When it comes to hunting monsters with a pack of your mate’s, one series sits atop of that throne for years. Capcom’s Monster Hunter is a series that has defined the genre of gaming as it’s adapted and evolved over the years. But as time goes on, the king grows old and it’s no surprise that a few new challengers have thrown the gauntlet down to take the throne. Wild Hearts is one such title that is taking more than a shot at the king for his crown.

But, as they say, if you’re going to shoot the king you had better not miss.

A Lovechild

First thing that is worth noting is the interesting partnership behind the game, as it’s developed by Japanese studio Omega Force – who are a division of Koei Tecmo, but it’s being published by EA which is a powerful teaming up to say the least.

You play as a nameless hunter, who must embark on an epic quest to hunt down massive monsters known as Kemono in the world of Azuma. But in an interesting move, there is more to the tale than being here to kill monsters. Go get ’em!

Wild Hearts has a solid tale that is a bit of a slow burner, but is packed with character development as well as fleshing out the lore of the world. You get to know its cast of characters well through multilayered quests, though it is all played a little too straight at times and could have done with a bit more light hearted moments.

Wild World

Azuma is a vast place but similar to the Monster Hunter series…it’s not a truly open world. Instead it is several large areas that you are free explore as you wish. Each with their own themed fauna, flora and seasons – which give each area a very distinctive vibe, from running through an autumn forest, to climbing a snow covered hill side.

On the gameplay front; being a hunter title, the main focus is going to be on weapons and the selection you have. And to its credit Wild Hearts brings a few toys to the party, although you’ll need to work a little to get the full arsenal.

Weapon Lords

You can choose from five different weapons at the start, though that will grow to eight over time, but fear not variety is not an issue here. As each weapon controls different and has their own pros and cons.

You will have to put in a bit of time to learn how each is used and how they put a spin on the gameplay from the wagasa and katana, to the powerful claw blade. But do your time and you’ll find one that suits you best.

Combat is fast paced. Maybe a little too fast paced for the game at times. The camera can struggle to keep up with you, which can bring up a few issues. When it loses the plot, this often bleeds into the controls. And if you’re about to land that final blow, but then go flying in the other direction it is a bit of a pain.

There is also a lock on option, it’s a bit of a pig too. The lock-on system takes time to get to grips with as it keeps your target bang centre on the screen.

Wild Beasts and Where to Slay Them

The Kemono themselves are an interesting bunch of beasts which put up a real challenge and are by far the true stars of the show. With a real mix of variety to them (well beyond a few variants) each being a stunning blend of nature and animal, with a bit of Japanese folklore thrown in the mix as well.

Monster Hunter-like action Role-playing game

With this being a hunting title, every beast you slay gives access to new gear based around them to craft – that gives you access to new skills and the ability to upgrade to make you even stronger.

You have two skill trees to pick between; a human and Kemono one and each will change your skills depending on which path you take.

So you can lose hours specing and re-specing your build and armour for a fight. And that’s before you even think about upgrading your weapon as well.

Constructive Heart

An interesting feature of Wild Hearts is that you can also build things or as the game calls them Karakuri; from traps and turrets in the heat of the hunt, to more structural things like camps and buildings.

They come in three flavours; basic, fusion and dragon, with basic and fusion being your go-to in battle and dragon being more focused on the base building side of things, plus things to help you get around the world like zip lines.

It’s a feature that adds a whole new layer to the genre from reading Kemono attacks, to knowing when you can unleash a spring loaded hammer, to baiting them into a bomb blast. It really opens up your combat options no end.

Whereas the base building side of things, grants you an unreal level of freedom to build camps where you want and then link them all together with zip-lines, so you technically build your own fast travel system across the areas.

Heart to Heart

You can also head into the multiplayer, where you can help out others hunt down Kemono or just team up with your mates for a bit of an adventure, or just to build a new base or two.

Visually, the game has a striking art-style inspired by feudal Japan. One that bleeds into every area; from its stunning vistas to jaw dropping arenas. And it’s all awash with colour that does border oversaturated. Though, to its credit it’s always easy to make out what is going on.

ARPG Japan Monster hunter characters list

Soundwise, it’s all epic with big bold orchestral scores along with an interesting mix of traditional Japanese tones and vibes. The same can be said for the voice acting as it’s of a good level.

Though its Japanese roots do sneak in from time to time with the odd arigato popping up, this just helps to feed the vibe and tone of the feudal Japan-inspired world.

A Contender

Wild Hearts is far from just a younger pretender. Instead it’s a pure blood contender for the hunting genre throne. One that adds new features as well as strips back a lot of the genre’s more complex systems to make it more accessible on the whole.

If you’re a fan of teaming up with mates for the thrill of the hunt or are just looking for an epic solo adventure, Wild Hearts brings something new and fresh to the table. Wild Hearts has the makings of a franchise and I expect we’ll see another.