Planet of Lana 2: Children of the Leaf Interview – Art Direction, Varied Environments, Hybrid Robots, And More

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Wishfully is planning a much larger and improved sequel to Planet of Lana, titled Planet of Lana 2: Children of the Leaf. To learn more, we spoke directly with the game’s creators: creative director Adam Stjärnljus and script writer/co-game director Klas Martin Eriksson. They were happy to share details with us.

The first Planet of Lana was celebrated for its beautiful visuals. How is the new game expanding on that style? Are there any new artistic approaches or goals you’re focusing on this time around?

For Planet of Lana 2, we aimed to improve upon the first game’s visuals significantly, while maintaining the unique style of Novo. The story in the sequel is more intricate and a bit darker, so we completely revamped the lighting system. This allows us to create more atmospheric scenes alongside the beautiful, Ghibli-inspired environments players already love from our games.

We aimed to improve upon the first game’s graphics, making them significantly better while still maintaining the unique look and feel of Novo.

With so many different biomes – from snowy mountains and dark forests to tropical reefs – we needed to update the game’s visual style to fit each environment. It was tricky to maintain a consistent look while also making each place feel unique, like how do you keep the same style visible in a blizzard or underwater? It’s been a long and difficult process, but thankfully, we have a fantastic art team that has risen to the challenge.

Okay, so I’ve been checking out Planet of Lana 2, and the worlds look way more interesting than the first game. I’m really curious about all the different places we’ll get to explore – what kinds of environments are they building? Are we talking lush forests, barren deserts, icy wastelands? And does each place feel different, not just visually, but also in how you actually play the game? Like, will some areas be more about stealth, others about puzzle-solving, and maybe some with more action? I’m hoping for a lot of variety!

Players will not only revisit locations from the first game and see how they’ve changed, but also explore completely new environments. These include a snow-covered mountain range with dangerous blizzards and unique creatures, a vibrant underwater world teeming with electric sharks and small, colorful fish, an old forest featuring a large village, and even bustling city areas. Since the story focuses on how Novo has changed with the introduction of advanced alien technology, we wanted to showcase these changes throughout the world, impacting as many different locations as possible.

Now that games feature a wider range of environments, how are puzzle designers making them feel unique to each location, instead of just using the same puzzles everywhere?

We’re really excited about Mui’s new and improved ability to control minds! Throughout the game, Mui can hypnotize the creatures and machines found in each area. This lets players take direct control of them and use their special skills to solve puzzles, change the environment, and move forward. Because each creature is built for its specific home, players will need to learn how to use them effectively in each new place.

“Each biome contains unique creatures and machines that Mui can hypnotize”

As a big fan, I’m really curious to see how the puzzles are changing in the new game! I’m wondering what new tools Lana and Mui will get to help them solve things, and if there are any cool new ways they’ll be able to work together to overcome obstacles. It would be awesome to see some fresh puzzle mechanics!

We’ve made several improvements to how players control Mui! Now, you can point anywhere on the screen to direct her, which allows for larger and more complex puzzles that encourage exploration and strategic thinking. This significantly enhances the teamwork between Lana and Mui. Once players are comfortable with the new control scheme, they’ll quickly realize it opens up a wider range of fun, challenging puzzles. Players will also need to carefully consider the positioning of both Lana and Mui, utilizing their unique abilities and locations to advance.

The new installment features hybrid robots, and they appear to be a significant new danger. Will these robots lead to more sneaking around, fast-paced action, or challenges that require problem-solving?

Klas Martin Eriksson explains that the relationship between the tribes of Novo and the robots has changed since the first game, meaning not all robot encounters are dangerous now. Lana and Mui are much better at handling robots, though they aren’t invincible. Mui can now hypnotize or disrupt robots, which lets Lana hack and even take control of them. This adds a lot to the gameplay, offering more options and strategies.

How does the story of Planet of Lana 2 continue the narrative from the first game, without revealing major spoilers?

As we discussed before, players will reconnect with Lana and Mui during a period of significant change, both in their lives and across the planet. The arrival of robots has caused major disruption, and a new group called the Dijinghala is gaining power. They’re using advanced technology to extract the planet’s resources, which is having devastating effects on the entire world.

I’m really invested in Lana’s story! After everything she discovered on her first adventure – all those secrets about her people and the robots – she’s totally consumed with finding out more. She spends almost all her time digging around in the seedier parts of Novo, and honestly, it keeps getting her and the people she cares about into tricky situations. But it’s not just about Lana, either! We’re finally going to learn a lot more about Mui’s background and how she fits into the larger story, which I’m super excited about.

“Lana herself is in the midst of an identity crisis following her first adventure.”

Will the game offer nods to its past – like familiar images, story details, or plot points – for players who enjoyed the original?

Klas Martin Eriksson: Definitely plenty of both subtle, and not-so-suble callbacks.

How easy is this new game to pick up and play for those who haven’t played the original? Can new players understand the story and characters without any prior knowledge?

Even though this game continues the story from the first one, you can easily start here if you haven’t played it before. The story is compelling on its own, but we’ve included a brief prologue to give new players some background and remind returning players what happened last time in Novo.

As a huge fan, I’m really curious about how the game will look on the new consoles! Specifically, I’m wondering what resolution and frame rate we can expect on the PS5 and Xbox Series X. Will there be different graphics modes, like one that prioritizes visual quality and another that focuses on smooth performance? If so, what will each of those modes actually do – what resolution and frame rate will we get in each?

The game looks fantastic on both PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X, running smoothly in 4K resolution at 60 frames per second. There aren’t different graphical settings to select from – it’s optimized for a single, high-quality experience.

Although this game continues the story from the first one, you can easily start with this game even if you haven’t played the original.

For the PS5 Pro, what resolution and frame rate (FPS) are you hoping to achieve in each graphics mode – specifically, the Quality and Performance modes?

Same here, 4k, 60 fps. Given we have a stylized side-scrolling game, this makes sense for us.

What resolutions and frame rates can players anticipate on the Xbox Series S and the upcoming Switch 2? Specifically, is a smooth 60 frames per second (FPS) achievable on either console?

The game performs smoothly at 60 frames per second on Xbox Series S with a resolution of 1440p. On Nintendo Switch 2, it runs at 720p and 60fps when played handheld, and at 1080p and 60fps when docked.

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2026-03-04 14:44