2d Top-Down Prallax (video!)

Hi,

I’m desperately trying to understand how this (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zmasph2-tVY) video works. I understand they are 2d sprites, but I do not understand how they are positioned and arranged in 3d.

In addition, I do not understand how the camera pans over the scene. I know that parallax movement is involved, but I simply cannot wrap my head around this.

I would love to re-create this in Unity. Any help is appreciated. Please!

Bump. Nobody has anything to offer in the way of help?