Through a special power, some creatures of the wilderness have mutated into giant monsters, the “Kemono”. A total of 21 of these Kemono will be available at release. For comparison: Monster Hunter World had 30 at launch.
The largest among the Kemono have the ability to alter their surroundings to their liking. However, this usually comes at the cost of other living beings barely being able to survive there. This includes humans.
One of the particularly nasty opponents is a bear as big as a mountain. A bear, basically, but I didn’t find it that tough when playing:
As one of the few hunters left, we hunt the Kemono and ensure that we are not wiped out ourselves. We use the loot we obtain to craft new armor and weapons – which in turn help us in battles against stronger Kemono.
However, we are not just any hunters; we have the ability to summon “Karakuri”. These are constructs made of wood that can aid us in battle and hunting. We build camps with them or use them for aerial attacks and more.
Dark Souls has toughened me up, Wild Hearts is my playground
The combination of combat and building initially sounds strange. However, the gameplay of Wild Hearts greatly reminds me of the Soulsborne games.
With various weapons – including fast katanas, oversized, sluggish swords or powerful hammers – we take on giant bosses and smaller opponents. Dodging, timing, and learning the enemy movesets are essential for victory.
Everything just like I learned it in the famous Souls games. Just not quite as punishing. Bosses still have abilities that can nearly kill me with one hit. But at least not every mistake means near death.
Furthermore, Wild Hearts is more colorful and friendly. If you are looking for a game with a similar approach after Dark Souls or Elden Ring, but don’t want a gloomy atmosphere, you should definitely take a look around in the world of Azuma.
However, you must be prepared to familiarize yourself with entirely new and unfamiliar mechanics. For those who, like me, wrinkle their nose at Fortnite, it probably takes a bit of overcoming. But it is worth it.
“Building like in Fortnite”? No, it’s much more natural
I don’t want to explain too much of what I already elaborately explained in my first impression test, but at least briefly touch on the uniqueness of Wild Hearts.
Karakuri, the “building system” of Wild Hearts, has two functions:
- Dragon-Karakuri are designed so that you can build camps in the world.
- With Basic Karakuri, you change the dynamics in combat and turn fights to your advantage.
In my camp, I can build tents as respawn points, various constructs to process food, or a forge to improve my equipment anywhere. Additionally, a hunting tower tracks my current target, and collection buildings provide me with building resources or fish. A nice addition that focuses the grind on the essentials: slaying monsters.
This is where Basic Karakuri come into play. This refers to simple shapes like boxes, springboards, or torches with which I can perform powerful (and cool) aerial attacks in combat, dodge better, or ignite my weapons.
What’s really cool about this are “Fusion-Karakuri”. By combining different Basic Karakuri, you can connect them and create new constructs that can completely change the fight, such as:
- a wall that stuns charging opponents
- a giant hammer that slams Kemono to the ground
- a firework that brings flying opponents back to the ground
You only find these combinations in battles against specific opponents, but they can be used anywhere afterward. For me, it’s a motivation because: the better I learn to master building, the better I’ll become as a hunter.
Additionally, there are more Karakuri like slingshots, wind fans, and launchers, which allow me to cross chasms more easily or even attack enemies. I probably haven’t discovered everything yet.
Coop is not easier – just different
Unlike in the first test, I spent a lot of time in coop this time and checked out the world and some hunts with André Baumgartner from GameStar.
Wild Hearts can be played in coop with up to 3 hunters in the group. What I noticed is the significantly tougher fights. Together with a friend, you are not just an overwhelming force; the Kemono are also tougher. At least that was my impression.
We got hit significantly harder than if I had played alone – although André is actually the better player. Even one of the first bosses really gave us a beating and knocked us out several times.
Fortunately, hunters can revive each other in coop, preventing the hunt from having to be abandoned eventually. This means: as long as one survives and manages to bring back their friends in time…
When Kemono are wounded, they flee. This happens more often in coop – apparently, the enemies can withstand a bit more. So try not to simply overwhelm opponents. It’s best to divide tasks, as that is also possible in Wild Hearts.
Here you can see gameplay from one of our joint hunts – you can also hear the annoying sound bug, which I’ll elaborate on at the end:
Armors and weapons provide roles like in an RPG
In Wild Hearts, weapons and armors can not only be crafted but also improved and modified. Weapons are based on a huge skill tree, allowing them to be specialized for a certain element and thus for a specific opponent.
