Planet of Lana was one of those quiet indie releases that surprised a lot of players with its emotional storytelling, atmospheric world, and thoughtful puzzle design. It didn’t rely on dialogue or flashy mechanics to make an impact, it simply trusted its world, its pacing, and its characters to carry the experience. Planet of Lana II follows that same philosophy while expanding on the original game’s ideas. It doesn’t reinvent the formula, but it doesn’t need to. Instead, it builds on what made the first game special, delivering another heartfelt adventure filled with clever puzzles, striking visuals, and moments of both hope and tragedy.
Gameplay & Story
Planet of Lana II tells its story almost entirely through a made-up language, leaving much of the narrative open to interpretation. Despite the lack of traditional dialogue, the emotional core of the story comes through clearly. At its heart, this is a tale about hope in the face of tragedy, about perseverance, and about the quiet bonds formed between characters navigating a dangerous world.
If you played the first Planet of Lana, the gameplay here will feel immediately familiar. If you didn’t, though, you might find yourself a little lost at first. Planet of Lana II throws you directly into its puzzles with almost no tutorial guidance. Personally, I actually appreciated that approach. Over the years I’ve grown to dislike overly long forced tutorials that treat players like they’ve never touched a controller before. Here, the game simply trusts you to experiment and learn as you go.
The core gameplay remains a narrative-heavy side-scroller with light platforming and environmental puzzles scattered throughout the journey. Much of the puzzle design revolves around working alongside Mui, and those sequences are easily some of the most enjoyable parts of the game. Figuring out how to use your companion, the environment, and timing to solve obstacles feels satisfying without ever becoming overly complicated. The puzzles are thoughtful and well-integrated into the world, helping maintain the game’s immersive pacing.
Graphics & Design
Planet of Lana II is a beautiful 2D experience with a hand-crafted art style that feels both serene and cinematic. Even though the game takes place on a single plane of movement, the environments are layered with depth, creating the illusion of a much larger world beyond the playable space.
The environmental design does a great job of drawing your eye to important elements while still maintaining a painterly, almost dreamlike aesthetic. Every area feels intentional, from the quiet natural landscapes to the more ominous mechanical threats scattered throughout the adventure.
One particularly nice touch is the game’s fictional language. It’s unfamiliar enough to feel alien, yet structured enough that you begin to intuitively understand emotional tone and context. Combined with the visual storytelling, it makes the world feel alive without ever relying on traditional exposition.
Feedback
For the most part, Planet of Lana II maintains a solid pace that fits its narrative-heavy structure. The game understands when to slow down and let the player absorb the atmosphere, and when to introduce puzzles that keep the journey moving forward.
However, the water-focused sections of the game noticeably drag down the experience. These levels feel significantly longer than they need to be, and unfortunately they’re also where the controls become the most frustrating. Movement in the water feels inconsistent at best, which makes certain puzzles more irritating than challenging.
Instead of feeling like a natural extension of the game’s puzzle design, these segments end up interrupting the otherwise smooth flow of the adventure. If there were a way to approach those puzzles on land, I probably would have taken it every time.
Final Verdict
Planet of Lana II doesn’t try to radically change what worked in the first game—and honestly, it doesn’t need to. It delivers another beautifully crafted narrative puzzle adventure with strong atmosphere, thoughtful design, and emotional storytelling told through visuals rather than words. While the water-heavy sections slow the pacing and introduce some frustrating control issues, the rest of the game remains engaging, charming, and visually stunning. For fans of the first game, this is an easy recommendation, and for players who enjoy narrative-driven indie experiences, it’s still well worth the journey.
If you’re thinking about jumping into Planet of Lana II and want to know how long the journey will take, be sure to check out our How Long to Beat Planet of Lana II article where we break down the average completion time and what to expect if you plan to explore everything the game has to offer. And if you’re looking to see what other titles are arriving this year, take a look at our 2026 Video Game Release Calendar. We keep it updated monthly with the biggest upcoming releases across PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, and PC.
