Sayonara Wild Hearts review

This one's going to be a short (and hopefully sweet) review for a short and (definitely) sweet game.

In its essence, Sayonara Wild Hearts is a rhythm game. The gameplay is all about following the music and making choices along the way. Of course, for a rhythm game, the music is crucial, and Sayonara Wild Hearts delivers in spades. It features a wonderful soundtrack, which is surprisingly diverse, yet consistent throughout. Like a great album, the tracks and their accompanying levels are immaculately placed and paced. I finished the game in one go (it's only an hour and a half long) and was craving for so much more! I'm not the greatest fan of pop music, but Sayonara Wild Hearts has just the right hooks to appeal to pretty much everyone.

But Sayonara Wild Hearts is not really a rhythm game. It does have a minimalist plot, but what really makes the game stand out is its mesmerizing visuals. I mean, just look at it! Combined with the music, this is one of those games where you just feel "in the zone". You forget about your surroundings, and just feel completely focused on the game on an psychological and emotional level. You know what I mean? Some of the gameplay is pretty inventive, relying on movement, including vehicles. It's all timing based, of course, being a rhythm game, but some of the action is somehow decoupled from the music, yet being rhythmically aligned at the same time. It's magic, I tell you! Overall, it's more of an experiential, audio-visual journey, I suppose. It might even be the future of "music videos", who knows?

About the length - yes, it's pretty short. There are some additional puzzles, but the main single player campaign is over in 90 minutes. It's definitely very replayable, like a music album, and you may be enticed to hit those high scores, but there's no denying it's a short game. It's also the perfect length for a game of its type. Perhaps games like these should come with a lower price tag to offset that?

Sayonara Wild Hearts is an unique experience. Give it a shot if you have been looking for games that evoke feelings through music and visuals, rather than gameplay or story.