However, I find armors and talismans even more interesting. They already have certain perks that increase attack values or provide better protection at night. In addition, there are some properties with special effects.
For example, you can fully focus on “Provocation”. This means: enemies are more likely to attack you when wearing this armor. You become the tank. Together with a large hammer, you are then supposed to draw monsters to you and intercept them.
Moreover, almost every armor can be further adjusted via mods to be oriented towards “Civilization” or “Wilderness”. This makes them stronger and unlocks even more effects, depending on the armor.
I myself am still at the very beginning of crafting, but already so excited about it that I am specifically collecting materials to put together a build. And that, although I haven’t even reached the endgame yet.
By the way: You are never completely alone, even solo. The little machine Tsukumo accompanies you if you wish, and can heal you with its abilities, deal damage, or even tank.
There are still some bugs, but they are mostly annoying
Lastly, I must mention something that bothered me quite a bit while playing: bugs and performance. This was already a problem in the first test, and although it has improved significantly, it still annoys me a bit.
The performance with an RTX 3090 on maximum settings (2 monitors, 1440p) hardly goes over 100 FPS – but it usually stays above 60. Acceptable, I think, especially since the world itself is really beautiful and I enjoy just taking in the landscape.
Unless it flickers… because that has also happened in some places. Additionally, there is a pretty annoying sound bug that causes sounds to increasingly delay until they are almost half a minute late.
In combat, it’s impossible to locate an enemy that has sprinted behind me. Also, occasionally dialogues are simply skipped, and the voice lines all come at once. Although the problem resolves itself after a while, it detracts a bit from the fun of playing.
However, none of this is game-breaking and already today, with the release of this preview, there is a patch. So it could be that all of this is already resolved. Because these are really just minor issues for which quick fixes are possible.
Wild Hearts will be released on February 16 for PC and on February 17, 2023, for PS5 and Xbox Series X|S as a Buy2Play title. After the release, further free updates will bring new monsters, Karakuri, and more. The game will also be available as a 10-hour demo through EA Play and in the Xbox Game Pass Ultimate. The demo on EA Play is even playable starting today, February 13. No further monetization is planned.
The game offers full crossplay, but no cross-progression. For me, it’s definitely something that I can also play with our PS console player Max Handwerk – and that’s exactly what we plan to do shortly.
My first impression of Wild Hearts is overwhelmingly positive, despite the minor points of criticism. Especially from the perspective of someone who finds more enthusiasm in Dark Souls than in Monster Hunter, the hunts are incredibly fun – which surprises even me.
Hunting a monster usually takes only a few minutes to half an hour, which constantly brings me back to just check in again and look for that one improvement. I hope the endgame remains just as exciting.
In the interview, MeinMMO editor-in-chief Leya Jankowski already talked with the developers about what really makes Wild Hearts special:
How does the new Wild Hearts differ from Monster Hunter? “We combine building with hunting“
Additionally, there are more Karakuri like slingshots, wind fans, and launchers, which allow me to cross chasms more easily or even attack enemies. I probably haven’t discovered everything yet.
Coop is not easier – just different
Unlike in the first test, I spent a lot of time in coop this time and checked out the world and some hunts with André Baumgartner from GameStar.
Wild Hearts can be played in coop with up to 3 hunters in the group. What I noticed is the significantly tougher fights. Together with a friend, you are not just an overwhelming force; the Kemono are also tougher. At least that was my impression.
We got hit significantly harder than if I had played alone – although André is actually the better player. Even one of the first bosses really gave us a beating and knocked us out several times.
Fortunately, hunters can revive each other in coop, preventing the hunt from having to be abandoned eventually. This means: as long as one survives and manages to bring back their friends in time…
When Kemono are wounded, they flee. This happens more often in coop – apparently, the enemies can withstand a bit more. So try not to simply overwhelm opponents. It’s best to divide tasks, as that is also possible in Wild Hearts.
Here you can see gameplay from one of our joint hunts – you can also hear the annoying sound bug, which I’ll elaborate on at the end:
Armors and weapons provide roles like in an RPG
In Wild Hearts, weapons and armors can not only be crafted but also improved and modified. Weapons are based on a huge skill tree, allowing them to be specialized for a certain element and thus for a specific opponent.
