The neon dreamworld of Apple's Sayonara Wild Hearts thumps with the rhythmic heartbeat of an electronic synth-pop album so catchy that players will continue to hum its melodies long after the credits roll. Every precious moment of the game feels hand-crafted and deeply considered, with pitch-perfect animations, rhythm-based controls, and a cool-colored monochromatic style that flashes and dazzles but never overstays its welcome.
Sayonara Wild Hearts recently released as a flagship title for Apple Arcade, Apple's new subscription gaming service, available now on all iOS devices. The game also came to Switch and PS4, but on Apple Arcade, players with an iOS device can try it for free during the one month trial period. And folks should. The game stands out as an experience unlike any other currently available in gaming. Sayonara Wild Hearts' perfectly tuned visuals, gameplay, and soundtrack can create a deep emotional experience in even the most jaded gamer.
The Style
Sayonara Wild Hearts oozes style, not just in its surface presentation - with its bright, perfectly-silhouetted purple and blue hues - but in every facet of the game, all of the way down to the world layouts and the actual in-game characters' style. The game flashes with white light and sound effects that give the mostly-on rails gameplay a punch that makes players forget they only have control over the left-to right movement of the protagonist.
The 3D assets that make up each stage feature the kind of simplicity that feels effortless despite most likely requiring extreme refinement and strict iteration to achieve. In Sayonara Wild Hearts, the player will glide through the pulsating world on the back of a motorcycle, and as they do battle with the stylish Wild Hearts, they will pass through the busy streets of a purple city that splits open to reveal a fiery secret. They will traverse a thick forest while chasing blinding white wolves. They will even briefly switch to a classic convertible and cruise through the desert with the top down over a wide road that narrows into a claustrophobic arcade-like battle on the surface of a VR headset. Each stage takes the player to a new, surprising place and tries something totally new.
Sayonara Wild Hearts' flair extends to its cutscenes, menus, sound effects, and music. Each cutscene flows right out of gameplay and grabs the camera from the player to continue the momentum until it lands on a close up of a Wild Heart, which it follows for a tick before easing up and drifting back into the player's control. The menus flash and sparkle, and features a custom font that fits the the tarot-card theme that runs through the narrative. Each fluttering and bright sound effect cuts through the music as if coming through a crisp loudspeaker and echoing across a stage. The voice narration, performed by pop superstar Queen Latifah, beams with the same crisp authority and announces a rank at the end of each stage that makes even the lowest bronze-level score sound like a grand achievement.
The Gameplay
Most of Sayonara Wild Hearts plays like a cross between a rhythm game and an infinite runner, although some stages do change up the formula slightly. The main character rides, glides, drives, and skates through streets, forests, and desserts at a consistent pace as they chase each of the different teams of Wild Hearts. The player must rhythmically shift to the right and left in order to collect as many glowing hearts as possible in order to rack up their score. Each stage also has special bonus items that the player can pick up in order to boost their rank. The iOS game also features some rhythmic timing-based button presses and a few sections that require the player to shoot enemies or glide up and down.
The game has a slight learning curve, but after a few levels, players will get used to it. It plays well with Apple Arcade's controller support or with touch controls, although for the best results with touch controls, players should turn the sensitivity to "high" in the settings menu. While a single play through will only take an hour, players will find themselves playing the levels multiple times in order to earn higher rankings. Once players finish a first play through and start over, the early stages will feel much easier than the first time through.
The Music
When Sayonara Wild Hearts first boots up, it advertises itself as "A Pop Album Video Game." On this front, the game does not disappoint. It introduces a slew of original deliciously sweet electronic pop songs written and performed by Daniel Olsen and Jonathan Eng and featuring singer Linnae Olsson, who tops it off with a lilting yet powerful performance. The soundtrack has a Chvrches vibe and stands on its own as an excellent synth-pop album that becomes enhanced through the gameplay. The soundtrack doesn't simply serve as the background to Sayonara Wild Hearts, but instead operates in as a driving pulse for the entire experience.
Every moment of rhythmic gameplay and stylistic flair described above thrives on its devotion to the game's soundtrack. Usually, video game music adds an undercurrent of emotion to a game. But in Sayonara Wild Hearts the soundtrack gets pushed to the front of the experience and the rest of the game feels constructed in service of it. Every game design choice supports the soundtrack as well as the overall theme of a visual pop album. It feels bright, slick, electric, and produced in all of the ways a synth-pop album should. Plus, it takes the player on an emotional journey through the ups and downs of the soundtrack and extends each song with interstitial instrumental arrangements that keep the sections tonally consistent.
Games as special as Sayonara Wild Hearts don't come around very often. More than a game, this gem comes across has a full sensory experience that will keep players coming back to try to get those gold ranks, and for many, this justifies the Apple Arcade price.
Some folks wonder if Apple Arcade is worth the asking price. If the service can continue to deliver games like this, then it sure has a fighting chance.
Sayonara Wild Hearts is available now on Apple Arcade, PS4, and Switch.