Sayonara Wild Hearts
Review

Sayonara Wild Hearts (2019) is a rhythm-action game where you control a running, flying, dancing or motorbike-riding character to collect coins and hearts in time with pop music. The neon visuals and emotively voiced story make this an unusual and compelling way to experience both music and narrative.

You play a broken-hearted young woman. But as her heart breaks, a strange butterfly leads her through a highway in the sky, where she finds her other self: the masked biker called, The Fool. You play by tapping buttons in time with the music to ride motorcycles, skateboard, dance battle, shoot lasers, wield swords, and (hopefully) mend your heart - all at 200 mph.

You work through the purpose-written pop tunes to chase the score as you set out to find the harmony of the universe, hidden away in the hearts of your star-crossed allies: Dancing Devils, Howling Moons, Stereo Lovers and Hermit 64.

As you can tell, it's psychedelic and dream-like, but never takes itself too seriously. Like a good pop album, it takes you on a journey that's welcoming, fantastical and a lot of fun.

Our examiner, Jo Robertson, first checked Sayonara Wild Hearts 3 years ago. It was re-examined by Andy Robertson and updated 2 weeks ago.