However, I find armors and talismans even more interesting. They already have certain perks that increase attack values or provide better protection at night. In addition, there are some properties with special effects.
For example, you can fully focus on “Provocation”. This means: enemies are more likely to attack you when wearing this armor. You become the tank. Together with a large hammer, you are then supposed to draw monsters to you and intercept them.
Moreover, almost every armor can be further adjusted via mods to be oriented towards “Civilization” or “Wilderness”. This makes them stronger and unlocks even more effects, depending on the armor.
I myself am still at the very beginning of crafting, but already so excited about it that I am specifically collecting materials to put together a build. And that, although I haven’t even reached the endgame yet.
By the way: You are never completely alone, even solo. The little machine Tsukumo accompanies you if you wish, and can heal you with its abilities, deal damage, or even tank.
There are still some bugs, but they are mostly annoying
Lastly, I must mention something that bothered me quite a bit while playing: bugs and performance. This was already a problem in the first test, and although it has improved significantly, it still annoys me a bit.
The performance with an RTX 3090 on maximum settings (2 monitors, 1440p) hardly goes over 100 FPS – but it usually stays above 60. Acceptable, I think, especially since the world itself is really beautiful and I enjoy just taking in the landscape.
Unless it flickers… because that has also happened in some places. Additionally, there is a pretty annoying sound bug that causes sounds to increasingly delay until they are almost half a minute late.
In combat, it’s impossible to locate an enemy that has sprinted behind me. Also, occasionally dialogues are simply skipped, and the voice lines all come at once. Although the problem resolves itself after a while, it detracts a bit from the fun of playing.
However, none of this is game-breaking and already today, with the release of this preview, there is a patch. So it could be that all of this is already resolved. Because these are really just minor issues for which quick fixes are possible.
Wild Hearts will be released on February 16 for PC and on February 17, 2023, for PS5 and Xbox Series X|S as a Buy2Play title. After the release, further free updates will bring new monsters, Karakuri, and more. The game will also be available as a 10-hour demo through EA Play and in the Xbox Game Pass Ultimate. The demo on EA Play is even playable starting today, February 13. No further monetization is planned.
The game offers full crossplay, but no cross-progression. For me, it’s definitely something that I can also play with our PS console player Max Handwerk – and that’s exactly what we plan to do shortly.
My first impression of Wild Hearts is overwhelmingly positive, despite the minor points of criticism. Especially from the perspective of someone who finds more enthusiasm in Dark Souls than in Monster Hunter, the hunts are incredibly fun – which surprises even me.
Hunting a monster usually takes only a few minutes to half an hour, which constantly brings me back to just check in again and look for that one improvement. I hope the endgame remains just as exciting.
In the interview, MeinMMO editor-in-chief Leya Jankowski already talked with the developers about what really makes Wild Hearts special:
How does the new Wild Hearts differ from Monster Hunter? “We combine building with hunting“
Through a special power, some creatures of the wilderness have mutated into giant monsters, the “Kemono”. A total of 21 of these Kemono will be available at release. For comparison: Monster Hunter World had 30 at launch.
The largest among the Kemono have the ability to alter their surroundings to their liking. However, this usually comes at the cost of other living beings barely being able to survive there. This includes humans.
One of the particularly nasty opponents is a bear as big as a mountain. A bear, basically, but I didn’t find it that tough when playing:
As one of the few hunters left, we hunt the Kemono and ensure that we are not wiped out ourselves. We use the loot we obtain to craft new armor and weapons – which in turn help us in battles against stronger Kemono.
However, we are not just any hunters; we have the ability to summon “Karakuri”. These are constructs made of wood that can aid us in battle and hunting. We build camps with them or use them for aerial attacks and more.
Dark Souls has toughened me up, Wild Hearts is my playground
The combination of combat and building initially sounds strange. However, the gameplay of Wild Hearts greatly reminds me of the Soulsborne games.
With various weapons – including fast katanas, oversized, sluggish swords or powerful hammers – we take on giant bosses and smaller opponents. Dodging, timing, and learning the enemy movesets are essential for victory.
Everything just like I learned it in the famous Souls games. Just not quite as punishing. Bosses still have abilities that can nearly kill me with one hit. But at least not every mistake means near death.
