Wild Hearts is an action role-playing game that promises to provide gamers with an unforgettable experience.
The game blends hunting and exploration with stunning visuals and engaging gameplay mechanics.
Wild Hearts is the result of a collaboration between publisher Electronic Arts and developer Omega Force. It is the studio’s first foray into the hunting genre, which is mostly dominated by Capcom’s Monster Hunter franchise.
Wild Hearts aims to serve as a new pillar franchise for the Koei-owned studio, which is famous for its work on the Dynasty Warriors games.
The Kemono Monsters of Azuma
Basically, the Kemono monsters, each a fantastical revision of real animals, roam the lush and vibrant landscapes of Azuma. Azuma is Wild Heart’s primary world and the landscapes are inspired by an era dating back to feudal Japan.
Minato: The Heart of Wild Hearts
As you delve into the game, hunting your first Kemono, you arrive at Minato. Currently, Minato is the only inhabited town in the game.
Here, you can recover from battles or upgrade your weapons and armor. In addition, you can enhance your health in the bathhouse, sell your loot, and embark on new missions and Kemono hunts.
Minato itself is a breathtaking town, bustling with life and colorful homes. The town was built around a small ocean cove and boasts stunning scenery. Furthermore, the docks host boats to nearby islands, while the marketplaces and homes sit higher up.
Training grounds, overlooking the gorgeous landscape, are in another area of the town. In addition, the town’s steward resides in a small cottage tucked away in the cliffs. To round out the epic scenery, towering above it all is a massive stalled windmill.
In essence, Minato invites exploration, filled with walkways, wooden staircases, bridges, and secret tunnels. Interestingly, you will encounter people singing softly to themselves, going about their lives. Some of whom may even call out to you.
Customizing Your Hunter with Weapon Types and Variants
Players have eight weapon types to choose from, each with 40 to 50 variants. This provides players with plenty of opportunities to customize their hunter. But the real differentiator of Wild Hearts is the Karakuri.
The Unique Feature of Wild Hearts: The Karakuri
Basically, the Karakuri are traditional Japanese mechanized puppets that were created to trick the viewer. In the game, the Karakuri are contraptions that are created by tapping into the natural magic of the land. This is done with a device attached to the player’s character’s wrist.
Players can create objects out of thin air to help with exploration, setting up base camp, or even in the middle of combat. This unique feature is what sets Wild Hearts apart from other hunting games on the market. Basically, this gives Wild Hearts a new and refreshing twist in the hunting game genre.
The Impact of Karakuri Beyond Combat
There are several types of Karakuri that players can use to enhance their gameplay experience.
The basic ones allow players to drop a crate on the ground or stack them to reach difficult locations. As players progress through the game, they will unlock more advanced Dragon and Fusion Karakuri. These advanced Karakuri provide a variety of abilities.
For example, players can get the ability to build a wall of crates to block attacks. Alternatively, players can stack three springs to create a giant mallet that automatically smashes everything in front of it, and shoot a vine zipline.
Furthermore, The Karakuri can also be upgraded to hit Kemono for damage or to add a more effective harpoon. The list of Karakuri available in the game goes on and on, from gliders to self-fishing boats to chain traps.
Tactics and Strategy for the Hunting in Wild Hearts
The ability to tweak the battlefield on the fly and call forth siege weapons in a showdown with the Kemono is what makes Wild Hearts so unique.
Players must employ tactics and control planning traps ahead of time. For example, they need to plot out “springs” so they can quickly move around an enemy.
In addition, they need to watch for breaks in a Kemono’s attack to plant a Karakuri attack. Finally, they must keep an eye on their raw material so they can keep using their Karakuri abilities.
The impact of the Karakuri extends beyond combat as well. Players will find themselves exploring the colorful settings of the game when they have boxes, zip lines, and wind-powered launch pads at their fingertips.
A New Kind of Hunting Game with Unforgettable Experience
Wild Hearts is a game that offers a unique and captivating experience to players, blending action role-playing elements with the hunting genre.
The introduction of the Karakuri, the on-the-fly crafting mechanic, elevates the game and sets it apart from other hunting titles on the market.
The lush and colorful world of Azuma, inspired by feudal Japan, is brought to life with stunning verticality and is filled with memorable characters and beautiful landscapes.
The 50-hour campaign is filled with missions, battles, and hunts that are challenging and rewarding. Wild Hearts serves as a new pillar franchise for Omega Force, and with its post-launch plans, players can expect even more exciting content in the future.
Overall, Wild Hearts is a game that offers a unique and enjoyable experience that is sure to keep players engaged and entertained for hours on end.
FAQ
WHEN WILL WILD HEARTS™ LAUNCH WORLDWIDE?
You will be able to join the hunt on February 17, 2023.
WHAT PLATFORMS WILL WILD HEARTS BE AVAILABLE ON?
PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC (Origin, EA App, Steam, and Epic Games Store).
WILL CROSSPLAY SUPPORT BE AVAILABLE?
Yes, WILD HEARTS supports crossplay. You’ll be able to seamlessly join two friends on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC (Origin, Steam, and Epic Games Store) to hunt down Kemono.
WILL THERE BE AN EARLY ACCESS TRIAL FOR EA PLAY MEMBERS?
Yes! EA Play members will be able to try WILD HEARTS starting three days prior to launch. EA Play members and Game Pass Ultimate subscribers will be able to play up to the gates of Minato starting February 13, 2023.
IS WILD HEARTS AN OPEN-WORLD GAME?
It’s structured in large regions based on the four seasons, in addition to your home base (the village of Minato) and the final stage on the Sacred mountain. Each region is vast, with lots of exploring, hunting, and crafting; you will encounter loading sequences when you travel between each region.
