Sayonara Wild Hearts is coming to Xbox on February 25, Annapurna Interactive has announced. The rhythm-action game is described by its two-person studio Simogo as a "pop album video game," and if you happened to play it on PS4, Switch, PC, or mobile last fall, you surely see why.
The full game takes just about an hour to beat across roughly two dozen song-length levels, each with its own aesthetic and music and spanning several arcade mechanics. Sometimes the game can feel a bit like Guitar Hero as your hero, The Fool, skates, bikes, and otherwise stylishly moves down a constant stream of color and flair. Other levels are more like light-gun shooters or QTE-driven fight sequences. It's an ever-changing array of experiences meant to always keep you bopping to the music and feeling good abou yourself.
The game also offers a forgiving set of accessibility options, including the ability to skip levels should they become too difficult. The medal system, which ranks players with Gold, Silver, and Bronze, lets you continue on even if you finish a level without a rank. These options are in tune with the game's overall message about loving who you are and being comfortable in your own skin.
It was a hit with nearly all who reviewed it last fall, evidenced by the game's 85 OpenCritic score - a "Mighty" designation. It was also reviewed favorably by 88% of its 44 critics on OpenCritic. That makes it yet another standout hit for Annapurna Interactive, which has yet to publish a game that a great majority of critics didn't enjoy. Not everyone was satisfied with its arcadey gameplay or brief runtime, but those who accepted those attributes often came away infatuated with the game. Next week, it will have the chance to win more (wild) hearts when it hits Xbox on February 25.
