Childhood adventure is one genre that gets most gamers fired up and expectant. This notion is especially true when the game is set in a dark universe with suspicious little creatures crawling around with eerie background music. Of course, you’ll be familiar with settings like this if you’ve played the “Pikmin” series. Following the same philosophy, “Moonlight kids” also successfully imitated this style by merging some “Metroidvania” features with “Pikmin” mechanics to create a fantastic adventure universe. Apart from the fun and compelling storyline, The Wild at Heart is filled with gorgeous and colorful characters that enhance player immersion. 

It is also not deprived of occasional action, fight, and crafting. The developers also chipped in some fun-filled puzzles that are not extremely challenging. Compared to other titles it took inspiration from, the game looks simpler and requires some ingenuity to progress effortlessly. Undoubtedly, it will make you interested in learning enemy behavior and different recipes you can craft to overcome various resistance. The game is available on the Xbox series and windows, and since its release in May 2021, it has left many enthusiasts in awe of the impact that a less known title could have on the gaming world. 

All You Need To Play

The story is based upon two kids, Wake and Kirby. They both decided to run away from their home, which an alcoholic father inhabits. With the duo having survived a difficult childhood, they seem ripe to take on an adventure into the mystical deep woods. The aim is to look for and rescue some characters from this dark world. During their experience, the two heroes must gather resources and objects to fight off various enemy kinds through nasty creatures called spritelings. You will play as these heroes, enjoy the childhood fantasy of running away from home, and partake in fun activities like crafting recipes and leading an army to battle. 

As you start the game playing as Wake, you will be forced to keep traveling down the mysterious woods where you will find allies, magic, and lost guardians. The woods open as you progress and understand the mission. Like I mentioned above, you have some tiny creatures at your disposal to assist you in exploring new areas and solving puzzles. They are also your soldiers that you can summon anytime to find treasures and defeat enemies. These creatures, though tiny, can also help you accomplish huge tasks like building bridges, clearing paths, and gathering items and parts. As you play, you will notice that they are of various types, and you can decide how much of them you need at any particular time. 

The spritelings are your ticket to opening new areas of the deep woods and performing various tricks that will take you to the next level. The game also offers items that can help you assemble parts to create new objects. An example is a Gutbuster that can work as a vacuum cleaner to help you make new spritelings through hoarding scraps. As you progress, more items to create bombs and other weapons will come up your way. The key is to be alert and responsive all the time. Crafting is another vital part of this title. Like other games that have this feature, you will get some hints on the result of combining two or more recipes in your inventory. Try as many combinations as possible and see how they can help you go far into the woods. 

When it’s nighttime in the woods, things can rapidly deteriorate, and danger becomes inevitable. As such, you should find cover and spend the night in a camp so that you can resume the adventure at first light unscathed. The only downside to this is that I always have to return to base for cover at night when I’m on the verge of getting a headway. Besides, the developers also made the frequency of nighttime more than you’d expect. Initially, you might notice that you’re finding yourself in the same place all over the game; the reason for this primarily is your lack of spritelings that can help you unlock new regions. 

The Excellent Experience The Wild At Heart Promises

For a game that is not yet a household name, the story is rich and compelling. The developers made a fine blend of the various features from similar childhood adventure titles. However, the developers overdid themselves visually. This effort is especially evident from the enticing graphical arts and representations. You will hardly find a title that beautifully depicts the woods the way it is here. The appealing look of the game also does not make it shy away from the dark theme you expect. The eerie tones and music always leave you wondering if you’re on the right path or not. 

The characters are also lively and appropriately equipped. Wake has some special abilities to defend himself from lurking enemies, which is a wise move from “Moonlight kids.” I also couldn’t help but notice the way the developers made maximum use of the controllers. You will feel some intense vibrations as you damage enemies and the pads come to life gradually as the hero activates his power. 

The Issues You Might Encounter

The frequent nighttime can be annoying, especially when you’ve spent a lot of time finding a headway only to be prevented by the night’s terrors. The game also has a myriad of contents with no discernable use. There’s a tendency of doing a lot of traveling only to end up with a bit of reward. Also, if you do not have enough spritelings, you can find yourself going around the same place all the time. 

Verdict

It is safe to say that developers “Moonlight kids” went way over their heads with this title as its possibilities seem endless. The beautifully crafted dark universe is accompanied by a fun and compelling story taking cues from well-known titles like Pikmin. As such, you are bound to remain occupied as you explore the endless ways you can deploy your spritelings. Also, the intense feeling that accompanies leading an army will keep gamers addicted whether they return victorious or otherwise. The only downside is the constant need to return to the shrine to get the soldiers up and running. Overall, this is a good choice for those yearning for a colorful child adventure with a fantastic story.