Furthermore, Wild Hearts is more colorful and friendly. If you are looking for a game with a similar approach after Dark Souls or Elden Ring, but don’t want a gloomy atmosphere, you should definitely take a look around in the world of Azuma.
However, you must be prepared to familiarize yourself with entirely new and unfamiliar mechanics. For those who, like me, wrinkle their nose at Fortnite, it probably takes a bit of overcoming. But it is worth it.
“Building like in Fortnite”? No, it’s much more natural
I don’t want to explain too much of what I already elaborately explained in my first impression test, but at least briefly touch on the uniqueness of Wild Hearts.
Karakuri, the “building system” of Wild Hearts, has two functions:
- Dragon-Karakuri are designed so that you can build camps in the world.
- With Basic Karakuri, you change the dynamics in combat and turn fights to your advantage.
In my camp, I can build tents as respawn points, various constructs to process food, or a forge to improve my equipment anywhere. Additionally, a hunting tower tracks my current target, and collection buildings provide me with building resources or fish. A nice addition that focuses the grind on the essentials: slaying monsters.
This is where Basic Karakuri come into play. This refers to simple shapes like boxes, springboards, or torches with which I can perform powerful (and cool) aerial attacks in combat, dodge better, or ignite my weapons.
What’s really cool about this are “Fusion-Karakuri”. By combining different Basic Karakuri, you can connect them and create new constructs that can completely change the fight, such as:
- a wall that stuns charging opponents
- a giant hammer that slams Kemono to the ground
- a firework that brings flying opponents back to the ground
You only find these combinations in battles against specific opponents, but they can be used anywhere afterward. For me, it’s a motivation because: the better I learn to master building, the better I’ll become as a hunter.
Additionally, there are more Karakuri like slingshots, wind fans, and launchers, which allow me to cross chasms more easily or even attack enemies. I probably haven’t discovered everything yet.
Coop is not easier – just different
Unlike in the first test, I spent a lot of time in coop this time and checked out the world and some hunts with André Baumgartner from GameStar.
Wild Hearts can be played in coop with up to 3 hunters in the group. What I noticed is the significantly tougher fights. Together with a friend, you are not just an overwhelming force; the Kemono are also tougher. At least that was my impression.
We got hit significantly harder than if I had played alone – although André is actually the better player. Even one of the first bosses really gave us a beating and knocked us out several times.
Fortunately, hunters can revive each other in coop, preventing the hunt from having to be abandoned eventually. This means: as long as one survives and manages to bring back their friends in time…
When Kemono are wounded, they flee. This happens more often in coop – apparently, the enemies can withstand a bit more. So try not to simply overwhelm opponents. It’s best to divide tasks, as that is also possible in Wild Hearts.
Here you can see gameplay from one of our joint hunts – you can also hear the annoying sound bug, which I’ll elaborate on at the end:
Armors and weapons provide roles like in an RPG
In Wild Hearts, weapons and armors can not only be crafted but also improved and modified. Weapons are based on a huge skill tree, allowing them to be specialized for a certain element and thus for a specific opponent.
However, I find armors and talismans even more interesting. They already have certain perks that increase attack values or provide better protection at night. In addition, there are some properties with special effects.
For example, you can fully focus on “Provocation”. This means: enemies are more likely to attack you when wearing this armor. You become the tank. Together with a large hammer, you are then supposed to draw monsters to you and intercept them.
Moreover, almost every armor can be further adjusted via mods to be oriented towards “Civilization” or “Wilderness”. This makes them stronger and unlocks even more effects, depending on the armor.
I myself am still at the very beginning of crafting, but already so excited about it that I am specifically collecting materials to put together a build. And that, although I haven’t even reached the endgame yet.
By the way: You are never completely alone, even solo. The little machine Tsukumo accompanies you if you wish, and can heal you with its abilities, deal damage, or even tank.
There are still some bugs, but they are mostly annoying
Lastly, I must mention something that bothered me quite a bit while playing: bugs and performance. This was already a problem in the first test, and although it has improved significantly, it still annoys me a bit.
The performance with an RTX 3090 on maximum settings (2 monitors, 1440p) hardly goes over 100 FPS – but it usually stays above 60. Acceptable, I think, especially since the world itself is really beautiful and I enjoy just taking in the landscape.
