Sayonara Wild Hearts

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.

89%Game Brain Score

music, gameplay

grinding, monetization

96% User Score Based on 4,048 reviews

Critic Score 82%Based on 24 reviews

Platforms

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About

Sayonara Wild Hearts is a single player casual action adventure game with a fantasy theme. It was developed by Simogo and was released on December 12, 2019. It received positive reviews from critics and overwhelmingly positive reviews from players.

Sayonara Wild Hearts is a euphoric music video dream about being awesome, riding motorcycles, skateboarding, dance battling, shooting lasers, wielding swords, and breaking hearts at 200 mph.

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96%Audience ScoreBased on 4,048 reviews

music1.3k positive mentions

grinding15 negative mentions

Exceptional audiovisual masterpiece with synchronized music, stunning neon visuals, and smooth transitions delivering a unique and immersive experience.
Accessible yet challenging gameplay with varied mechanics blending runner, rhythm, and action elements, suitable for casual and completionist players alike.
Deep emotional themes of heartbreak, self-discovery, and acceptance conveyed with subtlety through music, visuals, and gameplay that resonate deeply with many players.

Very short main story experience, easily completed in around 1-2 hours, which may leave some wanting more content for the price.
Intense flashing lights and fast-paced visuals may cause discomfort or are unsuitable for photosensitive or epileptic players; lacks adequate accessibility options.
Gameplay controls can feel floaty and imprecise at times, with rapid perspective shifts causing disorientation and occasional frustration during high-score runs.

