Sayonara Wild Hearts

89%
Game Brain Score Based on 3,295 reviews
  • music
  • gameplay
  • graphics
Sayonara Wild Hearts Game Cover
Sayonara Wild Hearts is a perfect experience. It may not last long, but it will certainly draw you in with its story, keep you there with its variety of gameplay, and then bring the entire experience together with its amazing visuals and music.
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"Sayonara Wild Hearts" is a pop album video game where you play as a heart-broken pop star riding motorcycles, skateboarding, and dancing across a beautifully designed world. The game features fast-paced, rhythm-based gameplay and a vibrant soundtrack as you journey through a surreal universe to find the meaning of love and loss. With its unique blend of music and action, "Sayonara Wild Hearts" is a unique and exhilarating experience.

  • iPad
  • iPhone
  • Mac OS
  • Nintendo Switch
  • PC
  • Phone
  • Play​station 4
  • Play​station 5
  • Steam Deck
  • Windows
  • Xbox One
  • Mobile Platform
  • Play​Station
  • Tablet
  • Xbox
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

89%
Audience ScoreBased on 3,295 reviews
music1,076 positive mentions
grinding12 negative mentions
  • Stunning visuals and an incredible soundtrack that create a mesmerizing experience.
  • Unique gameplay that combines various mechanics, keeping each level fresh and engaging.
  • A heartfelt story about self-love and healing that resonates with many players.
  • The game is very short, typically completed in about 1-2 hours, which may not justify the price for some players.
  • Gameplay can feel simplistic and may not provide enough challenge for those seeking a deeper rhythm game experience.
  • Flashing lights and vibrant colors may cause discomfort for players with photosensitivity or motion sickness.
  • music2,046 mentions

    The music in "Sayonara Wild Hearts" is widely praised for its catchy, upbeat synth-pop soundtrack that enhances the game's vibrant visuals and emotional narrative. Players describe the experience as akin to participating in an interactive music video, with each level featuring unique tracks that perfectly sync with the gameplay. While the game is relatively short, the soundtrack's quality and the overall aesthetic make it a memorable and enjoyable experience, often leading players to revisit the music long after completing the game.

    • “It's incredibly beautiful, the gameplay is amazing from beginning to end, the soundtrack is nothing but bangers, and the whole story is a joy to experience.”
    • “The soundtrack is truly top tier, and the devs put so much love into each level to make it so fun to play over and over.”
    • “Sayonara Wild Hearts is a beautiful experience that toes the line between game and interactive music video in a compelling and satisfying way.”
    • “The music itself is fine, but rather generic, and the visuals can be quite harsh at times.”
    • “The gameplay feels as if you, the actions of the game and the music has a symbiotic relationship, unfolding the simple yet compelling story in front of you.”
    • “It's a short game, but also is complete, that's the reason why I will one day play again and try to figure out the others puzzles, will take time but the music will help.”
  • gameplay802 mentions

    The gameplay of "Sayonara Wild Hearts" is characterized by its simplicity and variety, with each level introducing new mechanics that keep the experience fresh and engaging. While some players appreciate the fast-paced, arcade-style action and the seamless integration of music and visuals, others find the gameplay lacking depth and challenge, often describing it as more of a visual and auditory experience than a traditional game. Overall, the game is praised for its artistic presentation and soundtrack, but opinions vary on the satisfaction of its gameplay mechanics.

    • “It's incredibly beautiful, the gameplay is amazing from beginning to end, the soundtrack is nothing but bangers, and the whole story is a joy to experience.”
    • “The gameplay is simple, but every level has a unique twist, and some levels have twists of twists!”
    • “The gameplay is smooth and very high-paced, but it’s not very hard.”
    • “But gameplay-wise, it's awful.”
    • “The actual gameplay seriously lacks substance... there's not much of a story to speak of.”
    • “Gameplay is too simple to the point where it doesn't really feel like a game.”
  • graphics750 mentions

    The graphics of "Sayonara Wild Hearts" are widely praised for their stunning, vibrant, and psychedelic aesthetic, often described as a visual feast that perfectly complements the game's electrifying soundtrack. While many players find the visuals captivating and immersive, some caution that the intense colors and flashing lights may be overwhelming or cause discomfort for sensitive individuals. Overall, the game's art style is celebrated for its creativity and ability to enhance the emotional experience, making it a standout feature of the gameplay.

