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Wild Hearts
Critics Consensus (Play It)
Wild Hearts can be a blurry mess at times, but it’s an impressive Monster Hunter clone and does plenty right to justify a play by veterans and newcomers to the genre alike.
Game Info
Master ancient tech to hunt down giant beasts. WILD HEARTS™ is a twist on the hunting genre where technology gives you a fighting chance against giant nature-infused beasts. Hunt alone or with friends.
0%
Recommended
0%
Average Score
Total Reviews: 91
Bronze TIER
56% of scored reviews fell within the range of 80 to 86 / 100
RELEASE DATES:
GENRES:
- Action, Adventure
DEVELOPER(S):
- Koei Tecmo Games
- Omega Force
PUBLISHER(S):
- Electronic Arts
SERIES/FRANCHISE:
- n/a
GAME MODES:
- Co-operative, Multiplayer, Single player
Where to Play
WHERE TO PLAY
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RATING & REVIEWS
Ratings & Reviews
91
Critic Reviews
79
Average Critic Score
Where to Play
CRITIC REVIEWS
All reviews are from professional critics. Learn more about the critics VSG aggregates.
High Score
100%
Median Score
80%
Low Score
50%
What did you think of Wild Hearts?
Player Reviews0 Votes
0
Matt Wales (Eurogamer)
February 16, 2023
Recommended
Far more than just a Monster Hunter clone, Wild Hearts exceeds expectations and then some, mixing streamlined action with inventive new toys.
Louis Livingston-Garcia (Game Informer)
February 16, 2023
8/10
The gameplay matters most in Wild Hearts – it’s fresh, chaotic, and breathless. It does not reinvent the hunting genre, but it does just enough with its addition of the Karakuri gadgets and arresting locales (not to mention the myriad ways to traverse them) to give the genre a fresh and welcome perspective. A stronger story would have been welcome, and the camera leaves much to be desired, but Wild Hearts is a deeply engaging experience even with these faults.
Diego Nicolás Argüello (Polygon)
February 13, 2023
Recommended
I can picture myself weeks from now, strolling among the creations, gadgets, and objects that my friends and I have left littered across our worlds, thinking back on these early days in Wild Hearts. These constructions are marks of solidarity in a game that could have been mere homage. Building in Wild Hearts isn’t just a mechanical conceit. It’s the pillar of its identity.
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Score Ranges
Read the Reviews (91 total)
| Outlet | Author | Score | Date | Quote | Read |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Atomix | Sebastian Quiroz | 90 / 100 | 02-22-2023 | More than a Monster Hunter clone, Wild Hearts managed to be a worthy competitor to the Capcom series, thanks to its original ideas and handling of well-known concepts. Omega Force has delivered a new series that could well become a mainstay for the Japanese studio. | Read review |
| Attack of the Fanboy | Christian Bognar | 4 / 5 stars | 02-16-2023 | While the game stumbles here and there regarding camera issues, story, and a lack of enemy variety at launch, Koei Tecmo’s Omega Force and EA’s latest game still manages to land on its own two feet. A brilliant crafting system makes Wild Hearts unique and a lovely addition to the hunting subgenre. | Read review |
| CGMagazine | Philip Watson | 8.5 / 10 | 02-16-2023 | Wild Hearts expands on a tried and true formula with its own blend of mechanics that make it a must for fans of big game hunting and gamers who like co-op. | Read review |
| Checkpoint Gaming | Omi Koulas | 8.5 / 10 | 02-16-2023 | Wild Hearts takes the hunting action to the next level with vicious beasts, a vast world to explore, and an array of powerful weapons. But that’s not all-the magical Karakuri crafting system seamlessly blends with combat and exploration to offer an awe-inspiring experience. It’s so fluently integrated into the game that you’ll be amazed at how much it advances combat, exploration, and the engaging gameplay loop. Still, the adventure suffers from visual issues and a waning grind. Even so, Wild Hearts is my new monster-hunting addiction. | Read review |
