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Wild Hearts (PS5) Review
Developer: Omega Force
Publisher: Electronic Arts
Genre: Action RPG / Monster Hunting
Release: 2023
Wild Hearts is Omega Force's take on the monster-hunting genre, combining large-scale creature battles with crafting, weapon progression and a unique construction system called Karakuri. While its similarities to Monster Hunter are obvious, Wild Hearts develops its own identity through faster combat and the ability to construct weapons, traps and traversal tools during hunts.
Its greatest strength is the way Karakuri becomes part of almost every aspect of the game. Unfortunately, technical issues, limited monster variety and some repetition prevent it from reaching the same level of refinement as the genre's established leaders.
Gameplay & Mechanics
The core gameplay loop is straightforward: explore the world, hunt enormous Kemono, collect their materials and use those materials to craft stronger weapons and armour.
Combat is faster and somewhat more immediately accessible than Monster Hunter. There are eight weapon types, ranging from traditional blades and heavy weapons to more unusual equipment such as the Karakuri Staff and Hand Cannon. Each weapon has its own mechanics, combos and upgrade paths.
The real star, however, is the Karakuri system.
Using Celestial Thread collected throughout the environment, you can instantly construct objects during combat. Basic Karakuri include crates, springs, torches and gliders, while more advanced constructions can create traps, defensive walls, launchers and other specialised tools.
This makes the environment itself part of the combat system. A well-timed wall can stop a charging Kemono, while a spring can provide an emergency escape or launch an attack. Certain combinations also produce powerful Fusion Karakuri specifically designed to counter particular monsters.
The result is combat that encourages experimentation rather than simply learning a weapon's attack pattern.
Strengths:
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Fast and responsive combat
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Excellent weapon variety
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Karakuri adds a genuinely distinctive mechanic
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Building during combat feels natural
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Monsters require different approaches
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Crafting and equipment progression are satisfying
Weaknesses:
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Camera can become problematic during large fights
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Some attacks can feel difficult to read
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Certain encounters become repetitive
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A few weapons take time to properly unlock and understand
Exploration & World Design
The world of Azuma is divided into several large regions inspired by feudal Japan. Each area has its own environmental identity, ranging from forests and mountains to coastal and volcanic locations.
Exploration is more important than simply travelling between hunts. Karakuri can be used to create permanent traversal infrastructure such as ziplines, launchers and other devices, making future journeys through the same area considerably faster.
This is one of the game's smartest ideas because the player gradually changes the world to make hunting more efficient.
The downside is that tracking wounded Kemono can sometimes become tedious, particularly when the monster moves considerable distances between encounters. The lack of a traditional mount can also make some journeys feel longer than they need to be.
Story & Themes
The story takes place in Azuma, a land threatened by the increasingly aggressive Kemono. The player takes on the role of a hunter who arrives in the region and becomes involved in defending the settlement of Minato.
The narrative is primarily there to provide context for the hunting and progression systems. There are some enjoyable characters in Minato, and the Japanese-inspired setting gives the story a distinctive identity.
However, the narrative isn't the reason most players will continue playing. Character development and dialogue are serviceable rather than exceptional, and the story occasionally gets in the way of the more enjoyable hunting gameplay.
The setting itself is more memorable than the overarching plot.
Final Verdict
Wild Hearts is an impressive first attempt at creating a new monster-hunting franchise. Its similarities to Monster Hunter are impossible to ignore, but the Karakuri system gives it a genuine identity of its own. Being able to construct walls, springs, traps and other devices in the middle of a fight makes the combat considerably more dynamic than simply attacking and dodging.
The Kemono are also excellent. Their combination of familiar animals and supernatural natural elements produces some of the game's most memorable designs, while the different weapons provide plenty of reasons to experiment with different hunting styles.
Its weaknesses are mostly found outside the core combat. Technical issues, camera problems, monster repetition and occasional tedious traversal prevent the experience from being consistently excellent.
Nevertheless, Wild Hearts is an enjoyable and distinctive action RPG, particularly when played cooperatively. It doesn't simply imitate the monster-hunting formula; it introduces enough new ideas to make its own contribution to the genre.
Score: 8.5/10