    • “The visuals are incredible - bold, imposing, dynamic, colorful.”
    • “Seamlessly blending stunning visuals, an electrifying soundtrack, and tight gameplay, Sayonara Wild Hearts is an artistic masterpiece that takes players on an unforgettable, heart-pounding adventure.”
    • “The vibrant, neon-soaked world bursts with color and personality, offering an ever-changing kaleidoscope of visuals that are nothing short of a feast for the eyes.”
    • “Warning that some levels can strain the eyes, and visuals can potentially cause a headache if you are sensitive to it.”
    • “The music itself is fine, but rather generic, and the visuals can be quite harsh at times.”
    • “The graphics aren't mind-blowing and some parts of the game are a little clunky and sometimes I wish the levels had a little more variety in mechanics.”
  • story468 mentions

    The story of *Sayonara Wild Hearts* is a brief yet impactful narrative centered around themes of heartbreak, self-acceptance, and personal growth, conveyed through abstract visuals and a captivating soundtrack. While the main storyline is short—typically completed in about an hour—it is rich in symbolism and open to interpretation, allowing players to connect with the protagonist's journey in a personal way. The storytelling is primarily visual and musical, creating an immersive experience that resonates emotionally, even if some players find the narrative somewhat vague or disconnected from the gameplay.

    • “It's a story about a woman grappling with negative emotions but eventually accepts and manages to cope with them.”
    • “The story is beautiful and heart touching.”
    • “Sayonara Wild Hearts is a visually beautiful game with a great soundtrack and a good story.”
    • “The actual gameplay seriously lacks substance... there's not much of a story to speak of.”
    • “The story is completely incoherent, so just pretend it's not there.”
    • “The story is very dull and doesn't really convey any message.”
  • emotional181 mentions

    The emotional impact of "Sayonara Wild Hearts" is profound, with many players reporting tears and deep feelings of connection throughout their experience. The game's unique blend of stunning visuals, a captivating soundtrack, and an abstract yet heartfelt narrative creates an immersive journey that resonates with players on a personal level, often evoking feelings of joy, nostalgia, and catharsis. Despite its brief playtime, it leaves a lasting impression, making it one of the most emotionally compelling games for many.

    • “It's a wonder how they made a game with no dialogue be so moving and emotional.”
    • “The way the narrative unfolds through the gameplay and imagery is a testament to the game's commitment to being an immersive and emotional journey.”
    • “Sayonara Wild Hearts is more than just a game; it's an emotional experience that resonates deeply.”
  • replayability152 mentions

    Sayonara Wild Hearts is a short game, typically completed in about 1 to 1.5 hours, but it boasts high replayability due to its arcade-style scoring system, collectibles, and various challenges like zodiac riddles. Players are encouraged to return for improved scores and to unlock achievements, making it a rewarding experience for completionists and rhythm game enthusiasts alike. While some may find its brevity a drawback, the engaging gameplay and stellar soundtrack enhance its replay value significantly.

    • “Beyond the initial playthrough, Sayonara Wild Hearts offers ample replayability.”
    • “The desire to achieve higher scores and unlock all the secrets adds to the game's replay value, making it a joy to come back to.”
    • “Even though the main game is fairly short (1.5 hours-ish), there's quite a bit of replay value between collectibles, ranks, and riddle-based achievements.”
    • “The only downside I can think of is that it can be beaten in an hour, but there is a lot of replay value and hidden achievements to find.”
    • “Not too challenging, it can be completed in under 1 hour, and has little replay value.”
    • “I expected something more minimalist with replay value like Race the Sun, but every level always plays the exact same.”
  • atmosphere18 mentions

    The atmosphere of "Sayonara Wild Hearts" is widely praised for its dreamy, neon aesthetic and exceptional soundtrack, which together create an immersive experience that enhances gameplay. Reviewers highlight the game's ability to evoke emotions through its stylish visuals and varied settings, making it both captivating and enjoyable. While some players find themselves distracted by the atmosphere, the overall consensus is that it significantly contributes to the game's charm and appeal.

    • “Sayonara Wild Hearts is a rhythm game that hooks you in with its neon aesthetic and wonderful soundtrack, and keeps you interested with varied settings and set pieces that accentuate its unique atmosphere.”
    • “The stylish visuals and sincere, emotional synth-pop soundtrack created an atmosphere that I loved being in.”
    • “The soundtrack is gorgeous and I was sometimes simply soaking in the atmosphere, listening to the vibe while watching the beautiful art.”
    • “The atmosphere is dreamy; it's effective at distracting me from the gameplay.”
    • “It totally is about a girl with BPD trying to find herself set in a musical atmosphere!”
    • “Jonathan Eng and Daniel Olsén absolutely killed the atmosphere, and Linnea Olsén does an immaculate job on the game's vocals.”
  • grinding12 mentions

    Players generally find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious, especially when aiming for gold ranks, which often requires multiple attempts and can feel frustrating due to unexpected challenges. While some enjoy the grind for 100% completion and appreciate the achievements, others feel that the short game length exacerbates the repetitiveness of grinding. Overall, the experience varies, with some players finding it enjoyable and others viewing it as a chore.