| COGconnected | Mark Steighner | 82 / 100 | 02-16-2023 | If the developers were hoping to launch an IP that could stand side-by-side with other monster-hunting games, they can rest easy. Wild Hearts shares some mechanics with other titles in the genre, but it’s best when staking out unique territory. Hunting Kemono alone and with others, using the Karakuri, and just enjoying the game’s satisfying loop are all a lot of fun. Best of all, Wild Hearts has the mechanical foundation and potential for endless DLC and sequels. If they can live with its slightly disappointing visuals, fans of that “other” monster-hunting game have a viable and addictive alternative in Wild Hearts. | Read review |
| Daily Star | Tom Hutchison | 4 / 5 stars | 02-16-2023 | While the premise remains the same throughout, the battles each offer unique enough enemies to ensure your tactics have to change per fight and progress is a must to move on. Well worth a look if you’re into lengthy epic boss battles. | Read review |
| Destructoid | Chris Carter | 8 / 10 | 02-16-2023 | Impressive efforts with a few noticeable problems holding them back. Won’t astound everyone, but is worth your time and cash. | Read review |
| Dexerto | Jessica Filby | 3 / 5 stars | 02-16-2023 | Ultimately, Wild Hearts feels like it was made for a group of hunters. Playing solo isn’t beginner friendly, and is relatively time-consuming. While the gameplay and battles are enjoyable as a whole, combining building with tactical fighting, we couldn’t help but feel like the stutters and slow pace held us back from the fast-paced experience we looked for. | Read review |
| Digital Chumps | Nathaniel Stevens | 9 / 10 | 02-17-2023 | Wild Hearts is a massive single-player and co-op hunting game with an RPG backbone supporting it. The mixture of story, creative mechanics, thick strategy, and beautiful visuals makes this a top-tier hunting experience. If the controls could be improved a bit and break from traditional stuck-in-the-action sequences, it would be nearly perfect. Overall, it’s a great first go at a genre that is severely lacking in competition. | Read review |
| Easy Allies | Brad Ellis | 3.25 / 5 stars | 03-01-2023 | Wild Hearts is a great new entry into the Hunting genre with some fun monsters to fight and an intuitive building system that helps set it apart from its contemporaries. | Read review |
| Echo Boomer | João Canelo | Recommended | 02-25-2023 | Omega Force returns to the hunt with a title that promises to be the beginning of a new successful series. | Read review |
| Eurogamer | Matt Wales | Recommended | 02-16-2023 | Far more than just a Monster Hunter clone, Wild Hearts exceeds expectations and then some, mixing streamlined action with inventive new toys. | Read review |
| Everyeye.it | Lorenzo Mango | 8 / 10 | 02-17-2023 | Wild Hearts fits into a genre landscape dominated by an extraordinary contender. The “tested” elements are many and evident, but the game still finds its dimension thanks to the introduction and management of karakuri. | Read review |
| Expansive | Brad Baker | Recommended | 03-01-2023 | Wild Hearts is a franchise with potential and offers a refreshing take on a well-formed genre set in fuedal Japan. Between the more enjoyable combat and the Karakuri, Wild Hearts manages to stand apart from its competitors, but is sadly held back by poor performance and an offputting difficulty curve. Hopefully one that continues to evolve in the months ahead. | Read review |
| Explosion Network | Dylan Blight | 9 / 10 | 02-25-2023 | A quick shortlist for one of my favourite games so far in 2023, Wild Hearts is a thrilling action RPG that’s bound to scratch an itch for Monster Hunter fans while providing something alternative for fans of the genre. | Read review |
| Game Informer | Louis Livingston-Garcia | 8 / 10 | 02-16-2023 | The gameplay matters most in Wild Hearts – it’s fresh, chaotic, and breathless. It does not reinvent the hunting genre, but it does just enough with its addition of the Karakuri gadgets and arresting locales (not to mention the myriad ways to traverse them) to give the genre a fresh and welcome perspective. A stronger story would have been welcome, and the camera leaves much to be desired, but Wild Hearts is a deeply engaging experience even with these faults. | Read review |
| Game Rant | Adrian Morales | 4 / 5 stars | 02-16-2023 | Wild Hearts refreshes the hunting genre with clever crafting and awesome beasts but is brought down by a poor technical state and weak story. | Read review |
