Six years after its initial release, Sayonara Wild Hearts is back and better than ever. As announced during the 2025 Annapurna Interactive Showcase, developer Simogo’s playable pop album is getting PlayStation 5 version as of today. The upgraded Sayonara Wild Hearts packs a surprising punch thanks to a few stellar additions, making it the perfect time to revisit this stylish gem or try it out for the first time.
Before we dig into the meat of Sayonara Wild Hearts’ PS5 version, let’s go through the more technical additions. First off, if you already own it on another PS4, you can upgrade your copy for free. The PS5 version adds support for 4K resolution at 120 frames per second, which will make the dazzling neon color palette really pop. Simogo has also implemented haptic feedback through the DualSense controller, though in my experience this feature felt a little underwhelming. There are a few rumbles in tune with the music but nothing that takes advantage of the more complex adaptive triggers of the DualSense.
With that out of the way, let’s talk about the main event: Remix Arcade. This is an entirely new game mode exclusive to the PS5 version that turns Sayonara Wild Hearts into an infinite runner of sorts. For the uninitiated, the main game takes place over a handful of levels that are a mix of rhythm mechanics and endless runners. Players control a woman as she runs, drives, flies, and more across long paths filled with obstacles and collectibles. Like an album, however, it is carefully curated across 23 levels running about an hour and a half in total. Remix Arcade takes these crafted levels and mashes them together to give players a version of the game that never ends and it does not disappoint. The only requirement to unlock the new mode is to complete Album Arcade at least once.
Sayonara Wild Hearts, as a playable pop album, is very much a game about getting lost in the music and visuals of each level. This is a game that puts vibes above anything else. The combination of music, visuals, and rhythm mechanics lulls the player into a hypnotic flow state. This is why most playthroughs will happen in one uninterrupted sitting. Remix Arcade takes that same flow state and sets it free by removing the predetermined end of a level. In practice, this is done by chopping up the 23 levels of the base game into smaller sections that are then randomly stitched together as the player progresses through a run. The longer a run lasts, the more it will speed up. Whereas the base game has clearly laid out moments of rising and falling action, meant to give the player predetermined times they can relax, Remix Arcade is a constant upward spike of adrenaline.
This might sound like a small addition, but in reality Remix Arcade feels almost like an entirely different game. That is due to the different types of experiences each version is trying to give the player. As a playable pop album, the base game is a very guided journey that utilizes visuals, music, and gameplay to evoke an emotional response to its story. Players don’t even have to master the rhythm mechanics in order to get something out of the simple but evocative story.
Remix Arcade, on the other hand, is a purely mechanical experience that deconstructs Sayonara Wild Hearts and uses its building blocks for something new. Simogo is clearly tapping into its mobile game development background here, as Remix Arcade is a more refined take on the endless runner. To excel at Remix Arcade, the player must completely master the mechanics of the game detached from the familiar order the base levels bring. In this way Sayonara Wild Hearts on PS5 becomes even more appealing to those who have played the base game to death
Sayonara Wild Hearts’ PS5 version is available now.