    • “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
    • “My time so far has been spent tediously restarting levels, insisting on getting gold rank before moving on because the game simply will not shut up about what rank you got, and the levels are nearly impossible to gold rank on the first try thanks to surprise twists.”
    • “Since many of the levels are on rails, I really don't see myself bothering with the tedium of grinding for better scores, collecting each easily missed coin, and memorizing upcoming patterns.”
  • optimization11 mentions

    Overall, the game's optimization is generally praised, with many users reporting smooth performance and impressive battery life on portable devices, maintaining a locked 60fps even at 4K resolution. However, some players experienced performance issues on specific levels, particularly with keyboard and mouse controls, indicating that while the game is well-optimized for certain setups, it may not perform equally well across all configurations.

    • “Well optimized - 6 to 8 hours of battery on my LCD deck and still runs at locked 60fps if you push the resolution to 4K!”
    • “Each level has hidden collectibles and challenges that encourage players to revisit and perfect their performance.”
    • “It's harder than you'd expect to get perfect scores; lots of optimizations abound.”
    • “I also experienced quite a few performance issues on the final level, and I'm using a fairly new PC.”
    • “I would say the largest issue with the game is that while you're part of the performance, the game expects you to know all the choreography from the start.”
    • “- not optimized for keyboard and mouse.”
  • humor9 mentions

    The humor in the game is widely praised for its originality and ability to elicit genuine laughter, with players enjoying the cringey animations and amusing mechanics. Many reviewers appreciate the game's straightforward approach, finding it refreshingly light-hearted compared to more serious titles. Overall, the humor is seen as a standout feature that enhances the gaming experience.

    • “Very funny game.”
    • “Hilarious and original.”
    • “Short and funny, this game is perfect.”
    • “The humor in this game feels forced and often falls flat, making it more awkward than funny.”
    • “I found the jokes to be outdated and lacking any real wit, which made the experience less enjoyable.”
    • “The attempts at humor are so cringeworthy that I ended up laughing at how bad they were instead of with the game.”
  • character development8 mentions

    The character development in the game is praised for its strong narrative focus on themes of heartbreak and self-reconciliation, complemented by vibrant and unique character designs that enhance the overall experience. While the visuals are generally stunning, some users noted minor issues with model polish, but this did not detract from the emotional depth and engaging storytelling. Overall, the combination of art style, music, and character development creates a captivating and heartfelt experience.

    • “There's so much heart put into every single second of this game; the visuals vividly pop out of the screen with all these insane cinematic shots and breathtaking character designs/animations, the gameplay takes a simplistic control scheme and pushes it to its limit, seemingly introducing a new game mechanic with every single stage, the soundtrack absolutely slaps, and it's all tied together by a narrative about heartbreak and self-reconciliation that's hard to not feel something from.”
    • “Strong background story and character development - check.”
    • “The art style is gorgeous indie retro without being obnoxiously 80s, the music is fantastic synth-pop and they are blended perfectly.”
    • “The character development feels shallow and lacks depth, making it hard to connect with the characters.”
    • “I was disappointed by the lack of meaningful choices that affect character growth throughout the game.”
    • “The characters seem one-dimensional, and their arcs are predictable and uninspired.”
  • monetization2 mentions

    The monetization of these games is often criticized as predatory and exploitative, designed to capitalize on player addiction. In contrast, some players appreciate titles like "Lara Croft: Relic Run" for their lack of microtransactions, offering a more enjoyable experience without the financial pressure.

    • “I really missed playing 'Lara Croft: Relic Run', and this is very similar in a lot of ways, but with more gorgeous graphics, great music, and no microtransactions!”
    • “Even though these games are predatory low-effort cash grabs that feed off of your addiction, people will still only hear and talk about them.”
    • “The monetization strategy is so aggressive that it feels like the game is designed to squeeze every penny out of players.”
    • “It's frustrating to see a game that could be great ruined by constant prompts to spend money on unnecessary items.”
  • stability1 mentions

    Users generally report that the game is stable and bug-free, indicating a smooth gameplay experience without significant technical issues.

    • “The game runs smoothly without any crashes or bugs.”
    • “I haven't encountered any stability issues during my gameplay.”
    • “The performance is consistent, making for a seamless gaming experience.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

82% average critic score

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Play time

3hMedian play time
4hAverage play time
1hMain story
9hCompletionist
2-8hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 20 analyzed playthroughs

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