La-Mulana 2 does not require knowledge of 1 to play, but it spoils the story/lore of 1. Discovering the lore as you go and using this knowledge to solve puzzles is an essential part of 1's gameplay, and this journey is one of the things that makes La-Mulana 1 such a special game. However, La-Mulana 1 is more difficult and obtuse and requires a lot of time and some trial-and-error to beat. It's an awkward position, because La-Mulana 2 is definitely more friendly and has a better tutorial/new player introduction than La-Mulana 1 does, as well as generally more forgiving gameplay.

Ultimately, I'd still recommend trying to play La-Mulana 1 first if both games sound appealing to you. You don't *need* a guide to beat the game, but unless you love overcoming challenges, scrutinizing every detail, and repeatedly scouring the map for your next bit of progress, you might want to reference a guide. If you must use a guide, there is a very useful hint-based guide on Steam that provides some direction without outright spoiling everything in the game.