Despite obvious comparisons to Capcom’s Monster Hunter series, the reveal trailer for EA’s Wild Hearts proves it’s an entirely different beast. And it’s coming sooner than you might think.
Developed by Omega Force, the studio best known for Dynasty Warriors, Wild Hearts is set in Azuma, a fantasy version of Feudal Japan overrun with massive beasts. Hunting is the name of the game, and players will be able to take these monsters on solo or as part of a three-person team. Like in Monster Hunter, it appears players can craft impressive weapons and traps in order to take down their prey in style.
While the reveal trailer gives us a good overview of the gameplay and action players can expect to dive into when the game releases on February 17 2023, an exclusive interview between the developers and IGN gives us even more to chew on.
Become a force of nature and tame a world gone wild. 🐺 Harness your power on Feb. 17, 2023. #PlayWildHearts pic.twitter.com/sCuBwV4vRE
— WILD HEARTS (@playWildHearts) September 28, 2022
Wild Hearts Gameplay Features
Wild Hearts is a hunting game, first and foremost, in which players must use their wits and resources to take down some truly impressive-looking beasts. These beasts are “giant nature-infused monsters called Kemono” and developing strategies to take them down makes up the core gameplay experience. As seen in the reveal trailer, these Kemono include enormous wolves and terrifying eagles. As with Monster Hunter, each one possesses a unique moveset and has their own strengths and weaknesses to learn and exploit.
The other key gameplay pillar shown in the reveal trailer is crafting. Players are able to rapidly build a number of intricate traps and devices to aid them in their hunts. According to the developers, this crafting mechanic is called Karakuri, and is an ancient technology that utilises different materials. These Karakuri come in different types, some that can be built on the fly, and others that need to be combined together to unleash their full power. Only a handful of these were shown in Wild Hearts‘ reveal trailer. The developers hope that players will use the freedom and flexibility provided by Karakuri to find new and exciting ways to hunt and traverse the world.
Wild Hearts provides many new ways to hunt terrifying monsters.
The world of Azuma itself will apparently be split into zones, rather than being fully open-world. Again, this is similar to Monster Hunter, with different monsters frequenting certain zones and locales. Each zone will be fully explorable and players will be able to traverse them quickly through clever use of buildable Karakuri.
Combat also promises to be both stylish and deep, with a number of fun moves and weapons shown off in the reveal trailer. From katanas to bows, and even weaponised umbrellas, it seems players will have plenty of choice when it comes to finding their own playstyle. Players will be able to slide, dash, jump, and grapple, and combine these movements with different Karakuri in creative combinations as they fight.
Wild Hearts will have plenty of interesting weapons to choose from.
Will Monster Hunter finally be knocked off its perch when Wild Hearts is released on February 17 2023? Only time will tell. But keep an eye out for more exciting reveals and gameplay trailers in the meantime.
Wild Hearts is scheduled for release on PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC.