music
2,621 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
51%
48%
1%
The music in Sayonara Wild Hearts is widely praised as a phenomenal, catchy, and deeply integrated synth-pop and electronic soundtrack that perfectly complements the game's vibrant visuals and varied gameplay. Many reviewers describe it as a playable pop album or interactive music video experience, with music that carries emotional weight and keeps players engaged beyond the short playtime. While some find the soundtrack slightly repetitive or genre-specific, the overwhelming consensus is that the music is the game's standout feature and a major reason to play or revisit the title.
- “The music is the beating heart of Sayonara Wild Hearts, transforming the game from a mere audiovisual experience into something transcendent. Composed by Daniel Olsén and Jonathan Eng with vocals by Linnea Olsson, the soundtrack is a masterclass in emotional pacing and cohesion. Each song represents a different mood—from euphoric synth-pop to introspective balladry—and the levels are intricately designed around these compositions. The music doesn't just accompany the gameplay; it drives it, creating an immersive, interactive musical journey that's both emotionally resonant and exhilarating.”
- “Every level in Sayonara Wild Hearts is perfectly choreographed to its accompanying music, with scoring elements placed to let the music guide player movement seamlessly. The soundtrack is an absolute triumph—a euphoric blend of synth-pop and electronic beats with soulful melodies—that elevates the fast-paced, vibrant gameplay. The game functions as a playable music album, where music, visuals, and gameplay are interwoven to form a unique, mesmerizing experience. The soundtrack alone is compelling enough to keep players coming back, and many find themselves listening to the music outside the game with great enthusiasm.”
- “Sayonara Wild Hearts is essentially a playable music album where captivating visuals and gameplay mechanics are synchronized expertly with an outstanding pop and synthwave soundtrack. The music is so integral that it directly influences the gameplay flow, creating a rhythm-driven experience that's more than just pressing buttons in time—it’s about feeling and embodying the music. The vibrant neon aesthetics paired with an emotionally charged, catchy soundtrack make every level feel like an interactive music video. Players consistently praise the soundtrack’s quality and variety, often considering it among the best in video games, with songs that linger long after playing.”
- “The controls are ridiculously floaty; the visuals are extremely overwhelming and make it so that for large portions of the game it hurts just to look at the screen for longer than like three seconds at a time; a new gameplay mechanic is thrown at you approximately every two minutes and only lasts long enough for you to start getting used to it before it switches to the next, practically none of which make sense or are justified in their inclusion (why am I suddenly floating through a 3D space instead of on my bike? why am I fighting a mechanical wolf monster with no control over how and when I shoot so instead half the screen is obscured by a barrage of bullets? why does it switch between first and third person for seemingly no reason with no warning? why am I suddenly playing worse Mario Kart? why am I doing literally any of this????); and the rhythm game sections are so poorly utilized and occasionally poorly or confusingly timed, with no settings to configure for any incongruences between the player and the game such as delays caused by bluetooth speakers and the like nor any in-game way to properly adjust volume for both music and sound effects, that I honestly feel some level of offense at it even being purported to be a rhythm game in the first place.”
- “It's a musical game but not a rhythm game: many of the stuff happens in sync with the music indeed, but your actions don't need to follow suit, in fact the game is very forgiving with mistakes (unless you're going for high score) so it's a fun experience even to the most unexperienced players - thus my point of 'an experience for all'.”
- “The only accessibility setting is to skip a part of the level (as is, everything pulsates or flickers, the camera spins uncontrollably, and it is not possible to slow down the action), the game's length is ~1.5h excluding achievement hunting, and there is no option to turn off the music in-game (so I turned off all sounds via the OS tools after 15 minutes).”
gameplay
1,030 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
34%
63%
3%
Sayonara Wild Hearts offers a visually stunning and musically exceptional experience with gameplay that is simple, accessible, and constantly evolving through varied mechanics each level. While some find the gameplay shallow, floaty, or occasionally frustrating due to rapid mechanic shifts and lack of tutorials, many appreciate its fluidity, addictiveness, and the way it harmonizes with the soundtrack to create an emotional, immersive rhythm-action adventure. Overall, the gameplay prioritizes style and flow over depth, providing a short but memorable arcade-like journey that complements its audiovisual presentation.
- “The gameplay is addicting, the set designs and visuals are gorgeous, and above all the music is phenomenal.”
- “Each level introduces a fresh perspective or twist, both visually and mechanically.”
- “The gameplay is simple and easy to learn, and always adds new mechanics to keep things interesting.”
- “The controls are ridiculously floaty; the visuals are extremely overwhelming and make it so that for large portions of the game it hurts just to look at the screen for longer than like three seconds at a time; a new gameplay mechanic is thrown at you approximately every two minutes and only lasts long enough for you to start getting used to it before it switches to the next, practically none of which make sense or are justified in their inclusion (why am I suddenly floating through a 3D space instead of on my bike? Why am I fighting a mechanical wolf monster with no control over how and when I shoot so instead half the screen is obscured by a barrage of bullets? Why does it switch between first and third person for seemingly no reason with no warning? Why am I suddenly playing worse Mario Kart? Why am I doing literally any of this????); and the rhythm game sections are so poorly utilized and occasionally poorly or confusingly timed, with no settings to configure for any incongruences between the player and the game such as delays caused by Bluetooth speakers and the like nor any in-game way to properly adjust volume for both music and sound effects, that I honestly feel some level of offense at it even being purported to be a rhythm game in the first place.”
