The Wild at Heart is a refreshing game that is not afraid to tell stories of hardships at home and adoption, as well as how the adults tend to shrug off the concerns about the kids’ well-being just because they will eventually get over it. The influences of the 90s as a whole are implemented into The Wild at Heart, and while this theme feels incredibly real and nostalgic, Moonlight Kids managed to create something that is also quite fun to play. In fact, there are several complex gameplay elements in The Wild at Heart, which are never as punishing as another herd-like game, Pikmin, but that doesn’t mean there’s not a lot to unpack.
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The Wild At Heart’s Spritelings, Adventures, Gameplay, And More
One of the most interesting gameplay aspects in The Wild at Heart is that players can use their Spritelings in a plethora of ways, and while they may become attached to them and worry about them, they can rest assured because the spirit friends cannot “die.” This doesn’t mean they can’t be defeated in combat, it can happen, but they cannot be killed in a permanent way. Rather, they go back to the forest once they are struck down by opponents. The game does not revolve exclusively around combat, of course, and there are lots of characters with their own unique dialogue lines, personality, and quests to bestow upon players.
The Wild at Heart has a similar nighttime feature to that of Don’t Starve, despite the fact that the latter was never one of the sources of inspiration for Moonlight Kids’ brand new indie game. In Don’t Starve, players are challenged by scary shadow monsters who in the best case scenario just decrease the character’s sanity, while it does manage to get much worse. Night creatures in The Wild at Heart are scary too, and they can quickly become dangerous for the little Spritelings, and there is a certain degree of risk when facing these enemies.
While we may have had early thoughts about character choices affecting outcomes within the game, we let those go to focus more on telling the story we wanted to tell. That said, there is dialogue that differs depending on whether you are currently controlling Wake or Kirby!
With all the NPCs in the game, it’s easy to form relationships with the characters and grow affectionate towards both Wake and Kirby as well. Players are also able to acquire different types of Spritelings during their journey and discover more secrets of the Willowvale Deep Woods by letting them help to craft new things that can help access and explore uncharted areas.
The Wild at Heart is a game full of charm, where interactions with the characters scattered throughout the woods matter, and can make the whole experience even more pleasant and relaxing. Characters like the weird guardians that go by the name of ‘Greenshields’ are important to the main plot. Players will soon find that the game’s lead antagonist is seeking to destroy the balance of the woods, hence why gathering the Greenshields is key. Each of them is quirky in some way, and players will learn to like them all as the story progresses. The Wild at Heart is all this and much more.
The Wild at Heart is available on PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.
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