| Game Revolution | Mack Ashworth | 4 / 5 stars | 02-28-2023 | Though it can be a blurry mess at times, Wild Hearts does plenty right to justify a play by both monster hunter veterans and newcomers to the genre. The Karakuri system is genius and enhances an already fantastic combat experience, and co-op is wonderfully implemented, making it easy to group up with other hunters. | Read review |
| Gameblog | KiKiToes | 7 / 10 | 02-16-2023 | Too bad, we were close to touching an absolutely huge title. However, if you skip the not-so-sexy packaging, Wild Hearts might just surprise you. | Read review |
| GameCrate | Derek Swinhart | Recommended | 02-28-2023 | Wild Hearts is a blast from beginning to end, and the combination of Karakuri with streamlined, snappy combat, makes it a joy to pick up and play. Newcomers to the genre or those who have always been intimidated by Monster Hunter should start here. But there is a very real possibility you may just stick with Wild Hearts for its unique aesthetic and streamlined mechanics, on top of the incredible Karakuri system. | Read review |
| GameGrin | Dylan Pamintuan | 5 / 10 | 03-03-2023 | Do not get Wild Hearts on PC right now. The game itself is great, and something you should pick up if you want to get into monster hunting, but the garbage performance me and many other players have experienced cannot be excused. | Read review |
| Gamers Heroes | Johnny Hurricane | 8 / 10 | 02-27-2023 | While Monster Hunter still reigns supreme, Wild Hearts still holds its own in the hunting arena. Those on Xbox Game Pass shouldn’t hesitate to give it a go. | Read review |
| GAMES.CH | Joel Kogler | 79 / 100 | 02-16-2023 | Wild Hearts does not revolutionize the hunting game genre, but with as few competitors, that is hardly necessary. The building system both in and outside of combat adds enough variety and depth that the simpler weapons and streamlined crafting are welcome. Sadly, technical flaws, such as blurry visuals and horrendous pop-in keep this otherwise great game from making a play on Capcom’s throne. It is a title, however that we’re eager to see expanded upon and further developed in the already planned title updates and hopefully eventually in a sequel. As it stands, it’s a fun alternative to Monster Hunter, but cannot live up to those games’ polish and sheer endless depth of content. | Read review |
| GameSkinny | John Schutt | 8 / 10 | 02-15-2023 | It’s time to tame the untameable. | Read review |
| GameSpot | Richard Wakeling | 8 / 10 | 02-16-2023 | Wild Hearts latches onto the familiar gameplay loop of Monster Hunter and infuses it with a fast-paced crafting system that lets you build your way to victory. | Read review |
| GamesRadar+ | Hirun Cryer | 4 / 5 stars | 02-16-2023 | “You’ll need to stop and familiarize yourself with a monster and its attacks if you want to succeed” | Read review |
| Gaming Nexus | Eric Hauter | 8.8 / 10 | 02-16-2023 | WILD HEARTS marks the emergence of a worthy new AAA franchise. While the game suffers a bit from some minor technical issues on PC, the core gameplay is astoundingly strong. The mixture of wildly creative Kemono monsters and player-built karakuri creates a strong, addictive cocktail of fun. The challenge level is high, but victory feels triumphant. Highly recommended. | Read review |
| GamingBolt | Shunal Doke | 9 / 10 | 02-16-2023 | WILD HEARTS manages to carve out its own identity in a genre dominated by a single franchise through its clever takes on classic monster hunting gameplay. The combination of cool creature designs, interesting weapons, awesome maps, and a unique building system all add up to form a fun time. | Read review |
| GamingTrend | Cassie Peterson | 90 / 100 | 02-16-2023 | Wild Hearts brings a uniqueness to the monster hunting genre that keeps the experience feeling refreshing. The Karakuri and different weapon options are very fun to experiment with and present interesting combat opportunities. Overall, Wild Hearts capitalizes on what made monster hunting games so much fun in the first place while still giving fans of the genre a new reason to get excited and dive back into the fight. | Read review |
| Geek Culture | Jake Su | 7.8 / 10 | 02-23-2023 | Wild Hearts occupies an intriguing position, both as its own game but also as one that takes its inspiration heavily from a beloved franchise. The familiarity is not a dealbreaker, and in fact, it helps as a starting point for players with its increased accessibility and improved quality-of-life features. The Karakuri system is easily the biggest innovation that takes things up a notch, and if more Kemono are on the way, then Wild Hearts is in a good place as the next step for your monster-hunting journey. | Read review |