Unless it flickers… because that has also happened in some places. Additionally, there is a pretty annoying sound bug that causes sounds to increasingly delay until they are almost half a minute late.
In combat, it’s impossible to locate an enemy that has sprinted behind me. Also, occasionally dialogues are simply skipped, and the voice lines all come at once. Although the problem resolves itself after a while, it detracts a bit from the fun of playing.
However, none of this is game-breaking and already today, with the release of this preview, there is a patch. So it could be that all of this is already resolved. Because these are really just minor issues for which quick fixes are possible.
Wild Hearts will be released on February 16 for PC and on February 17, 2023, for PS5 and Xbox Series X|S as a Buy2Play title. After the release, further free updates will bring new monsters, Karakuri, and more. The game will also be available as a 10-hour demo through EA Play and in the Xbox Game Pass Ultimate. The demo on EA Play is even playable starting today, February 13. No further monetization is planned.
The game offers full crossplay, but no cross-progression. For me, it’s definitely something that I can also play with our PS console player Max Handwerk – and that’s exactly what we plan to do shortly.
My first impression of Wild Hearts is overwhelmingly positive, despite the minor points of criticism. Especially from the perspective of someone who finds more enthusiasm in Dark Souls than in Monster Hunter, the hunts are incredibly fun – which surprises even me.
Hunting a monster usually takes only a few minutes to half an hour, which constantly brings me back to just check in again and look for that one improvement. I hope the endgame remains just as exciting.
In the interview, MeinMMO editor-in-chief Leya Jankowski already talked with the developers about what really makes Wild Hearts special:
How does the new Wild Hearts differ from Monster Hunter? “We combine building with hunting“
With Wild Hearts, a new competitor to the popular Monster Hunter franchise emerges. MeinMMO editor Benedict Grothaus was able to play the new action game from Koei Tecmo (Nioh, Dynasty Warriors) for 12 hours before the release during Find Your Next Game, and he is enthusiastic. And that’s despite the fact that he has never been much into Monster Hunter and has always preferred Soulslike games.
In October 2022, I played Wild Hearts for the first time — at that time with little enthusiasm. Hunting monsters, getting hit on the head, and building like in Fortnite sounded like a horror combination to me.
I enjoyed Dauntless, but Monster Hunter always felt a bit too playful and exaggerated for me. The huge weapons, the opulent feasts – everything felt a bit too “anime”.
After 4 hours in Wild Hearts, I was in love with the gameplay and had a lot of fun, so I was really looking forward to the new test now. The developers invited me to play an early version a week before the release.
I have now played another 12 hours of Wild Hearts, checked out the nearly finished version, and delved deeper into the story. And damn: the game is really cool, even if this is just a first impression. There are only a few minor criticisms.
In the video, we explain what exactly makes Wild Hearts so special. Below, you can find my impressions of the first hours in the game:
I hunt giant monsters in a Japanese setting – but for tragic reasons
So, what is Wild Hearts all about? I haven’t finished the story yet myself, so I don’t want to spoil anything. The premise is that humans in the world of Azuma are threatened with extinction.
Moreover, almost every armor can be further adjusted via mods to be oriented towards “Civilization” or “Wilderness”. This makes them stronger and unlocks even more effects, depending on the armor.
I myself am still at the very beginning of crafting, but already so excited about it that I am specifically collecting materials to put together a build. And that, although I haven’t even reached the endgame yet.
By the way: You are never completely alone, even solo. The little machine Tsukumo accompanies you if you wish, and can heal you with its abilities, deal damage, or even tank.
There are still some bugs, but they are mostly annoying
Lastly, I must mention something that bothered me quite a bit while playing: bugs and performance. This was already a problem in the first test, and although it has improved significantly, it still annoys me a bit.
The performance with an RTX 3090 on maximum settings (2 monitors, 1440p) hardly goes over 100 FPS – but it usually stays above 60. Acceptable, I think, especially since the world itself is really beautiful and I enjoy just taking in the landscape.
Unless it flickers… because that has also happened in some places. Additionally, there is a pretty annoying sound bug that causes sounds to increasingly delay until they are almost half a minute late.
In combat, it’s impossible to locate an enemy that has sprinted behind me. Also, occasionally dialogues are simply skipped, and the voice lines all come at once. Although the problem resolves itself after a while, it detracts a bit from the fun of playing.
