Moonlight Kids have a hit on their hands with The Wild at Heart. It brings a strong narrative, some clever puzzles, and enough of an endearing journey to make it one of the better releases this holiday season on the PlayStation.
"The Wild at Heart" is a whimsical adventure game where two children discover a magical realm filled with curious creatures and oddball guardians. Tasked with helping to restore order to this hidden world, players will embark on a journey of self-discovery and wonder. With its captivating art style and strategic gameplay, this game promises to transport players into a unique and enchanting experience.
The art style and music are beautiful, creating an enchanting atmosphere that draws players in.
The gameplay is engaging, combining puzzle-solving with exploration and the unique mechanics of controlling Spritelings.
The story is charming and emotional, resonating with players and providing a sense of adventure.
The day/night cycle can be frustrating, as it interrupts exploration and adds unnecessary pressure to return to safety.
Combat mechanics feel simplistic and can become repetitive, lacking depth and challenge.
Some players may find the character backstories and interactions underdeveloped, leading to a lack of emotional investment.
story
376 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
40%
58%
2%
The story of "The Wild at Heart" is a blend of whimsical charm and darker undertones, following two children, Wake and Kirby, as they navigate a fantastical world filled with engaging characters and emotional depth. While many players appreciate the captivating visuals and heartfelt narrative, some express disappointment in the lack of character backstory and depth, feeling that the story could have benefited from more interaction and closure. Overall, the game is praised for its unique art style and immersive storytelling, though opinions vary on the execution and impact of the plot.
“The wild at heart is a story-rich action-adventure that draws you in and pulls at your heartstrings as we follow two children, wake and kirby, as they discover who they are and where they belong.”
“With a touching plot and beautiful hand-drawn visuals, this is an impressive first outing for developers moonlight kids.”
“The immersive and detailed storytelling and intuitive gameplay make the wild at heart a beautifully crafted showpiece.”
“The first big issue was that I really didn't care about the plot or characters whatsoever and when the story was finished, I was glad that it was over with.”
“The weakest part of the game unfortunately is the story (vague talk about the plot ahead).”
“I was really disappointed with the story though.”
gameplay
249 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
42%
54%
4%
The gameplay of "The Wild at Heart" is often compared to Pikmin, featuring engaging puzzles and resource management mechanics that encourage exploration and creativity. While the game boasts beautiful visuals and a charming atmosphere, some players noted repetitive tasks and minor frustrations with mechanics, particularly the night cycle, which can disrupt gameplay flow. Overall, the game offers a satisfying blend of puzzle-solving and adventure, appealing to fans of both Pikmin-style gameplay and metroidvania design.
“Beautiful design and fantastic gameplay, what more could one want?”
“Gameplay is like if Pikmin and Luigi's Mansion had a baby with a map that's expertly designed and slowly becomes more and more interconnected as you progress.”
“The gameplay strikes a great balance of being accessible but still clever enough to be satisfying for people with a lot of experience with games like Pikmin.”
“After spending 1.5 hours in the game, I found myself mostly doing repetitive tasks, like collecting seeds, using a dryer on haystacks, directing minions to carry wood... I pushed myself to keep playing and when I encountered fire minions, the gameplay remained mostly the same instead of them getting certain things on fire.”
“Unfortunately, it is let down by its poor explanation of its mechanics and a confusing map which can leave you aimlessly wandering around.”
“The game is cute, but it is way too slow and the game mechanics are very simplistic and mostly tedious.”
graphics
222 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
60%
39%
1%
The graphics of the game have received widespread acclaim for their stunning and unique art style, often described as charming, whimsical, and reminiscent of a children's storybook. Players appreciate the beautiful hand-drawn visuals, vibrant colors, and immersive atmosphere that enhance the overall experience, making exploration and interaction with the game world enjoyable. While some minor technical issues were noted, the captivating aesthetics and engaging character designs have left a lasting positive impression on many reviewers.
“A stunning art style, an immersive soundtrack, a storyline which has notes of Studio Ghibli sprinkled throughout, all wrapped up inside a game that is genuinely fun to play from start to finish.”
“The graphics and visual style are very unique and original, mixing beautiful textures and hand-drawn figures, painted with pastel and vivid colors.”
“The art style is an absolute delight to take in.”
“The art style is a bit too strong/unappealing for me.”
“Combat can be a little clunky against a couple of enemy types (like flying enemies), and that's mostly caused by 2.5D graphics not displaying throw trajectories right.”
“Still has a few glitches but the art style, colors, and concept as a whole is so nice :)”
music
146 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
58%
40%
2%
The music in the game is widely praised for its immersive and calming qualities, enhancing the overall atmosphere and emotional depth of the experience. Reviewers highlight the soundtrack's ability to evoke nostalgia and create a whimsical yet eerie ambiance, perfectly complementing the stunning art style and engaging storyline. Overall, the combination of beautiful music and visuals contributes significantly to the game's charm and relaxing gameplay.
“The art direction, music, and story all felt wonderfully unique, while at the same time capturing the essence of books like 'Where the Wild Things Are.'”
“A stunning art style, an immersive soundtrack, a storyline which has notes of Studio Ghibli sprinkled throughout, all wrapped up inside a game that is genuinely fun to play from start to finish.”
“The music is calming and the map is atmospheric and fun to explore.”
“The game is pretty, in its own way, and the soundtrack hits hard at night, scaring the hell out of me.”
