Wandersong

I listened to Wandersong's soundtrack while writing this review, and I've been happily jiggling my leg throughout.

The delightful story and atmosphere just narrowly make up for the lack of compelling gameplay

Share this game with other people, if you can. Play together on a couch, passing a controller around and commenting on the story together. Wear your fluffiest pyjamas and make chamomile tea. Bring tissues as well.

Wandersong is the most emotionally satisfying game I've played in 2018. It's a rollercoaster ride through the spectrum of feelings, all wrapped up in a lovingly crafted construction paper world. I didn't even know this game existed a month ago. Now, it's one I'll never forget.

Although the gameplay feels a little on the shallow side, Wandersong is a disarmingly joyful game. Singing your way through this cutesy adventure may not offer much of a challenge, but mixed in with a varied cast of characters and a sweet story, it's definitely a hard game to hate.

If you’re after a unique experience, Wandersong completely has you covered. The singing mechanic works perfectly, and while it may feel a bit too easy at times, the combination of the visuals, writing, and various gameplay objectives across a generous seven-act structure make for an incredibly compelling platforming experience that you’d do well to check out.

Wandersong is an accessible, uplifting adventure that deftly builds to a memorable crescendo. Sure, the game has a few rough edges, most of which can be attributed its humble indie origins, but it more than makes up for its shortcomings with its heartfelt characters and story. Put on your adventuring hat and cape and warm up your pipes, it's time for an emotional world rescue.

Wandersong is a game of cosmic circumstances on a humble scale. It deals with questions of archetypes, destiny, an understanding of the self, and how our actions shape the world around us. It is a game that begs to be read as analogous to the hopeless pessimism that permeates modern life as well as a commentary on the tropes games so consistently employ, using our familiarity with both these elements to subvert the traditional hero’s journey.

A fun and a lighthearted game that keeps a good pace, but it gets bogged down in the second half. Still, it’s a beautiful and enjoyable piece, with a great focus on music, with an unlikely character.

Who says playing as a bard isn’t fun? Wandersong is a harmonic and colorful game that proves that not every hero has to have a giant weapon to save the world; they just need a big heart (and maybe a decent set of lungs). The simplistic graphics and odd swordplay of this music-themed title may be a hurdle to some, but the gameplay, dialogue, and soundtrack is otherwise pure entertainment. Encore!