Planet of Lana 2: Children of the Leaf preserves the original's soft, painterly warmth while nudging its design into more demanding territory. Developer Wishfully retains the signature visual and musical language that made the first game memorable, but pairs it with a clearer ambition to expand and complicate the puzzle work at the heart of the experience.

The sequel leans hard on the series' strongest assets. The 2D art direction continues to draw obvious inspiration from Studio Ghibli's gentle, hand-painted sensibilities, rendering Novo as a living, breathing backdrop full of colour and texture. Storytelling remains wordless in the traditional sense, with emotion conveyed through a constructed language, expression and choreography rather than dialogue. The score swells and settles in all the right places, underlining quiet revelations and tense set-pieces with a rare sense of empathy.

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Where Children of the Leaf diverges from its predecessor is in puzzle ambition. Puzzles feel more layered and deliberate, commonly requiring observation, sequence planning and the combining of multiple mechanics across a single encounter. Early-hour encounters introduce multi-stage challenges that demand more than reflexive platforming; success depends on understanding how environments, fauna and the player's companion interact over time.

The companion remains integral, but their role expands beyond simple assistance. Companion-based interactions move from straightforward triggers into clever mechanical uses, often acting as the fulcrum for bigger contraptions or timed maneuvers. This shift rewards patience and experimentation, and it occasionally produces genuinely satisfying solutions where multiple systems slot together to open new paths.

Level design in Children of the Leaf feels denser. Areas are more compact and interconnected, with optional routes and environmental secrets that reward careful exploration. Puzzles that might have felt like isolated puzzles in the original are now integrated into larger flows, creating moments that play out like short, cinematic problem-solving sequences rather than discrete, standalone tests.

The increased difficulty is generally welcome but not always perfectly calibrated. A small number of puzzles lean toward the obtuse, with solutions that hinge on subtle environmental cues or lengthy trial-and-error. Those moments interrupt the otherwise elegant pacing, though they remain the exception rather than the rule. On balance, the sequel's willingness to challenge players produces a more substantial and rewarding rhythm.

Children of the Leaf keeps the emotional core intact. Moments of quiet wonder and small, tender interactions between characters anchor the more complex mechanical work, ensuring that the game never feels like a cold exercise in logic. That synthesis of heart and head remains the series' chief appeal.

Planet of Lana 2 represents a thoughtful evolution for Wishfully's studio. It retains the charm, music and visual poetry that established the series while carefully raising the stakes for puzzle design and level complexity. The result is a sequel that should satisfy admirers of the original and appeal to players seeking a more involved, contemplative puzzle adventure.

Hands-on impressions are based on a preview build showcased earlier this year and reflect the game in development rather than a final retail release.