Planet of Lana 2 – Worth Your Time?

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If you loved the original Planet of Lana, you’ll feel right at home in Planet of Lana 2. The sequel stays true to the gorgeous hand-painted aesthetic, cinematic storytelling, and the heartfelt dynamic between Lana and her cat-like companion Mui. Rather than reinventing the formula, it builds on it, expanding the world, deepening the narrative, and introducing new layers to its puzzle design.

Set after the events of the first game, Lana’s journey continues as her home planet faces environmental collapse and growing threats driven by technology, greed, and conflict. The adventure takes you through diverse new locations, from frozen peaks to underwater ruins, while evolving the mechanics and the way Lana and Mui interact. The core platforming and puzzle-solving remain approachable, but the scope and ambition feel noticeably larger.

With a day-one launch on Xbox Game Pass and availability across consoles and PC via Steam, the question isn’t accessibility, it’s whether it’s worth your time. If you value atmospheric storytelling, great visuals and thoughtful puzzle-platforming, this sequel should absolutely be on your radar.

What the Team Behind the Sequel Said?

The developers have emphasized that the sequel significantly expands on the original in both scope and ambition. Gameplay and puzzles are described as more challenging, varied, and engaging, with a broader range of biomes to explore. You will now be able to dive beneath lakes and oceans, adding vertical exploration to the experience. The narrative has also been deepened, offering more insight into the world’s history and its characters. Notably, the game is said to be roughly twice the length of the first Planet of Lana.

The team also addressed feedback that the original puzzles felt somewhat simple. In the sequel, Mui’s abilities are significantly expanded: you can direct him more freely across the screen, use him to disrupt robots and machinery, and even hypnotize and control certain creatures. These additions are designed to create more layered puzzle-solving and a more dynamic overall experience.

While there are currently no plans for traditional gameplay DLC, a digital supporter pack will launch alongside the game. This edition will include a digital art book, a Novo language companion, and a collection of desktop and mobile wallpapers. It will be available on Steam and PlayStation at release, arrive on Xbox roughly a month later, and will not be offered on Switch due to platform limitations regarding digital bonus content.

Expanded Platforming and Puzzles

If the main question is whether the sequel is worth your time and your money, the demo gives a surprisingly confident answer. The preview takes you through multiple chapters, beginning with a light tutorial and building up to more complex scenarios by chapter three. What stands out immediately is how the puzzles evolve.

This isn’t just simple platforming with light environmental interaction anymore. The sequel introduces layered, multi-step puzzles that demand planning and creativity. Mui’s role, in particular, feels dramatically expanded. He can now distract enemies, activate organic mechanisms, influence other creatures and even manipulate certain objects by turning them on or off.

One example involves using smaller fish to distract a larger predator, creating a window to safely progress. Moments like this show how the game builds tension through interaction rather than speed or difficulty spikes. Stealth also returns, but in a more dynamic form. You’ll hide from surveillance, time movements carefully and navigate patterns that feel more fluid than before. It still preserves the cinematic side-scrolling identity of the original Planet of Lana, but every action now feels more deliberate.

Absolutely Worth Your Time if You Enjoyed the First Game

Even if you haven’t played Planet of Lana, you can jump straight into Planet of Lana 2 without feeling lost. The sequel is designed to stand on its own, telling a complete story that doesn’t rely on prior knowledge. While the first game provides additional context for Lana and Mui’s bond, newcomers won’t feel like they’re missing essential pieces. Narratively, the sequel takes on heavier themes, exploring environmental collapse, moral ambiguity, and the instinct to protect those closest to you.

If you found the first game visually beautiful but slightly too simple in its mechanics, this sequel seems to directly respond to that feedback. It maintains the emotional storytelling and atmosphere, but meaningfully expands the gameplay depth. For returning players especially, it looks less like “more of the same” and more like a refined evolution.

Based on the demo alone, it absolutely feels worth your time. Whether it’s worth purchasing may depend on your platform, especially with subscription options available, but in terms of experience and design growth, the sequel makes a strong case for itself.