The Wild at Heart Reviews
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.
While these limitations have the potential for forcing nail-biting compromises, the irritating micromanagement clashes with other elements that otherwise suggest a breezier game experience, like the rudimentary combat and the way the environment practically overflows with currency and crafting material. So much of The Wild at Heart elegantly sidesteps the usual pitfalls of a resource grind that it’s disheartening whenever it devolves into busywork.
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.
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.
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.
The Wild at Heart is a lovely game altogether. Its story and characters are just as charming as the gameplay is fun. There are a few nitpicks I can make about sound design and the Spriteling well menu having more tabs than it should need to, but they’re just nitpicks. It’s a touching and sharp game absolutely worth the dive into, especially for Xbox Game Pass members where it is currently available.
A beautiful adventure awaits in the Deep Woods.
Maybe you won't remember anything from the main story of The Wild at Heart, but its cuteness and Pikmin-like, puzzle-sauce gameplay will take you to the end of the game.
Review in Turkish | Read full review
The Wild at Heart is a stunning escapade that is brought to life with beautiful hand-drawn art, delightful uses for its Spritelings, the interesting characters from start to end, and a place worth revisiting constantly with the Deep Woods. If you are in search of an indie game that is full of charm, life, and an intriguing mystery to keep you occupied, The Wild at Heart is the perfect adventure for you.
The Wild at Heart is a heartwarming, beautiful game inspired by the gameplay mechanics of the Pikmin series. The game uses a succulent watercolor art design that transcends the overall experience. There are some minor problems in resource management mechanics and control systems. Still, overall, it is a great experience that I can recommend to almost anybody interested in puzzle, adventure, and exploration games.
Review in Persian | Read full review
With soothing music, calming visuals, addictive gameplay, and a unique tale that unfolds slowly, The Wild At Heart is incredibly easy to recommend. In fact, the only thing you will need to find real enjoyment with this gem is a controller and a good 20 hours to sink into it. There is so much charm and energy in this little puzzler, and I was so engaged in figuring out the whimsical world of the Deep Woods that I hardly noticed the time just whizzing by. If you’re the type that likes to play problem-solving games to relax, you absolutely need The Wild At Heart.
The Wild at Heart is a great game with good stories, graphics, sound, volume, and even fun. It has simple controls you can use various ways during gameplay. Also, the whole game perfectly depicts a child's growth story.
Review in Korean | Read full review
But therein lies the rub for The Wild at Heart: It just isn’t memorable. Despite its inoffensive story and well-meaning gameplay, the title never quite finds its groove. There’s no smoking gun I can point to, as nothing here is inherently “bad.” This is a rare case where a gaming experience is simply less than the sum of its parts.
The Wild at Heart, even with the few frustrations I had, was a fun adventure game. Its story is not horribly depressing but keeps a somber mood of the hardships the two kids and the people of the woods face, and the gameplay is easy to get into. It is an excellent Pikmin-like adventure game that I recommend to everyone, and as of this writing, is available on Game Pass. Its charming art and 2D JRPG-like animation alone is worth looking at.
Though I’m still not a puzzle enthusiast, my time with The Wild at Heart gave me an appreciation for the craft. The level of polish and shine is self evident. Despite at times borrowing a bit too hard from its thematic predecessors, The Wild at Heart demonstrates that a lot of personality and love went into this game.
The Wild at Heart is a very enjoyable game. The story of Wake and Kirby is interesting and helps to give them a reason to be where they are in the Deep Woods. With well-crafted puzzles, beautiful artwork, and music that is relaxing and you can really tell a lot of imagination and love went into the making of the game as well as the music.
The Wild at Heart has a satisfying gameplay loop of resource management and exploration. The puzzles aren’t challenging, but they serve as an acceptable means to an end of pointing players where to go. The colors and tones of Fall present a cute, yet somber accent to the bittersweet plot of running away to a hopefully better place. Wake is provided with actions that are unique to him, such as his vacuum ability, but it doesn’t quite elevate the game to surpassing genre conventions. Potential buyers should focus on whether the mysterious environments and curious characters entice them, rather than the simply adequate puzzle elements.
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. The immersive and detailed storytelling and intuitive gameplay make The Wild at Heart a beautifully crafted showpiece. Whilst some of the gameplay further into the experience can feel repetitive and some mechanics are either underutilised or unnecessary, this is still a game worth sharing with people of all ages as it offers unique experiences for each player. Moonlight Kids have done an amazing job creating this unique and wonderful world and the story within. If you are an avid lover of puzzle adventure games that involve weird and wonderful creatures, coming of age stories, battles against supernatural foes and uncovering secrets, then The Wild at Heart is something you absolutely must experience for yourself.
The Wild at Heart is a heartfelt exploration game that makes you feel as if you are seeing the world through young eyes. The game follows Wake and Kirby as they cling to their innocence and a need for something greater than their lonely and difficult upbringings, and it is refreshing and bittersweet to follow them throughout this journey. With characters, environments and music that embody a battle between the joys and fears of childhood, The Wild at Heart is a perfect reminder of how our view of the world continues to grow and change.
This game may not be very important compared to the Pikmin series, but if we look at it independently, it is a commendable effect, especially in terms of visual features.
Review in Persian | Read full review