The new hunting game Wild Hearts (PC, PS5, Xbox Series X|S) is actually set to be released on February 16, 2023. However, those who get a subscription at EA Play can already play a limited demo now. Many fans are doing just that – and are thrilled. However, there are a few criticisms.
How are people already playing? Before the actual release on February 16 (February 17 for consoles), there is already a demo of Wild Hearts that you can play for 10 hours. However, you need to have a subscription to EA Play or the Xbox Game Pass Ultimate.
In our guide, we explain to you how to play the demo of Wild Hearts.
In these 10 hours, the first of the total 21 monsters in the game are already available and, if you use EA Play Pro, even a good part of the story after the first fights.
Many interested parties and fans of Monster Hunter have already looked at Wild Hearts and fully utilized the 10 hours. Most voices are positive, although especially one thing is mentioned repeatedly that needs urgent fixing.
Wild Hearts is a new game from EA and Koei Tecmo, a studio that is relatively unknown in the West, but has created popular games with Dynasty Warriors. In the video, we explain everything you need to know about Wild Hearts:
Combat and building are top – performance suffers
This is what the players praise: In the subreddit of Wild Hearts, there are several threads discussing the demo. In most of them, players praise various aspects of Wild Hearts. The most common points are:
- the combat system: fighting feels fluid and the battles are harder than expected
- the building system: Karakuri are not just a “Fortnite” copy or a gimmick, but a feature that makes Wild Hearts unique
- Co-op: Playing Wild Hearts with 1-2 additional friends is fun and the story continues seamlessly when you reach a point you have already achieved
Especially the Karakuri are a surprise for many players. The system didn’t quite fit the image for fans of Monster Hunter: During fights, you build boxes, springs, and more to enable special attacks or to dodge.
The building system sets Wild Hearts apart from other hunting games and, according to players of the demo, brings depth to the game, especially since you learn new buildings directly in combat. This ensures motivation.
A player who claims to have spent 2,000 hours in Monster Hunter World praises more points about Wild Hearts (via reddit):
- the selection of weapons
- Eating and building go “on the side” and almost anytime
- immersive and lovable world
A foe that you will not encounter in the demo without EA Play Pro is a gigantic stone bear. If you still want to see it, you can find the creature here in the trailer:
What’s not well received? Despite all the positive voices, there are also some criticisms. According to many players, the biggest issue is the performance, which our readers here on MeinMMO frequently complain about.
There are still some bugs, the graphics are not always pretty on weaker systems and consoles, and especially sound bugs significantly mar the gaming experience. However, not all players are affected by these issues.
Fans are now hoping that the bugs will be fixed by the release on Friday. Most of them have already been reported and documented in the support forum. Since they only involve minor issues, players are optimistic.
What players praise and criticize in the demo almost completely matches my impressions that I was able to gather in early access before the release. You can find my detailed first impression here:
