It's now day 2 of Gamescom 2020, and that means a fresh batch of news and trailers from across the gaming industry. Among them is the story-rich adventure game The Wild at Heart, which got a new Gamescom trailer and a 9-minute gameplay video.
The Wild at Heart follows the story of two kids as they stumble into a strange and vibrant fantasy world, dealing with themes of childhood escapism. In the new video, players lead magical swarms of creatures around in gameplay that is reminiscent of games like Pikmin.
The 9-minute gameplay video for The Wild at Heart explores an area called the "Forgotten Path," with the game's protagonist, a young boy named Wake, leading around a small group of spritelings as he navigates the forest. Wake wields a sort of vacuum called "Gustbuster" that allows him to both pick up and move objects, and the video also shows how players will be able to take advantage of the game's crafting system, gathering components and augmenting Gustbuster along the way. The video also introduced another character, Scrap Heap, who introduces themselves as a master builder and tinkerer for the Greenshield Order of the Deep Woods.
As the video demonstrates, Wake's goal is to guide his swarm of spritelings through the forest, defeating enemies and crafting new items to help the Greenshield Order. Plus, not only can interested players now get a sense of The Wild at Heart's gameplay, but a new Gamescom trailer also confirms the game's release window to be 2021.
The Wild at Heart looks to be a cross between Pikmin and those nostalgia-inducing picture books everyone reads as kids, and time will tell just how effective that combination is.
The Wild at Heart releases in 2021 for PC and Xbox One.