However, none of this is game-breaking and already today, with the release of this preview, there is a patch. So it could be that all of this is already resolved. Because these are really just minor issues for which quick fixes are possible.
Wild Hearts will be released on February 16 for PC and on February 17, 2023, for PS5 and Xbox Series X|S as a Buy2Play title. After the release, further free updates will bring new monsters, Karakuri, and more. The game will also be available as a 10-hour demo through EA Play and in the Xbox Game Pass Ultimate. The demo on EA Play is even playable starting today, February 13. No further monetization is planned.
The game offers full crossplay, but no cross-progression. For me, it’s definitely something that I can also play with our PS console player Max Handwerk – and that’s exactly what we plan to do shortly.
My first impression of Wild Hearts is overwhelmingly positive, despite the minor points of criticism. Especially from the perspective of someone who finds more enthusiasm in Dark Souls than in Monster Hunter, the hunts are incredibly fun – which surprises even me.
Hunting a monster usually takes only a few minutes to half an hour, which constantly brings me back to just check in again and look for that one improvement. I hope the endgame remains just as exciting.
In the interview, MeinMMO editor-in-chief Leya Jankowski already talked with the developers about what really makes Wild Hearts special:
How does the new Wild Hearts differ from Monster Hunter? “We combine building with hunting“
Additionally, there are more Karakuri like slingshots, wind fans, and launchers, which allow me to cross chasms more easily or even attack enemies. I probably haven’t discovered everything yet.
Coop is not easier – just different
Unlike in the first test, I spent a lot of time in coop this time and checked out the world and some hunts with André Baumgartner from GameStar.
Wild Hearts can be played in coop with up to 3 hunters in the group. What I noticed is the significantly tougher fights. Together with a friend, you are not just an overwhelming force; the Kemono are also tougher. At least that was my impression.
We got hit significantly harder than if I had played alone – although André is actually the better player. Even one of the first bosses really gave us a beating and knocked us out several times.
Fortunately, hunters can revive each other in coop, preventing the hunt from having to be abandoned eventually. This means: as long as one survives and manages to bring back their friends in time…
When Kemono are wounded, they flee. This happens more often in coop – apparently, the enemies can withstand a bit more. So try not to simply overwhelm opponents. It’s best to divide tasks, as that is also possible in Wild Hearts.
Here you can see gameplay from one of our joint hunts – you can also hear the annoying sound bug, which I’ll elaborate on at the end:
Armors and weapons provide roles like in an RPG
In Wild Hearts, weapons and armors can not only be crafted but also improved and modified. Weapons are based on a huge skill tree, allowing them to be specialized for a certain element and thus for a specific opponent.
However, I find armors and talismans even more interesting. They already have certain perks that increase attack values or provide better protection at night. In addition, there are some properties with special effects.
For example, you can fully focus on “Provocation”. This means: enemies are more likely to attack you when wearing this armor. You become the tank. Together with a large hammer, you are then supposed to draw monsters to you and intercept them.
Moreover, almost every armor can be further adjusted via mods to be oriented towards “Civilization” or “Wilderness”. This makes them stronger and unlocks even more effects, depending on the armor.
I myself am still at the very beginning of crafting, but already so excited about it that I am specifically collecting materials to put together a build. And that, although I haven’t even reached the endgame yet.
By the way: You are never completely alone, even solo. The little machine Tsukumo accompanies you if you wish, and can heal you with its abilities, deal damage, or even tank.
There are still some bugs, but they are mostly annoying
Lastly, I must mention something that bothered me quite a bit while playing: bugs and performance. This was already a problem in the first test, and although it has improved significantly, it still annoys me a bit.
The performance with an RTX 3090 on maximum settings (2 monitors, 1440p) hardly goes over 100 FPS – but it usually stays above 60. Acceptable, I think, especially since the world itself is really beautiful and I enjoy just taking in the landscape.
Unless it flickers… because that has also happened in some places. Additionally, there is a pretty annoying sound bug that causes sounds to increasingly delay until they are almost half a minute late.
In combat, it’s impossible to locate an enemy that has sprinted behind me. Also, occasionally dialogues are simply skipped, and the voice lines all come at once. Although the problem resolves itself after a while, it detracts a bit from the fun of playing.