“While the game itself seems light and easygoing, the music that plays when it's nearing night time fills me with dread and gets me rushing back to the campsite ASAP, hinting at a darker story that the main character might not be able to comprehend as of yet, as he is still a child.”
“There is a sense of nervousness when the music changes in the afternoon to indicate that it will soon be night and the invisible creature appears, returning to calm again in the morning.”
emotional
47 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by its touching story of self-discovery, beautifully complemented by charming visuals and music that evoke nostalgia. Players appreciate the balance between heartwarming and darker themes, with unique character backstories that resonate deeply. Overall, the game is described as a cozy, impactful experience that elicits genuine emotional responses, making it a memorable journey.
“The stories behind each and every character are so unique and heart-wrenching.”
“The journey you go on with the main character and his best friend is heartwarming.”
“With a story that’s equal parts amusing, intriguing, and emotional, alongside genuinely stunning 2D visuals, you’ll be sucked into this world in no time.”
atmosphere
26 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
77%
23%
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its beautiful art style, charming characters, and captivating soundtrack, creating a unique and whimsical experience. Players appreciate the atmospheric exploration and relaxing music, although some note challenges with navigation. Overall, the game's enchanting ambiance and engaging sound design contribute significantly to its appeal.
“The art style, soundtrack, and overall atmosphere are absolutely beautiful and very unique.”
“The atmosphere and art style are beautiful, and the story was quite good too.”
“The wild at heart is a charming and atmospheric exploration and puzzle game, with wonderful characters, an interesting story, superb music, and wonderful graphics.”
humor
17 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is characterized by its charming characters, hilarious descriptions, and quirky interactions, creating a joyful experience throughout. Players appreciate the lightheartedness and comedic elements, such as the amusing chaos of object interactions and the whimsical nature of NPC dialogues. Overall, the blend of humor with heartwarming storytelling and colorful art enhances the game's appeal, making it a delightful alternative to similar titles like Pikmin.
“I loved all the hilarious descriptions for things.”
“Everything from the charming and colorful art style, the peaceful sound design, the unique characters, and the quirky humor made this whole experience a joy to witness.”
“The wild at heart does cover some heavy emotional threads while weaving them into a bright, bold and funny tapestry.”
grinding
16 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players generally find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and slow, particularly when it comes to collecting game currency and resources for upgrades. While some enjoy the exploration and cute aesthetics, many feel that the simplistic mechanics and repetitive tasks detract from the overall experience, leading to a sense of boredom. A few players have suggested improvements, such as a one-click feature for managing resources, to alleviate the grind.
“I’d like to go back after completing the main story to gather all the collectibles, but collecting game currency to buy upgrades and items from the game’s shop got tedious and slow very fast.”
“It took me about 16 hours to beat, but that was with unnecessary resource grinding.”
“Maybe it's just me, and others out there might call me a 'little baby' and 'filthy casual', but I ended up switching to adventurer mode as wanderer proved way too time-consuming and tedious.”
stability
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game exhibits some stability issues, with users reporting a few bugs, particularly related to spritelings getting out of bounds. However, these glitches are not game-breaking, and players have not experienced the need to reset due to technical problems. Overall, while stability could be improved, it does not significantly detract from the enjoyable art style and concept.
“It can be a little buggy.”
“It's too short, it couldn't decide on what it wanted for tone (dark/sad or whimsical/silly), and it's pretty buggy.”
“While there are a few bugs, mostly due to the spritelings getting out of bounds, there's nothing game-breaking and I never had to reset due to glitches.”
character development
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
67%
The character designs are widely praised for their charm and creativity, effectively drawing players into the story and fostering emotional connections. However, there is a notable desire for deeper dialogue and more substantial character development among the main NPCs, suggesting that while the characters are visually appealing, their narratives could be more engaging.
“I really love the character designs, and the introduction for the characters made you care about them.”
“The character designs are charming, and I still laugh remembering that there's a character called 'Litterbox' who apparently smells really bad.”
replayability
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
16%
17%
Overall, the game's replayability is mixed; while some players find the gameplay loop engaging enough to revisit after some time, others note that the lack of new puzzles and limited challenges diminish replay value. The beautiful graphics, detailed story, and immersive sound design contribute positively, but the repetitive nature of puzzles and creature fights may deter frequent returns.
“Beautiful graphics, surprisingly detailed story, big world, hidden objects to find, side quests, two levels of difficulty, pleasant soundtrack, good interface... not sure about the replay value yet, but I can see picking this up again after a few months.”
“[Addicting gameplay loop that entices replayability, art design was well realized throughout, charming dialogue scattered in the story, players are given a fair amount of freedom in the later half, sound effects and music were immersive and relaxing, thoughtful retooling of familiar gameplay concepts.]”
“[Addicting gameplay loop that entices replayability, art design was well realized throughout, charming dialogue scattered in the story, players are given a fair amount of freedom in the later half, sound effects and music were immersive and relaxing, thoughtful retooling of familiar gameplay concepts.]”
“Replayability is almost non-existent, as only the creature fights can provide an additional challenge - the puzzles have already been solved.”
optimization
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game is praised for its excellent optimization, allowing players to achieve consistent 120 fps at 1440p with maximum settings, even on older hardware like the Vega 64. Overall, it combines beautiful graphics and solid gameplay with impressive performance.
“It's a charming title with beautiful graphics, solid gameplay, engaging environmental puzzles, and great performance. I achieved fairly consistent 120 fps with everything on max at 1440p on an old Vega 64.”