Sayonara Wild Hearts () from Simogo and Annapurna Interactive has been very interesting to see ever since it was properly revealed for iOS. Originally, it looked like Simogo’s newest experience would be only available on Nintendo Switch but the Apple Arcade reveal had all the Simogo fans on iOS breathe a sigh of relief. Simogo’s genre blending musical experience was a launch game for Apple Arcade and it remains my favourite game in the service and one of my favourite games of 2019.
Simogo calls Sayonara Wild Hearts a pop album video game and having now played it, I see what they were going for and why this game took a while to be released. The long wait was more than worth it. The game is split up into various levels represented by different tracks on an album and the story unfolds through short scenes before and after levels that are all on-rails. The heart of a woman breaks and balance needs to be restored. Said woman finds her other self represented by a masked biker. She aims to collect hearts in a magical but sometimes dangerous world to restore balance to the universe.
Sayonara Wild Hearts is split up into multiple levels that are represented by different songs just like an album. Each level introduces you to a new mechanic or brings in older ones alongside newer ones to make things feel fresh. The mechanics here range from endless runner style gameplay, Panzer Dragoon Saga movement, strategic avoidance moments, skateboarding, dancing, and more with rh...