- “There really isn't anything about the gameplay that is all that special, and there is a lot of weird decisions made in the name of artistry that actively hurt the experience; the weird shifts in camera angles and the seamless transitions between gameplay and story within each song make it really hard to distinguish what exactly I need to do and when, which makes for a pretty frustrating experience.”
- “Unfortunately, the dope music and sleek visuals couldn't save the abysmal lot that is the "gameplay".”
graphics
928 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
60%
40%
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their stunning, vibrant, and neon-soaked art style that perfectly complements the synthpop soundtrack, creating a captivating audiovisual experience. The visuals are often described as mesmerizing, psychedelic, and dynamic, with constantly shifting perspectives and unique level aesthetics that immerse players in a trippy, dreamlike world. While some find the intense flashing lights and rapid visual changes overwhelming or potentially discomforting for sensitive players, overall the graphics are considered a key strength that elevates the game's emotional impact and artistic expression.
- “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.”
- “The art style manages to be elegantly simple, minimalist even, and yet so very detailed, flashy without becoming overbearing and distracting you, easy to read when in motion and yet conveying all of the detail you need to know.”
- “The controls are ridiculously floaty; the visuals are extremely overwhelming and make it so that for large portions of the game it hurts just to look at the screen for longer than like three seconds at a time; a new gameplay mechanic is thrown at you approximately every two minutes and only lasts long enough for you to start getting used to it before it switches to the next, practically none of which make sense or are justified in their inclusion.”
- “I'm not a doctor, but I'm sure that the visuals in this game can easily cause seizures, because it's a non-stop onslaught of flashing lights 99 percent of the time.”
- “The music itself is fine, but rather generic, and the visuals can be quite harsh at times.”
story
591 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
31%
67%
2%
Sayonara Wild Hearts features a short, abstract, and symbolic story centered on heartbreak, self-discovery, and healing, conveyed primarily through its music, visuals, and minimal narration. The narrative is emotionally resonant yet open to interpretation, allowing players to connect personally to its themes of love, loss, and self-acceptance without relying on traditional exposition. While not a complex or deeply detailed plot, the story effectively complements the game's artistic presentation and rhythmic gameplay, leaving a lasting impact on many players.
- “At its core, Sayonara Wild Hearts follows the story of a young woman whose heart has been broken, sending her into a surreal dreamscape where she becomes a masked heroine riding through neon-lit worlds.”
- “A heartfelt and passionate story told through an exciting soundtrack and bright, aesthetic visuals and animations makes for a truly emotional and joyous experience.”
- “The narrative itself is sparse in dialogue and explicit exposition, instead conveyed through movement and music, creating a sense of wordless storytelling that mirrors the emotional universality of heartbreak and healing.”
- “The story makes absolutely no sense.”
- “The actual gameplay seriously lacks substance... there's not much of a story to speak of.”
- “The game starts off pretending like there will be a story but there's absolutely none outside of the first few seconds.”
emotional
223 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Sayonara Wild Hearts delivers a uniquely powerful emotional experience, blending evocative music, striking visuals, and rhythmic gameplay to convey a heartfelt journey of heartbreak, self-discovery, and healing. Despite minimal dialogue, it deeply resonates with players, often eliciting tears and a profound sense of connection through its abstract yet impactful storytelling. Its concise, artful presentation creates an emotional rollercoaster that many find both cathartic and unforgettable.
- “You can directly follow along with her emotional journey as she battles the different arcana, traveling from utter, desolate heartbreak to a renewed awareness of the loveliness of life and the unknown.”
- “A heartfelt and passionate story told through an exciting soundtrack and bright, aesthetic visuals and animations makes for a truly emotional and joyous experience.”
- “The narrative itself is sparse in dialogue and explicit exposition, instead conveyed through movement and music, creating a sense of wordless storytelling that mirrors the emotional universality of heartbreak and healing.”
replayability
183 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
39%
59%
2%
Despite its short length of about 1 to 1.5 hours, the game offers substantial replayability through its challenging scoring system, collectible achievements, zodiac riddles, and multiple ranking tiers (bronze, silver, gold). Players are encouraged to revisit levels to improve scores, unlock secrets, and master gameplay, making it appealing especially to those who enjoy rhythm and arcade-style challenges. Overall, while the main story is brief, the depth of post-game content and score-chasing elements provide a rich, replayable experience.
- “The game is short, but the replayability is stellar due to the many hidden achievements, high scores, and hidden collectibles to get within levels.”
- “Even after the initial playthrough, Sayonara Wild Hearts offers ample replayability with challenges, rank increases, and zodiac riddles, making it endlessly engaging.”
- “The desire to achieve higher scores, unlock all secrets, and complete riddles adds to the game's replay value, making it a joy to come back to.”
- “Negatives to consider before buying: 1) the game is very short with limited replayability.”
- “This game is pretty much a one-time acid trip that you can finish in one sitting, but doesn't have much replay value unless you are into 100%.”
- “Replayability is negligible, so I would wait for a minor sale to justify the cost.”
atmosphere
25 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
60%
