Wild Hearts – Review
Our Score: 9/10
Wild Hearts offers a fresh take on the hunting genre by equipping players with high-tech weapons and armour to help them face off against dangerous monsters imbued with the terrible force of nature. You may take on these monsters alone or in seamless co-op with buddies.
Hunting down a Monster
Wild Hearts leads players through a stunning opening scene, which begins in a vibrant woodland and ends in a blizzard brought on by a monstrous Kemono beast. It goes without saying that the player has no hope of defeating the monster, but if you want to see it try, you may do so up there. Kemonos, fabled Japanese animals with the ability to transform the terrain at whim, serve as the game’s enemies. The only way to prevent them from making large swaths of the globe unfit for humans is to hunt them down before they get a chance to wreak havoc.
Those who are acquainted with the monster slayer genre will feel right at home while facing off against the Kemono. You’ll need to familiarise yourself with the unique attacks and habits of each beast before you can defeat it, but after a few rounds against each one, you’ll be able to anticipate its next move. If a Kingtusk sees you, it will begin clawing at the ground, and if it stands on its hind legs, you had best not be under it when it pounces. It’s important to keep in mind the various Karakuri you have, since certain assaults are more difficult to evade than others.
Kemono Kaiju
Azuma’s technology relies on the Celestial Thread, which is more than simply a source of life. In any case, it has been essentially inactive for years since nobody has the authority to utilise it until now. In Wild Hearts, you’ll battle toe-to-toe with the Kemono using the Karakuri, a versatile tool that can be fashioned into a wide variety of weapons and other combat aids.
Primitive Karakuri are useful tools for scouting out hunting grounds and evading assaults from Kemono. You have the ability to build anything from boxes to assist you climb a cliff to springs to aid you escape danger. Combining two or more Basic Karakuri into a single powerful weapon, such as a Bulwark to stop the Kingtusk from charging or a Firework to shock a soaring Kemono, is an example of a Fusion Karakuri. Dragon Karakuri are tools and weapons that need the unique energy of the Dragon Pit to construct. The Flying Vine is a zipline Karakuri that can be used to cross great distances, while the Training Bear is a weapon simulator that can be used to hone your skills before you face a Kemono.
Tools of the Trade
Every part of Azuma has its own Dragon Pit, and as you go through the regions, you’ll unlock new opportunities to improve your production of Dragon Karakuri. Locating and improving Dragon Pits is crucial for one main reason: they serve as respawn places. If you are beaten by a Kemono, you may choose the tent as your Dragon Karakuri and resurrect there. You may scatter them all across the landscape to quickly hop from one location to another while you hunt. Ideally, your tent should be pitched adjacent to many Ancient Tree Springs.
When the Celestial Thread illuminates the sky, the trees surrounding the map become visible. Wells may be built at these trees to provide a constant supply of healing water. Make sure you have a place to sleep, a source of heat, a location to work, and somewhere to store your ingredients as often as possible so you can spring back into action quickly.
Continental Peace
The continent of Azuma is a beautiful place for the Kemono to live, with its verdant woods, steep canyons, summer beaches, and ice peaks. Minato, the teeming metropolis that will serve as your base of operations while in Azuma, is located on an island off the coast of the main island. In this section, you’ll learn more about the eccentric supporting cast, including Natsume, your blacksmith, and Suzuran, the scholar who aids in investigating previous occurrences.
Initially, you won’t be allowed to utilise Karakuri in Minato due to the city’s size, but this limitation is lifted later on. You’ll need to go all throughout the city of Minato, which runs from the water’s edge to the peak of a cliff, in order to get your orders, check on the locals, and get ready for the next hunt. You have your own home, where you may train Tsukumo in peace and quiet between fights. Even better, there are designated areas where you may practise using Karakuri and other weapons.
Final Verdict
Wild Hearts is a game that successfully challenges the greatest games in the Monster Hunter genre with its own style. It’s off to a fantastic start and it can only get better from here as time goes on. This game is an absolute blast to play, especially in co-op.