However, none of this is game-breaking and already today, with the release of this preview, there is a patch. So it could be that all of this is already resolved. Because these are really just minor issues for which quick fixes are possible.
Wild Hearts will be released on February 16 for PC and on February 17, 2023, for PS5 and Xbox Series X|S as a Buy2Play title. After the release, further free updates will bring new monsters, Karakuri, and more. The game will also be available as a 10-hour demo through EA Play and in the Xbox Game Pass Ultimate. The demo on EA Play is even playable starting today, February 13. No further monetization is planned.
The game offers full crossplay, but no cross-progression. For me, it’s definitely something that I can also play with our PS console player Max Handwerk – and that’s exactly what we plan to do shortly.
My first impression of Wild Hearts is overwhelmingly positive, despite the minor points of criticism. Especially from the perspective of someone who finds more enthusiasm in Dark Souls than in Monster Hunter, the hunts are incredibly fun – which surprises even me.
Hunting a monster usually takes only a few minutes to half an hour, which constantly brings me back to just check in again and look for that one improvement. I hope the endgame remains just as exciting.
In the interview, MeinMMO editor-in-chief Leya Jankowski already talked with the developers about what really makes Wild Hearts special:
How does the new Wild Hearts differ from Monster Hunter? “We combine building with hunting“
Through a special power, some creatures of the wilderness have mutated into giant monsters, the “Kemono”. A total of 21 of these Kemono will be available at release. For comparison: Monster Hunter World had 30 at launch.
The largest among the Kemono have the ability to alter their surroundings to their liking. However, this usually comes at the cost of other living beings barely being able to survive there. This includes humans.
One of the particularly nasty opponents is a bear as big as a mountain. A bear, basically, but I didn’t find it that tough when playing:
As one of the few hunters left, we hunt the Kemono and ensure that we are not wiped out ourselves. We use the loot we obtain to craft new armor and weapons – which in turn help us in battles against stronger Kemono.
However, we are not just any hunters; we have the ability to summon “Karakuri”. These are constructs made of wood that can aid us in battle and hunting. We build camps with them or use them for aerial attacks and more.
Dark Souls has toughened me up, Wild Hearts is my playground
The combination of combat and building initially sounds strange. However, the gameplay of Wild Hearts greatly reminds me of the Soulsborne games.
With various weapons – including fast katanas, oversized, sluggish swords or powerful hammers – we take on giant bosses and smaller opponents. Dodging, timing, and learning the enemy movesets are essential for victory.
Everything just like I learned it in the famous Souls games. Just not quite as punishing. Bosses still have abilities that can nearly kill me with one hit. But at least not every mistake means near death.
Furthermore, Wild Hearts is more colorful and friendly. If you are looking for a game with a similar approach after Dark Souls or Elden Ring, but don’t want a gloomy atmosphere, you should definitely take a look around in the world of Azuma.
However, you must be prepared to familiarize yourself with entirely new and unfamiliar mechanics. For those who, like me, wrinkle their nose at Fortnite, it probably takes a bit of overcoming. But it is worth it.
“Building like in Fortnite”? No, it’s much more natural
I don’t want to explain too much of what I already elaborately explained in my first impression test, but at least briefly touch on the uniqueness of Wild Hearts.
Karakuri, the “building system” of Wild Hearts, has two functions:
- Dragon-Karakuri are designed so that you can build camps in the world.
- With Basic Karakuri, you change the dynamics in combat and turn fights to your advantage.
In my camp, I can build tents as respawn points, various constructs to process food, or a forge to improve my equipment anywhere. Additionally, a hunting tower tracks my current target, and collection buildings provide me with building resources or fish. A nice addition that focuses the grind on the essentials: slaying monsters.
This is where Basic Karakuri come into play. This refers to simple shapes like boxes, springboards, or torches with which I can perform powerful (and cool) aerial attacks in combat, dodge better, or ignite my weapons.
What’s really cool about this are “Fusion-Karakuri”. By combining different Basic Karakuri, you can connect them and create new constructs that can completely change the fight, such as:
- a wall that stuns charging opponents
- a giant hammer that slams Kemono to the ground
- a firework that brings flying opponents back to the ground
You only find these combinations in battles against specific opponents, but they can be used anywhere afterward. For me, it’s a motivation because: the better I learn to master building, the better I’ll become as a hunter.
