Content Check: The Wild at Heart

The Wild at Heart is an action-adventure from Moonlight Kids, published by Humble Games, released on PC and Xbox in 2021 and later on Switch. Two kids, Wake and Kirby, run away from difficult homes and end up in a magical forest, where they lead little creatures called Spritelings in a style often compared to Pikmin. Critics praise the art and heart, and several say it has too many systems. It gets the same four checks as everything else here.

Here’s the check: critic coverage, the Common Sense Media review and the developer’s description. I haven’t played it, so this is a screening, not a playthrough.

Verdict: Not for this site. It fails the Magic and Violence checks, and a spirit element turns up too.

Magic — Central

The setting is a magical forest called the Deep Woods, and the Spritelings have elemental abilities, such as fire, that you use to solve puzzles and fight.

Spirits & religion — Trace

Common Sense Media describes the spirit of a deceased witch working alongside the forest’s guardians. I don’t know how large a role that has.

Violence — Central

Combat is a core loop. You throw Spritelings at enemies until the enemies are defeated, and enemies can swallow, trap or carry off the Spritelings. It’s cartoonish, and Common Sense Media rates it for ages 8 and up, but it isn’t non-lethal. One reviewer mentions an option at the start that puts exploration and story ahead of combat. A frightening evil called The Never is also part of the story.

Holiday — Not confirmed

Nothing found either way.

If you want to see how this compares to other games I’ve checked, the Vetted Games Database has all of them in one place, and How I Choose Games explains the four checks.