![]() ![]() By the end of the game, I felt like the protagonist needed to experience self-love rather than the love of others. However, Sayonara Wild Hearts is a game with a message purposefully left shrouded in ambiguity. We as the player do not know the details of the protagonist's heartbreak and the music helps provide context to the situation. ![]() Music is an integral part of Sayonara Wild Hearts as the lyrics alone explains the plot as well as the inner thoughts of the various arcana, which extends to the protagonist themselves. There isn't any form of traditional combat as even the Temperance sections merely require the player to highlight as many targets as possible before the next music cue. However, I personally compared it to NiGHTS Into Dreams as similarly, the protagonist defeats their enemies afflicting others' dreams with poise and grace (and collecting everything in a level of course). One comparison I've seen a lot when describing Sayonara Wild Hearts is games like Rez and Panzer Dragoon which isn't too far off. Aside from the Wheel of Fortune used as a motorcycle, she rides a white stag based on The Emperor, drives a Corvette-like car which is The Chariot and uses a bow that represents Temperance. With the exception of Death, each fight is intimate and playful, putting The Fool through various trials she must overcome. Another example is The Hermit turning The Fool into a game cartridge and inserting the cartridge into their visor, in a way to have her see what "The Hermit" sees. The best early example of this is the fight with The Lovers, who tosses The Fool their sword to engage in a sword fight. The relationships between each of the arcana are more like friendly rivalries. Everyone's movements are similar to that of a waltz, in which defeat leads The Fool to take their heart. Combat in Sayonara Wild Hearts is less visceral and more of a dance, with each person waiting for the other to make their move. This correlates to the "masquerade mask" prominent to The Fool and the rest of the arcana she fights. The Debussy piece serves as the game's intro which again rewards players who know about the piece's origins.Ĭlair De Lune is also the name of a poem by the French poet Paul Verlaine, which when roughly translated into English, tells a story about a person's soul searching amongst various masquerades and dancing with others who share a similar burden. The soundtrack is a mix of original songs and remixes to classics including Clair De Lune. Collecting hearts, avoiding obstacles in the knick of time, and pressing button prompts to the rhythm of the beat. In its purest form, Sayonara Wild Hearts is an on-rails "auto runner" where the objective is to get to the finish line by scoring as many points as possible. Dancing With The Arcana In The Pale Moonlight It subtly introduces the player to each of the important arcana as the player progresses through the game. This is part of Sayonara Wild Hearts's charm. Each bounty is prefaced with a prequel stage known as a "Heartbreak." As the opening sequence introduces the player to The Fool, she uses one of her equipped tarot cards, the Wheel of Fortune, to give herself a set of Wheels. The first bounty in Sayonara Wild Hearts is the Dancing Devils, a street gang represented by The Devil arcana. The player is introduced to one of the major arcana the moment they start a new game, courtesy of the game's narrator, Queen Latifah, who voices The Magician. You could even argue that the masquerade mask is similar to Joker's mask from Persona 5, but I feel the masquerade mask means something else which I'll get to eventually. I'll just come out and say it, yes, it is very much giving Persona vibes with emphasis on 22 of the major arcana complete with blessing the protagonist with their powers in the form of a butterfly. The protagonist is a young woman who is currently going through a rough heartbreak and transforms into The Fool, using the last remaining bit of strength from the divine arcana, to take back the hearts of the evil arcana and restore balance to the universe. The three divine arcana who have protected the universe is threatened by a rogue arcanum, Death, alongside their accomplices The Devil, The Moon, The Lovers, and The Hermit. The story is told through its opening cutscene and ending cutscenes. This will be less of a review of the game itself but rather my own interpretations of Sayonara Wild Hearts, especially how it has affected me in the short time it had me in its grasp. It has been the topic of many thought pieces, dissecting its plot and content and revealing hidden messages about the title itself. In 2019, Sayonara Wild Hearts was released on PC and consoles, quickly becoming an indie darling known for its simplistic yet expressive gameplay. Available as: Digital and Physical Wild Hearts Never Die ![]()
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