

As an improvement to the first game, puzzles have more layers to them, requiring players to think and consider the effects of their actions before moving on. Players will also have the ability to use other lifeforms to assist with puzzle solving based on environmental cues, featuring unique ways in each level to move the story along. These puzzles are quite fun and inventive, and will require coordination and timing for the most part, especially when paired with platforming.

Sights and Sounds

The resulting 3-5 hours is beautiful, albeit a bit short for some, as Planet of Lana II enhances the experience with its stunning visuals. Not only do we get an improvement in almost all aspects of the game, but the excellent visuals play a big role in communicating the feelings of Lana and Mui well throughout icy mountains and deep oceans. The game is paired with a soundtrack that goes so well with the proceedings, adding emotional weight that moves and elevates.

Titles like these rarely give the platforms they are played on any trouble, and the same is true with Planet of Lana II. Playing on both a PC and ROG Xbox Ally, the game surprisingly takes up 44GB of space, but performs rather well, keeping at a rock solid framerate, and 60fps while bringing it around on the handheld.

Verdict: Buy it!

Planet of Lana II: Children of the Leaf is a short but extremely sweet adventure that fans of the first game should dive into. With improvements across the board, it offers a cohesive experience brought together by platforming and puzzles that tickle the brain and provide satisfaction after all is said and done.

*Planet of Lana II: Children of the Leaf was reviewed on a PC/ROG Xbox Ally with a review code provided by the Publisher.