| Generación Xbox | Adrian Fuentes Berna | 8 / 10 | 02-16-2023 | Wild Hearts will not surprise you with its graphics, but it will do so for its combat system and its ability to stay glued to the screen either playing alone or playing cooperatively | Read review |
| God is a Geek | Mick Fraser | 9 / 10 | 02-16-2023 | Wild Hearts is a fantastic video game. It has so much flair and personality, and so much of it is designed with fun in mind. | Read review |
| GRYOnline.pl | Mikołaj Łaszkiewicz | 8 / 10 | 02-16-2023 | Wild Hearts is not flawless and you can see it was made on a budget, but it’s a great starting point for a franchise. Most gameplay mechanics are good enough and some are even exceptional. | Read review |
| Guardian | Tom Regan | 3 / 5 stars | 02-16-2023 | This wonderfully weird creature-hunter has an unending supply of memorably unhinged, massive foes; it may not be an all-timer but it’s fun while you’re fighting | Read review |
| Hardcore Gamer | Chris Shive | 4 / 5 stars | 02-16-2023 | Wild Hearts offers a fresh take on the monster hunting formula. | Read review |
| Hey Poor Player | Henry Yu | 4 / 5 stars | 02-16-2023 | The team at Omega Force have done a commendable job with Wild Hearts, as it does just enough to stand out from the Monster Hunter games that Capcom has created. This ambitious project boasts a beautiful high fantasy feudal Japan setting and an intuitive and game-changing Karakuri building mechanic. However, the high cost of entry and performance issues hold it back from being truly captivating. | Read review |
| Hobby Consolas | David Rodriguez | 85 / 100 | 02-16-2023 | Wild Hearts is a more than solid proposal that manages to come out well from its comparison with Monster Hunter. Its distinctive points are clear and give the game a style of its own. The Japanese design and atmosphere convinces and although it is far from being a round IP, Wild Hearts could have a great future as a saga. | Read review |
| IGN | Tom Marks | 8 / 10 | 02-16-2023 | Wild Hearts’ building mechanics add a very fun twist to its familiar but well-executed co-op monster hunting formula. | Read review |
| IGN Italy | Diego Cinelli | 7 / 10 | 02-22-2023 | When you get into the action and get into the right rhythm, Wild Hearts works. Too bad for some uncertainty too much that delays, or interrupts, this state of grace. | Read review |
| IGN Spain | Alejandro Morillas | 8 / 10 | 02-16-2023 | Wild Hearts is not only a great exponent of the genre, but it can also be a highly recommended entry point. | Read review |
| Impulsegamer | Richard Banks | 5 / 5 stars | 02-27-2023 | Perhaps my biggest takeaway from Wild Hearts is that I didn’t once find myself lamenting for Monster Hunter. Wild Hearts was perhaps a risky endeavour, but it’s one that’s paid off with impressive results. While genre newcomers can treat the land of Azuma as a gateway to monster hunting, long-standing genre fans will find plenty here to keep them happy until the next Monster Hunter adventure arrives. | Read review |
| LevelUp | Pedro Pérez Cesari | 8 / 10 | 02-17-2023 | While comparisons to Monster Hunter are inevitable for obvious reasons, WILD HEARTS deserves much more than to be seen solely as the mirror of the Capcom franchise. We finally have a huge competitor that has been waiting for years. | Read review |
| Merlin’in Kazanı | Samet Basri Taşlı | 72 / 100 | 02-17-2023 | Wild Hearts is a good monster hunting game that has successfully added its original ideas to the genre. But the terribly optimized PC version casts a huge shadow over everything the game does well. | Read review |
| Metro GameCentral | GameCentral | 8 / 10 | 02-17-2023 | Arguably the best Monster Hunter clone ever made and while it’s not quite as good as Capcom’s series it does have some unique and interesting ideas of its own – despite initial impressions to the contrary. | Read review |
