I've returned to Sayonara Wild Hearts twice now since my original playthrough. It's hard not to; the game is incredibly beautiful, has a wonderful, kinetic energy to it, and is bursting with creativity mechanically, visually and musically. I think over time my feelings on the game have calmed quite a bit however, as much as I want to remain in the high of that first playthrough.

Most notably, I kind of wish this game was less dutybound to being, well, a game. Colliding with obstacles or projectiles resets you back several seconds in the song to before that happened, which makes a lot of sense as a way for a game to conventionally work, but on repeat playthroughs has felt very disruptive both to the flow of what is happening and to the immersion of the experience. I want to just get lost in all of this, let it all wash over me, but the way the death mechanic works here makes it hard to achieve that in the way I'd like.

There are other complaints I have too, but they're all fairly minor in comparison and I have no real interest in making it seem like I'm tearing into this game. It's a lovely and fairly unique experience, has a lot of heart, and I don't know that its best moments will ever stop being wonderful for me as I inevitably return to Sayonara Wild Hearts later on down the road.