With Planet of Lana 2: Children of the Leaf, Wishfully is aiming for a bigger, better sequel in just about every way. When it comes to actual details, however, we decided to ask the studio a few questions directly. Creative director and co-game director Adam Stjärnljus, along with script writer and fellow co-game director Klas Martin Eriksson, were kind enough to indulge us.
The original Planet of Lana was widely praised for its striking art direction. How is the sequel building on that visually, are there specific techniques or artistic goals you’re pushing this time?
Adam Stjärnljus: For Planet of Lana 2 we wanted to build on the visuals from the first game, but at the same time kick things up as many notches as possible while staying true to Novo’s identity. The second game tells a deeper, more complex and slightly darker story, so one notable upgrade is an overhaul of the lighting system which allows for more moody scenes in addition to the lush, ghibli inspired pastures players have come to expect from our games.
“We wanted to build on the visuals from the first game, but at the same time kick things up as many notches as possible while staying true to Novo’s identity.”
Because biomes are more varied and diverse (Snowy mountains, dark forests and tropical reefs to mention a few), the visual style had to evolve to cater to a wider geographical playing field as well which was quite challenging. How do you retain the core visual identity I just mentioned in a snowstorm? Or deep under the ocean? It’s been a long process and a challenge but luckily we have an extremely talented art team.
The environments in Planet of Lana 2 look far more varied. What can you tell us about the range of locations and biomes we’ll explore, and how they differ in tone or gameplay?
Klas Martin Eriksson: In addition to revisiting some familiar ground, and seeing how it has evolved since the first game, players will get to experience a snowy mountain world full of blizzards and strange creatures, a lush tropical underwater world inhabited by electric sharks and tiny ink fishes, an ancient forest with a sprawling village and even urban environments to mention a few. Because the story examines how Novo has evolved with the arrival of modern alien tech, It was important for us to expand the world and show the impact across as many corners of Novo as possible.
With that increased variety in settings, how are puzzles being designed to feel more dynamic and context-specific to each area, rather than “one-size-fits-all”?
Adam Stjärnljus: One of the things we are most excited about is Mui’s expanded telepathic/hypnotic ability. Each biome contains unique creatures and machines that Mui can hypnotize, allowing the player to take full control of them and use their unique abilities to solve puzzles, manipulate each environment and progress through the world. Each creature is uniquely adapted to its native terrain, and players will need to figure out how to use them to their advantage in any new environment.
“Each biome contains unique creatures and machines that Mui can hypnotize”
How are the core puzzle-solving mechanics evolving overall, new tools, new interactions, or new ways Lana and Mui can work together?
Adam Stjärnljus: In many different ways! Notably the player can now point and direct Mui all over the screen, allowing for bigger puzzles that demand a bit more exploration and thought from players. This really kicks Lana and Mui’s collaboration into gear and once players get a handle on the increased control, they will instantly notice how it opens up for more varied, fun and bigger puzzle solving. It will also demand a bit more thought as to where Lana and Mui need to be in relation to each other, each using their own position and abilities to progress through the world.
The sequel introduces hybrid robots, which seem like a major new threat. What kinds of scenarios or challenges do they create, more stealth pressure, more action, or more puzzle-driven encounters?
Klas Martin Eriksson: Because of how the relationship between the different tribes of Novo and the robot invaders has evolved since the first game, not all robot encounters are life threatening any more. Lana and Mui’s abilities have expanded and both individually and as a duo they have grown into more formidable robot tamers. Granted, they are no John Rambos, but Mui’s new hypnotic/jamming ability allows her to temporarily disable hostile robots, even allowing Lana to swoop in, hack and take control of some of them. As far as what this new dynamic adds in terms of the gameplay aspects you mentioned; All of the above.
On the story side, how does Planet of Lana 2 follow up on the events of the first game without giving too much away?
Klas Martin Eriksson: As we touched on earlier, players will rejoin Lana and Mui in time of great change and upheaval; both personal, and planetary. The arrival of the robots have really shaken things up and there is a new tribe on the rise; The Dijinghala. They use the new tech to mine the planet’s natural resources, something that has dire consequences for the whole planet.
Lana herself is in the midst of an identity crisis following her first adventure. After uncovering hidden secrets of her people’s and the invading robots’ origins, she spends most of her time in the dark corners of Novo, scouring the planet for more answers. Unfortunately, this pastime – that sometimes borders on obsession – often gets her and her loved ones into trouble. Players will also get to explore much more of Mui’s origin story, and how she connects to the bigger picture of the lore.
“Lana herself is in the midst of an identity crisis following her first adventure.”
For returning players, should we expect subtle callbacks—visual motifs, lore hints, or story threads that reward familiarity with the original?
Klas Martin Eriksson: Definitely plenty of both subtle, and not-so-suble callbacks.
And for newcomers, how approachable is the sequel as a standalone experience? Will players who didn’t play the first game still be able to fully follow the story and character arcs?
Adam Stjärnljus: While the story is a chronological continuation of the first game, new players can comfortably jump directly into the second game without feeling lost. The story is gripping on its own – but just in case – we’ve added a short prologue at the start of the game to give new players some context, and old players a quick refresher of their last visit to Novo.
On PS5 and Xbox Series X, what are your resolution and frame-rate targets? Will there be multiple modes (Quality/Performance), and what do those look like?
For both PS5 and Xbox Series X the game runs beautifully in 4k, 60 fps. We do not have multiple modes to choose from.
“While the story is a chronological continuation of the first game, new players can comfortably jump directly into the second game without feeling lost.”
On PS5 Pro specifically, what resolution and FPS targets are you aiming for in each mode (Quality vs Performance)?
Same here, 4k, 60 fps. Given we have a stylized side-scrolling game, this makes sense for us.
On Xbox Series S and Switch 2, what resolution and frame-rate targets should players expect, and is 60 FPS on the table?
On Xbox Series S the game runs in 60fps at 1440p and on Switch 2 in 720p 60fps in handheld mode and 1080p 60 fps docked.