| MMORPG.com | Garrick D. Raley | 6 / 10 | 02-22-2023 | Although WILD HEARTS puts up a valiant effort to capitalize on the success that Monster Hunter has found in the West these past few years, it still leaves a lot to be desired. The most disappointing aspect is how bogged down it is with technical issues that prevent a seamless online co-op experience. A lot of the joy in hunting monsters is being able to do it with friends. Despite featuring cross-platform play, I preferred to play WILD HEARTS alone rather than be bothered with the slow-downs that I encountered. It shows great promise with their weapon types and the upgrading mechanics, but ultimately WILD HEARTS feels like an unfinished product. I hope that the upcoming content updates can turn that around. In the meantime, I’d look elsewhere for getting that next hunt in. | Read review |
| Niche Gamer | Augusto A. | 9.5 / 10 | 02-16-2023 | Wild Hearts is an extremely fun monster-hunting game that anyone can sink their teeth into. The building system is a treat, the hunts are challenging, and the game has been really polished. Finding any complaints about the game feels like nitpicking, as the game doesn’t have any glaring defects or flaws. It’s rare when a gem like Wild Hearts comes around but it really is just a fantastic game, and I hope we get some expansions. | Read review |
| NoesPaisparaFrikis | Antonio Ganga | 8.5 / 10 | 03-08-2023 | Get ready Monster Hunter… Here comes a new challenger! | Read review |
| Noisy Pixel | Nathan Mejia | 8 / 10 | 02-16-2023 | Wild Hearts has so much to offer. From the striking monster designs, distinct weapon variety, and engaging combat, hunters will have a new favorite game to join up with friends and take down enormous foes. Outside of some dips in pacing in the later hours and a few repetitive encounters, there is little holding this game back from becoming a new name in the genre. | Read review |
| Oyungezer Online | Sabri Erkan Sabanci | 7.5 / 10 | 02-16-2023 | Wild Hearts is a real raw gem. It has all the ingredients to easily turn into a series that can challenge Monster Hunter. The only thing Koei Tecmo needs to do is polish it up a bit more, fill in the gaps and bring more content. | Read review |
| Paste Magazine | Moises Taveras | 9 / 10 | 02-17-2023 | Wild Hearts is a great success that takes the template laid out by its competition and strikes out on its own with the addition of an invaluable new tool in the form of the karakuri. That magical string not only holds the game together, but lets it stand tall at the end of the day. Sure, you can boil it down to Monster Hunter meets Fortnite, but also if you stop and think about that for a second, that idea kind of rules, and so does Wild Hearts. All the while, it makes smart tweaks and skews heavier into style rather than simulation, allowing Wild Hearts to step out of the shadow of giants and carve out a space for its own. | Read review |
| PC Gamer | Wes Fenlon | 63 / 100 | 02-16-2023 | Sublime combat can only do so much to carry a flawed building system, too few monsters and terrible performance. | Read review |
| PC Invasion | Jack Salter | 8 / 10 | 02-24-2023 | Wild Hearts apes Capcom’s monster-hunting series, and does so well while introducing new elements that enhance the genre. | Read review |
| PCGamesN | Dave Irwin | Recommended | 02-16-2023 | I’ve got plenty more to see of Wild Hearts before giving it a score, but as it stands I’m not relishing the task. Its frame rate issues and graphical glitches make this RPG game unplayable on PC, and it’s not just me; other colleagues within PCGamesN and PC reviewers across the internet have found the same thing. I’m desperately hoping that a day-one patch will fix these issues, because the game shows a lot of promise. While it may require a bit of relearning for some experienced hunters, there are plenty of fun new ideas that make hunting in Wild Hearts different enough. But in its current state, we can’t recommend picking it up. | Read review |
| PCMag | Gabriel Zamora | 4 / 5 stars | 02-21-2023 | Wild Hearts is a refreshing take on monster hunting that features huge creatures, cool weapons, and highly useful support systems. | Read review |
| PlayStation LifeStyle | Paulmichael Contreras | 8 / 10 | 02-17-2023 | Wild Hearts seems to have the right ideas about what a modern monster-hunting game needs. If it could inject some of the flashier bits from their other games, then Omega Force would definitely have a fierce competitor on its hands in the monster hunting genre of games. Right now, it does of course stand in Capcom’s shadow, but suddenly this subgenre has started heating up. Competition breeds innovation, and it’s exciting to wonder what we’ll see next. | Read review |
