The Wild at Heart
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The Wild at Heart Trailers
Critic Reviews for The Wild at Heart
The Wild at Heart is a fun, whimsical and challenging little action adventure game, largely thanks to its nicely-crafted puzzles, but it could have been a better adventure if it wasn't trying to cram in so much.
The Wild at Heart borrows several of its mechanics from Nintendo IP, there's no question about that. This could have presented a bit of a problem had it not been for the exquisite visual style and presentation, not to mention Moonlight Kids' excellent execution of those mechanics. 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. Minor frustrations with combat and loading times aside, this is an adventure you'll be glad you embarked on.
The WIld at Heart is a beautiful game, with some smart puzzles and an engaging story. There are a few mechanics that frustrate, but on the whole this is a really good game.
Wild at Heart is so well put together with a remarkable level of polish and a real sense of its own identity. The skilful blending together of different mechanics borrowed from high profile titles enables the game to be intuitive but also maintain a distinctive feel, so while not the longest game, it is chock full of character and deserves to find its way into your heart. Plus, the Spritelings are just so effin' cute.
The Wild at Heart tells a sweet story about magic, childhood, and friendship. With its enchanting music and gorgeous environments to explore, it's a beautiful adventure that will keep you captivated until the end. Having the spritelings to solve puzzles and fight for you is a really fun gameplay mechanic and adds lots of interesting dynamics to the puzzles. The Wild at Heart has plenty of secrets to discover and it's a real joy to try to uncover them all.
Rarely is a game fun, beautiful and thought-provoking while being entertaining. The Wild at Heart does cover some heavy emotional threads while weaving them into a bright, bold and funny tapestry. New items and systems are introduced slowly and regularly, the puzzles are fun and there is always something to do. There are quests and objectives off the beaten path, secrets to find and weird characters to help. The Wild at Heart is a game I can recommend to just about anyone.
In the end, I appreciated that The Wild at Heart leans into being an actual game rather than simply a thinly disguised exploration of childhood trauma. Together with inviting art direction that suggests an animated storybook and a story that supports layers of meaning, The Wild at Heart was a pleasant discovery. The game’s combat and puzzles aren’t entirely consistent or satisfying, and moment to moment the experience can feel a little aimless, but fans of accessible puzzle and action games with heart and some emotional depth should check it out.
Industry Coverage
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