28%
12%
The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its dreamy, vibrant, and neon-infused aesthetic, seamlessly enhanced by a superb, immersive soundtrack that deeply engages players. Reviewers highlight its ability to evoke strong emotions and create a captivating mood that complements the gameplay, making the experience both fun and visually stunning. However, a few note that certain elements, like the narrator’s voice or gameplay interruptions, can occasionally disrupt the otherwise enchanting ambiance.
- “"Dreamy" is definitely a good word to describe the atmosphere this game creates, where you aren't concerned by the realistic aspects of the mechanics at all, and instead you get completely lost in the pop music and the pop of colors happening all around you, all while you're shooting robot wolves and drifting on the highway.”
- “Sayonara Wild Hearts is a rhythm game which 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.”
- “An exceptional game with superb music, atmosphere, visual effects and super smooth transitions.”
- “The narrator's voice also doesn't fit the magical and colorful atmosphere of the game.”
- “This totally ruins the game's flow and atmosphere.”
- “Jonathan Eng and Daniel Olsén absolutely killed the atmosphere.”
grinding
16 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
6%
94%
Grinding in the game is described as somewhat challenging and occasionally tedious, especially when aiming for gold ranks or 100% completion. While replayability is supported through achievements and extra modes, many players find the need to repeatedly restart levels and memorize patterns to improve scores a bit grindy. However, the relatively short runtime and enjoyable music help mitigate frustration for those who appreciate focused, reward-driven gameplay.
- “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.”
optimization
16 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
56%
19%
The game is highly optimized, delivering smooth performance with no bugs or hiccups, even at 4K resolution and sustained 60fps. It balances a visually intense experience with responsive gameplay, encouraging players to perfect their performance without technical distractions. However, it may lack optimization for keyboard and mouse controls.
- “+ well optimized - 6 to 8 hrs of battery on my LCD deck and still runs at locked 60fps if you push the resolution to 4k!”
- “I adore how much this game is optimized for sight-reading; they really nailed being able to react to things for the first time while they came at you at lightning speeds and surprised you in flashy ways.”
- “I didn't have any issues performance-wise when I played.”
- “I experienced no hiccups performance-wise.”
humor
13 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
85%
15%
The game's humor is widely appreciated for being genuinely funny, quirky, and original, with amusing voice lines, playful mechanics, and intentionally cringey animations that add to the comedic charm. Its lighthearted, straightforward style contrasts with more serious games, making it a refreshing and entertaining experience despite its short length.
- “No bs, straight into gameplay, funny mechanics, a must have for every true gamer <3”
- “Hilarious and original.”
- “Game has tarot cards as design element, which is funny to me, as my only association with tarot is JoJo: had quite a laugh at the level where you [spoiler] as the fool ride a chariot to meet hermit who uses the world on you [/spoiler].”
character development
11 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
55%
45%
The character development is deeply integrated into every aspect, from intricate choreography-inspired moves to striking synth-pop and retro-influenced designs, creating a richly immersive and emotionally resonant experience. While some minor polish could enhance the visuals, the strong narrative about heartbreak and self-reconciliation, combined with fluid animation and cohesive art style, makes the characters feel vivid and memorable. Overall, the thoughtful design and storytelling bring a unique depth and heart to the game’s characters.
- “Strong background story and character development - check”
- “There's so much heart put into every single second of this game; the visuals vividly pop out of the screen with breathtaking character designs and 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 not to feel something from.”
- “A mostly easygoing, colourful, dreamlike runner with gorgeous visuals, fluid and simple controls, badass character design, beyond satisfying rhythm, and a soundtrack that slaps so hard you'll be listening to it on the bus to and from your education or work.”
monetization
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
Users criticize the monetization as predatory and exploitative in many similar games, but appreciate that this particular game avoids microtransactions, offering a more enjoyable experience with quality graphics and music.
- “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!”
stability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Users indicate that the game is largely bug-free, suggesting strong stability with minimal technical issues.

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82%Critics’ scoreBased on 24 critic reviews

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Buy Sayonara Wild Hearts

3h Median play time

5h Average play time

1h Main story

9h Completionist

2-8h Spent by most gamers

*Based on 22 analyzed playthroughs

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Frequently Asked Questions

Sayonara Wild Hearts is a casual action adventure game with fantasy theme.

Sayonara Wild Hearts is available on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Steam Deck and others.

The main story can be completed in around 1 hours, while the entire game is estimated to take about 9 hours to finish. On average players spend around 5 hours playing Sayonara Wild Hearts.

Sayonara Wild Hearts was released on December 12, 2019.

Sayonara Wild Hearts was developed by Simogo.

Sayonara Wild Hearts has received positive reviews from players and positive reviews from critics. Most players liked Sayonara Wild Hearts for its music but disliked it for its grinding.

Sayonara Wild Hearts is a single player game.

Similar games include GRIS, Skate Story, ABZÛ, Everhood, Vs. Alfie: Moonlit Melodies (+ 2 Bonus Songs) and others.

Sayonara Wild Hearts

Platforms

music

gameplay

graphics

story

emotional

replayability

atmosphere

grinding

optimization

humor

character development

monetization

stability