Planet of Lana II: Children of the Leaf Launches to Glowing Reviews — And It's on Game Pass Day One
The sequel to the beloved puzzle-platformer doubles the adventure with new biomes and underwater exploration, earning an 84 average on OpenCritic.
Bigger, Bolder, and Just as Beautiful
If the original Planet of Lana was a watercolor whisper, the sequel is a symphony. Planet of Lana II: Children of the Leaf launched on March 5 across PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Switch, Switch 2, and PC — and it landed on Xbox Game Pass from day one, making it immediately accessible to millions.
The reception has been warm. The game holds an 84 average on OpenCritic with 85 percent of reviewers recommending it. GamingBible called it "a must-play Ghibli-inspired antidote to the chaos of modern gaming," and that's hard to argue with.
Expanding the World of Novo
Children of the Leaf nearly doubles the size of the original adventure, taking players to entirely new regions of the planet Novo. Snow-capped mountains, dense underground caverns, and — for the first time in the series — underwater sections expand the environmental storytelling that made the first game so memorable.
The core gameplay loop remains intact: you and your alien companion Mui solve environmental puzzles, evade towering machine threats, and piece together the story of a world caught between nature and technology. The puzzles are smarter this time, with multi-layered solutions that reward observation and patience.
Day-One Game Pass Is a Big Deal
Wishbone Studios made a bold call putting their sequel on Game Pass at launch. For players who might not take a $30 risk on a puzzle-platformer, this removes the barrier entirely. If you have Game Pass and you've been looking for something beautiful, meditative, and genuinely heartfelt, this is your weekend sorted.
Sources: Pure Xbox (March 5, 2026), GamingBible (March 4, 2026), Game Rant (March 5, 2026)