| PlayStation Universe | Tommy Holloway | 7.5 / 10 | 02-24-2023 | Wild Hearts have dismantled the beast, and retrofit its parts into something more accessible and highly addictive in its own right. Obnoxious exposition and an uninspired narrative can sometimes get in the way of its well crafted gameplay loop, but the thrill of the hunt is more than worth it. | Read review |
| Polygon | Diego Nicolás Argüello | Recommended | 02-13-2023 | I can picture myself weeks from now, strolling among the creations, gadgets, and objects that my friends and I have left littered across our worlds, thinking back on these early days in Wild Hearts. These constructions are marks of solidarity in a game that could have been mere homage. Building in Wild Hearts isn’t just a mechanical conceit. It’s the pillar of its identity. | Read review |
| PowerUp! | Leo Stevenson | Not Recommended | 02-17-2023 | Wild Hearts is a game made for a very specific audience and one that I’m not part of. | Read review |
| Press Start | James Berich | 8.5 / 10 | 02-17-2023 | Wild Hearts’ unique Karakuri mechanics and skill systems do just enough to offer a new take on the tried-and-true monster-hunting genre. While there is some inconsistent performance across all platforms, Wild Hearts bewildering bestiary of unique creature more than makes it worth a look. | Read review |
| PSX Brasil | Bruno Henrique Vinhadel | 75 / 100 | 02-16-2023 | Technical issues affect both the performance and visual quality of Wild Hearts to a considerable degree. However, the visual style, the gameplay structure, the great use of Karakuri for hunting and exploration, as well as the very good co-op make it a fun and original title. If you have the patience to wait for updates and the technical problems to be resolved, it is certainly a great option in the hunting genre. | Read review |
| Push Square | John Cal McCormick | 8 / 10 | 02-16-2023 | Wild Hearts is, at times, an utterly thrilling game. It’s a game that will leave you kicking yourself for a poorly timed dodge or a missed opportunity, and jumping out of your chair when you finally topple a troublesome foe with a last-ditch, go-for-broke attack. There’s a handful of technical issues, a mite too much repetition, and some quibbles about the difficulty, but the core monster hunting experience is spectacular enough that the joys far outweigh the frustrations. | Read review |
| Rapid Reviews UK | Unknown | 4 / 5 stars | 03-26-2023 | I really wanted to get my hands on Wild Hearts since it was first shown. For several days I had the opportunity to try it on Xbox Series X, thanks to Electronic Arts. Truthfully, I have a strange feeling about Wild Hearts. On one hand, I love the concept. I’m also excited about the proposal for cooperative action and massive crafting. However, I think that the game falls a bit short graphically. Although, it solves this with good gameplay and a solid design. Wild Hearts also boasts many co-op options and enemies. | Read review |
| Rectify Gaming | Rebecca | 8.5 / 10 | 03-29-2023 | Wild Hearts is a worthy challenger in the small but very crowded monster hunting genre. | Read review |
| Reno Gazette-Journal | Jason Hidalgo | 8.5 / 10 | 02-20-2023 | The monster hunting genre has always been big enough to support more games besides Monster Hunter. It’s just that previous games haven’t quite scratched that itch the same way that Monster Hunter does. Wild Hearts is the first one to come pretty close. That’s good news if you’re a Monster Hunter fan because it means you now have one more good hunting game to play. It’s honestly good for a first crack at the genre — the Koei Tecmo’s solid Toukiden series notwithstanding — and I look forward to seeing how it further evolves in the future. | Read review |
| Rock, Paper, Shotgun | Liam Richardson | Recommended | 02-23-2023 | Irritating performance issues on PC aside, Wild Hearts is an impressive Monster Hunter clone that brings a lot of fresh ideas to the table. | Read review |
| RPGamer | Phillip Willis | 2.5 / 5 stars | 03-26-2023 | Future patches and DLC could certainly iron some of these problems out, but as it stands upon release, Wild Hearts is difficult to recommend in its launch state to all but the most hard-core of hunters. | Read review |