Additionally, there are more Karakuri like slingshots, wind fans, and launchers, which allow me to cross chasms more easily or even attack enemies. I probably haven’t discovered everything yet.
Coop is not easier – just different
Unlike in the first test, I spent a lot of time in coop this time and checked out the world and some hunts with André Baumgartner from GameStar.
Wild Hearts can be played in coop with up to 3 hunters in the group. What I noticed is the significantly tougher fights. Together with a friend, you are not just an overwhelming force; the Kemono are also tougher. At least that was my impression.
We got hit significantly harder than if I had played alone – although André is actually the better player. Even one of the first bosses really gave us a beating and knocked us out several times.
Fortunately, hunters can revive each other in coop, preventing the hunt from having to be abandoned eventually. This means: as long as one survives and manages to bring back their friends in time…
When Kemono are wounded, they flee. This happens more often in coop – apparently, the enemies can withstand a bit more. So try not to simply overwhelm opponents. It’s best to divide tasks, as that is also possible in Wild Hearts.
Here you can see gameplay from one of our joint hunts – you can also hear the annoying sound bug, which I’ll elaborate on at the end:
Armors and weapons provide roles like in an RPG
In Wild Hearts, weapons and armors can not only be crafted but also improved and modified. Weapons are based on a huge skill tree, allowing them to be specialized for a certain element and thus for a specific opponent.
However, I find armors and talismans even more interesting. They already have certain perks that increase attack values or provide better protection at night. In addition, there are some properties with special effects.
For example, you can fully focus on “Provocation”. This means: enemies are more likely to attack you when wearing this armor. You become the tank. Together with a large hammer, you are then supposed to draw monsters to you and intercept them.
Moreover, almost every armor can be further adjusted via mods to be oriented towards “Civilization” or “Wilderness”. This makes them stronger and unlocks even more effects, depending on the armor.
I myself am still at the very beginning of crafting, but already so excited about it that I am specifically collecting materials to put together a build. And that, although I haven’t even reached the endgame yet.
By the way: You are never completely alone, even solo. The little machine Tsukumo accompanies you if you wish, and can heal you with its abilities, deal damage, or even tank.
There are still some bugs, but they are mostly annoying
Lastly, I must mention something that bothered me quite a bit while playing: bugs and performance. This was already a problem in the first test, and although it has improved significantly, it still annoys me a bit.
The performance with an RTX 3090 on maximum settings (2 monitors, 1440p) hardly goes over 100 FPS – but it usually stays above 60. Acceptable, I think, especially since the world itself is really beautiful and I enjoy just taking in the landscape.
Unless it flickers… because that has also happened in some places. Additionally, there is a pretty annoying sound bug that causes sounds to increasingly delay until they are almost half a minute late.
In combat, it’s impossible to locate an enemy that has sprinted behind me. Also, occasionally dialogues are simply skipped, and the voice lines all come at once. Although the problem resolves itself after a while, it detracts a bit from the fun of playing.
However, none of this is game-breaking and already today, with the release of this preview, there is a patch. So it could be that all of this is already resolved. Because these are really just minor issues for which quick fixes are possible.
Wild Hearts will be released on February 16 for PC and on February 17, 2023, for PS5 and Xbox Series X|S as a Buy2Play title. After the release, further free updates will bring new monsters, Karakuri, and more. The game will also be available as a 10-hour demo through EA Play and in the Xbox Game Pass Ultimate. The demo on EA Play is even playable starting today, February 13. No further monetization is planned.
The game offers full crossplay, but no cross-progression. For me, it’s definitely something that I can also play with our PS console player Max Handwerk – and that’s exactly what we plan to do shortly.
My first impression of Wild Hearts is overwhelmingly positive, despite the minor points of criticism. Especially from the perspective of someone who finds more enthusiasm in Dark Souls than in Monster Hunter, the hunts are incredibly fun – which surprises even me.
Hunting a monster usually takes only a few minutes to half an hour, which constantly brings me back to just check in again and look for that one improvement. I hope the endgame remains just as exciting.
In the interview, MeinMMO editor-in-chief Leya Jankowski already talked with the developers about what really makes Wild Hearts special:
How does the new Wild Hearts differ from Monster Hunter? “We combine building with hunting“
