Planet of Lana 2 Devs Promise a Longer, More Challenging Sequel

Planet of Lana 2: Children of the Leaf continues the titular protagonist’s journey, as her home planet of Novo is quickly changing. The first game followed Lana and her adorable companion Mui as the two dealt with the invasion of spider-like robots. Now, Novo has embraced technology. This has caused more tension than harmony, and Planet of Lana 2: Children of the Leaf addresses the complexities of societal progress while still staying true to its slow-burn vibe that’s more focused on environmental storytelling than dialogue.

Lana is dealing with even more in this chapter. Each Novo tribe has used technology in their own way, but that introduces a power struggle that shakes up the planet’s once-peaceful nature. The Planet of Lana 2 reviews are out, and the feedback shows that developer Wishfully has once again brought a unique and compelling story to life. GameRant got the chance to sit down with Wishfully’s co-founders and talk about what sets the sequel apart from its predecessor. Writer and Co-Director Klas Martin Eriksson and Creative Director Adam Stjarnljus offered fascinating insights into how they made Planet of Lana 2 a stronger experience.

Planet of Lana 2: Children of the Leaf’s Challenge Level Reflects a More Mature and Experienced Lana

The first Planet of Lana was great, but the story also felt like it ended before things really even got started. That’s not saying that short-length stories are bad. There are plenty of great games out there that last around five hours, and Planet of Lana is one of them. Some of the best short games out there do a solid job of avoiding overstaying their welcome, but Planet of Lana definitely felt like it had a little bit more to tell, despite its strong story. That’s another reason a sequel is so exciting. Planet of Lana scratched the surface of what was possible to explore, and Wishfully was clearly aware of that.

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A lot has changed for Lana in Planet of Lana 2. Not only is the world around her changing, but she is, too. Both she and Novo are facing an identity crisis. This promises a deeper and darker story, and that is reflected in the gameplay. Planet of Lana 2‘s gameplay has evolved along with Lana, and that means a greater challenge for players. Not only was the first game short, it was relatively easy.

Planet of Lana is one of the best puzzle platformers of the past few years, but it could have benefited from a bit more difficulty. Klas and Adam made sure to keep this in mind when crafting the sequel. It’s really hard to make a sequel harder while also staying true to the original game’s identity and energy. When it came to evolving Planet of Lana 2‘s puzzle complexity, Adam shared some great details about how the team at Wishfully did so without losing sight of the first chapter:

We wanted to take everything players loved with the first game and expand on it and make it better. We started with the upgraded abilities of Lana and Mui and then built on that. It was really important for us to build a game that’s more challenging puzzle-wise, but still keeping that same flow and emotional connection from the first game, and first and foremost, to create more fun, varied and interesting gameplay and puzzles. We also have the whole depths of the oceans and lakes of Novo to explore this time, which adds a lot of fun verticality to the level design and puzzles.

Using Novo’s oceans to expand the level design is a great way to evolve the world without going too big. It keeps everything centered on Novo, but it adds plenty of newness to the experience. The first Planet of Lana game set the groundwork for a stronger sequel to demonstrate how much more is possible within this world. Planet of Lana loves puzzles, but gamers will now have to use even more brain power when playing the sequel. They feel more intense, as some are closely tied to the story and the race against the clock that Lana finds herself in. Puzzle-based games can struggle to make obstacles feel truly meaningful to their respective worlds, but the Planet of Lana series makes sure every one feels like it belongs. When asked about their favorite puzzles that players will come across, Klas said:

One of my favorite puzzles in the game is one where you have to find a seaweed with healing properties. The situation is quite tense and for narrative reasons there is a sense of urgency. Normally, players would just arrive at a staging area, be presented with X amounts of “Puzzle pieces” and get to work figuring it out. But this time you’ll need to explore a whole village – both above and under the surface – to figure out what you need to do, and in what order. It involves several stages of positioning Lana, Mui and even taking control of a fish in order to pave the way for Lana to access the seaweed. I don’t want to spoil too much, but that one is a great example of the evolution of the puzzle loop as it relates to both Mui and Lana’s new abilities, and the increased exploration that comes with swimming underwater and larger areas.

Planet of Lana 2‘s story isn’t a whole lot longer, but it’s definitely an upgrade. It’s estimated to take around six to eight hours instead of just five. Part of the reason that Planet of Lana 2 is longer is that Wishfully took player feedback into consideration. When looking at what players were saying, a lot of them simply wanted more story. Of course, that’s a good sign that you’ve done something right when creating an original world with its own lore.

Just like the increased difficulty, though, bringing a longer story to life while maintaining the original’s essence is no easy task. There has to be a specific balance achieved, and the game’s developers were very mindful of this during production. Wishfully did a lot of self reflection before and during Planet of Lana 2‘s development, and it ultimately paid off. It’s hard to make a game with great pacing, and this was probably one of Planet of Lana 2‘s toughest development challenges. Adam revealed that community feedback was essential to the process, saying:

We read all comments, both positive and negative, and we then try to filter it though our own lens. Taking the best bits out and then seeing how it could fit our vision. In the end, we make games for players and fans to enjoy. And at the same time, we believe that our games turn out the best when we follow our own hearts and passion for the craft. That being said, we felt the need for making a longer, slightly more challenging game this time, with more fun and varied gameplay. And we think we’ve succeeded very nicely.

Planet of Lana 2 may focus on a new version of Novo and Lana, but it still keeps the heart of the original intact. That’s what’s most important, and that is also what makes it a stronger game overall. It’s incredibly hard for a sequel to be better than its predecessor, but Wishfully’s willingness to study community feedback while still honoring the first game’s identity is what add Planet of Lana 2 to the list of best video game sequels.