It’s been 3 years since the release of Planet of Lana, and occasionally, I am still thinking about it when I see the odd side-scrolling puzzle platformer in that Inside-vein. A few years on, Wishfully and Thunderful Publishing are back with another chapter to the story of Lana and her people with the HG Wells-like invasion. Though I’ll admit, when I found out about the sequel, I didn’t entirely understand the need. The 5 or so hours of the original told a story, did so visually, did so reasonably well, and wrapped up most things. However, like an HBO show with a lot of fanfare, a sequel was “required.”

Set some time after the invasion of the things from outer space, this science fiction double feature sees you playing as Lana once again, charged with a kid called Anua and that “fat rabbit/cat/monkey thing” called Mui. A short introduction later, the kid is revealed to be the McGuffin. The planet on which Lana calls home now uses the alien technology as part of their civilization, and of course, the bad guys are another group of evil people using the tech for bad reasons because of greed and generally being horrible people. This time, the bad is used to hurt the kid.

However, as “paint by numbers” as that set up sounds, Planet of Lana II: Children of the Leaf, a bit like Lana herself, is a bit more sophisticated and grown up from the previous outing. Puzzles and platforming are a bit more thoughtful, gameplay ideas expanded, and everything is just a little bit more than what it was before. The trouble, more or less, is what I had issue previously with the original release: a lack of pace on repeated deaths/fail states.

The most obvious contentions there early on for that latter point is in the third chapter, “The Cure.” Unlike the band, though, I’m not immediately in love, and I am definitely crying out expletives as Lana is swept away by wind for the umpteenth time in the snowy, rocky mountain/cave area. Like its predecessor, Planet of Lana II boasts vast sweeping landscapes and occasional interiors of caves or otherwise. All are as stunning as before. This time, however, the environmental puzzles are a bit more vast, sophisticated, and a bit trickier, for want of a better word.

Yes, there are simple puzzles like that “jump when the wind dies down and hide when it swirls back up,” that is frustrating, but with new abilities, Lana and Mui take on a wide variety of ideas. Moments before screaming like Matt Berry at Clem Fandango for the wind puzzle, you also have a heavily underwater segment where Mui can mind-control a fish to spurt inky black liquid and obfuscate a much bigger, angrier fish that will repeatedly kill Lana otherwise. Between that and the scale of the puzzle, it is all a bit more sophisticated.

Not to say that you need a pipe and smoking jacket just to understand the great wit and logic of Planet of Lana II. It is still a 2D side-scrolling adventure platformer after all. The point, more so, is the thought you sometimes need to put into puzzles, rather than it being a simple walking simulator. Which, even on what seems like an obvious solution at first, takes another moment or two of thought. That’s the real strength of Children of the Leaf over its predecessor.

I’m not trying to give too much away puzzle-wise later on, for the sake of already being positive as is, but the point I am trying to say and repeating is that there is depth added. However, I think the depth in gameplay only goes so far towards its praise. This is where I somewhat make the turn against it, don’t I? I said early on that “I didn’t entirely understand the need” for a sequel, and even playing, I’m somewhat left wanting a bit more justification for a sequel, at least in my mind?

“Justification” isn’t the right word for it, but the story of Planet of Lana (I) was inherently built on survival and protection. Children of the Leaf, on the other hand, asks you to care so much that revenge is on the mind of Lana. Like the predecessor, the story of Planet of Lana II is more so inferred than it is told in plain English. Everyone speaks in a made-up language, and the story is told visually or through music. Very much the good bit of storytelling: Show, don’t tell.

Yet for all the praise I can heap on Wishfully for telling a story well, improving the puzzles to increase the depth, and the stunning artwork that you can’t say enough good things about. Something about the revenge plot and overall darker theme than the already dark thoughts of tech-aliens caging kids doesn’t make me excited for more. It barely makes me excited for Children of the Leaf as is.

I know that I am in the minority on that, and I know that’s because I need/want to feel more connected to the world and characters for that sort of revenge story to work. It is not a great line for a review because it points out the bleeding obvious, but “I might not like it, but someone else might.” A tired line I hate saying because of course. As good as the visual storytelling by Wishfully is, and as stunning as the visuals are, it is just something I am not likely to connect with for one reason or another.

This is where I’ve found it difficult to really review Planet of Lana II. While I love the additions to gameplay and expansion on puzzles as a focus, I’m left thinking to one degree or another that the story is there to allow for the expansion on gameplay. It is a plotline that could fit almost any gameplay. While the original felt connected in gameplay and story, here I’m sitting thinking the puzzles and gameplay came first, and the story came after to fit. I could, and most likely am, wrong here, but that’s the disconnect for me.

Yet somehow, despite all of the thoughts of “I don’t like the story,” I’m still left liking and recommending Planet of Lana II to some degree. I’ll always have some issues with the repeated deaths/fail state problems in some puzzles, slowing the pace of an already atmospheric/slower-paced game. The “feel sad for the child” thing doesn’t really get me as much as it tries to. For me, I guess it feels like two separate ideas that aren’t meeting or exceeding what made me fall in love with this world before.

Ultimately, the darker and more complex nature of Planet of Lana II: Children of the Leaf adds to the world of Lana and takes a few steps forward, but I’m left wanting something more out of it. The world is as stunning as ever with this art style, but it is underserved when stuck underground exploring the cold, sterile bowls of the futuristic tech aspect of this world. It genuinely pains me that I only like Planet of Lana II for its gameplay and art direction for a game by a studio that knows how to tell a story well.

A PC review copy of Planet of Lana II: Children of the Leaf was provided by Thunderful Publishing for this review.

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Planet of Lana II

$19.99

7

Score

7.0/10

Pros

• A stunning art style once again.
• More complex puzzles and gameplay elements.

Cons

• A darker story I fail to engage with.
• Frustratingly slow fail states, especially when repeated.