WILD AT HEART REVIEW SERIES

Though there may be moments where players are stuck on the solution to a certain task, wandering around areas you've explored is satisfying enough to hold the player's attention until the missing solution presents itself. Second, the art style is beautiful, with environments that beg to be explored. In fact, all of the characters in The Wild at Heart are delightful, though it's probably safe to label the adorable Spritelings as the greatest highlight. All the information presented is cohesive and relevant, and the instructions are very easy to follow. While there's a lot of reading to be done for players to get their bearings, no time's wasted. Though mechanisms such as the crafting process and elemental abilities of Spritelings as well as the day/night cycle are similar to those games, there's quite a lot that makes The Wild at Heart unique. If at first glance, you find that this adventure bears an immediate resemblance to Nintendo's Pikmin series, you're not the only one. Wake then sets off to find the missing Greenshields, but also find his friend Kirby, who he promised to meet up with once they both escaped from home. Wake also meets Scrap Heap, who outlines the crafting system and structure upgrades that Wake can work on while completing his exploration of the Deep Woods. Grey Coat gives Wake the task of finding four missing members of the Greenshields who have gone off on presumably failed guardian missions. When Wake arrives, the Greenshields' hold on the Deep Woods is fading. Along with the spirit of a deceased witch, the Greenshields work to contain The Never within the Deep Woods, keeping the evil creatures away from the outside world. After escaping, he meets Grey Coat, a member of an ancient group of guardians called the Greenshields. He somehow stumbles into an alternate world called the Deep Woods when he's chased by an evil creature known as The Never. Shortly after deciding to run away from home, THE WILD AT HEART's Wake finds himself lost in the forest behind his home. That being said, there's no voice acting in the game, so younger players should be prepared for a good deal of reading to keep up with both the lore surrounding the story as well as for play instructions. Though the two protagonists of the game are around the age of twelve, puzzle-loving players who are slightly younger may still find The Wild at Heart entertaining due to the subject matter and fantasy lore. Though Spritelings, the small woodland creatures the human characters control, will fight enemies, they don't use weapons or attack unprovoked, keeping violence to a minimum.

Aside from some mild language and mischief, there's no inappropriate content in the game. Grey Coat, a leader of the Greenshields, recruits Wake into helping save the mysterious realm. While struggling to find his friend, Kirby, Wake stumbles upon the Deep Woods, an enchanted world run by the ancient society of guardians called Greenshields. It centers around the story of Wake, a young boy who has run away from home.

WILD AT HEART REVIEW SERIES

Parents need to know that The Wild at Heart is a downloadable puzzle-driven adventure game available for Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and PC.

Wild at heart review