Granted, I was 4-6 years old but emotions are big when you’re small. I grew up in the 90’s and as a result of that, I so VIVIDLY recall losing over and over and over again in Arkanoid and Donkey Kong Country and being absolutely enraged. Growing up, I hated losing at video games. Sometimes, failure can be an opportunity to do a better job the second time around. This mechanic helped me better understand that failure doesn’t have to be something that bogs you down. Where I would typically expect a cut scene, instead I was given control and more so, told to quickly shift lanes in order to score maximum points keeping me challenged and even causing me to, at times, strategically run my character into something to go back to the most recent quicksave point which doesn’t ever seem to be longer than 15-20 seconds apart.

What really took me by surprise was the dramatic shifts in perspective and visuals all the while keeping me in control of the character I was playing. Every second of this game felt like a time warp taking back to my early teen years, discovering electronic music that spoke to my soul for the first time. The art style feels simple but the color palettes are breathtaking and perfectly coordinated. Visually captivating with audio to match.Įverything about Sayonara Wild Hearts feels intentional. Vulnerability s not a weakness, but strength and transparency can only improve your relationships with others. I found myself between waves of tears and excitement, completely overcome with the emotions it struck within me, reminding me to not only love myself, but also to forgive myself.Īs a person who has previously been fearful of being emotionally vulnerable in front of others, Sayonara Wildhearts helped me express my emotions and better understand the importance of vulnerability and how it empowers one to resolve conflicts. Sayonara Wildhearts took my breath away not because of its beautifully stunning art but because of the ways in which the story developed throughout the game. Sayonara reminded me for the first time in years what a video game was truly capable of being, an experience that folds back into itself and becomes something new at every turn, and yet it is intuitive, easy to learn, easy to play, and oddly enough, extremely challenging to master. The story of loss and self-love evolves as you play. Sayonara Wild Hearts is an endless runner game with a breathtaking soundtrack and heartbreaking story. *All links in this article are affiliate links*

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