Sayonara Wild Hearts pulses with color and pop songs, carrying you on the beat as you rush through a dazzling dance.
Sayonara Wild Hearts took me on a stunning ride that somehow manages to move at a breakneck pace while also being an incredibly peaceful experience. Every aspect of it carries this same surreal power, where you can be hurtling through busy streets at blinding speeds, the music cascading over you at a pounding tempo, and yet it is all so very calming, soothing the mind as you simply move through it all, letting it wash over you. It’s an utter delight.
The Pax East demo offered a few different levels, taking me though a skateboarding track that felt more like a neon rollercoaster ride. The game asks you to simply guide your character around, collecting various symbols to score points, as the tracks shift and change along with the music. It’s all technically very simple, and therefore quite chill, but getting those high scores and perfecting your movements will bring challenges to those looking for them.
It’s in the tracks that the game offers a sumptuous variety. Each level grew in complexity, taking me through collapsing cities of pink and purple as I struggled against fireball-hurling bikers. The camera angles would constantly change, creating these dynamic, pulse-pounding stages where the action was nonstop and exhilarating, battling divine musical beings in a whirlwind of environmental dangers.
The music alongside it was captivating as well, again offering that mixture of calm and excitement the game does so well. The first few songs were quite relaxing, but contained this energy within them that would jar the mind. It was lovely to listen to, and in timing the stage shifts with the rise and fall of the songs, created this experience that felt like it was carrying you along in song.
Sayonara Wild Hearts was ceaselessly stunning in its ability to calm and excite, and in the way it makes you feel like you’re inhabiting and living through its wonderful music. It’s something you need to play, and that I am beyond excited to try the full release of sometime this year.
Sayonara Wild Hearts is currently in development, but you can follow its creation on the game’s site.
About The Author