| Screen Rant | Leo Faierman | 4.5 / 5 stars | 02-16-2023 | Wild Hearts should thrive in its post-launch life as new updates accrue, while players devise and trade loadout strategies and boss techniques. Additionally, Koei Tecmo has stated that no microtransactions are planned, with new karakuri, weapons, kemono, and quests expected in the coming months. Our review encompassed single player only, and the game is a completely reasonable and satisfying challenge in offline mode, with an engaging story that builds to some gratifying peaks. Wild Hearts is a class act and an impressive first step at a franchise that feels entirely original, in spite of its direct Monster Hunter competition looming large. | Read review |
| SECTOR.sk | Michal Korec | 7.5 / 10 | 02-16-2023 | Wild Hearts is solid MonHun genre title and there are solid refreshing elements like Karakuri building system. Eigh weapons and four vast maps are enough for practicing skills but uneven difficulty and some bugs can be challenging. On the other hand, three player co-op is a welcome addition and preferred way of gameplay. | Read review |
| Shacknews | TJ Denzer | 8 / 10 | 02-16-2023 | I love Monster Hunter, and Wild Hearts isn’t perfect, but it improves and diversifies on that formula in ways I don’t think any fan of this genre should overlook. I want to keep being in this world and I can’t wait to see how Koei Tecmo continues to expand upon it. | Read review |
| Sirus Gaming | Erickson Melchor | 8.5 / 10 | 02-16-2023 | Wild Hearts succeeds in areas other games take for granted. Whereas other games focus too much on fitting a mold, Wild Hearts takes said mold and runs with it. The amount of freedom afforded to the player in terms of movement is refreshing and only limited by one’s creativity. Unfortunately, for all its gains, its momentum is slowed down by technical and performance issues. Nothing game-breaking but each one distracts from what could have been an outstanding ARPG. Take some time and allow for patches to clean most of it up. But if you’re a fan of this genre of games, you have more reason than most to pick this up right now. | Read review |
| Skill Up | Ralph Panebianco | Not Recommended | 02-16-2023 | Video Review | Read review |
| Slant Magazine | Justin Clark | 4 / 5 stars | 02-28-2023 | Wild Hearts is ultimately a monster-hunting game, and just as in Monster Hunter, the core flaw of just how arduous it can be to take down prey, even with a little help from your friends, is present here. The story, though, at least provides a bit of motivation in hard times. Namely, the game’s main hub world, a fishing village powered by magic, provides some surprisingly poignant little tales worth seeing through to the end, and which home in on the important role that you play in helping to provide for that community. The results of your good work are tangible when those tales are said and done, which in the end makes the monster hunting at the center of Wild Hearts feel, if not less like work, then at least purposeful. | Read review |
| SomHráč.sk | Vladimír Rusnák | 75 / 100 | 03-14-2023 | Wild Hearts has some issues and it’s not a game that everybody would love. However if you simply want to hunt some great beasts, there is merit to be found here. | Read review |
| SpazioGames | Francesco Corica | 7.4 / 10 | 02-16-2023 | It may not be the “Monster Hunter killer” many people were waiting for, but Wild Hearts has some good ideas that would have just needed more time to reach their maximum potential. | Read review |
| Stevivor | Ethan Dean | 8.5 / 10 | 02-16-2023 | Still, that Wild Hearts gets so much right on its first tentative step into the arena is bloody impressive. Omega Force has created the first title I’ve played that is a genuine contender in the space and they’ve done more than enough to justify Wild Hearts’ place in it. The result is something meaningfully different in a genre no one else has been able to touch. It’s kind of like if someone made a Souls-like on par with an actual Souls. | Read review |
| TechRaptor | Andrew Stretch | 7.5 / 10 | 02-16-2023 | Wild Hearts has everything you need for a competent Hunting style game. The weapons are fun to use and the upgrades go a long way to make you feel powerful. It’s the Karakuri system that will be what draws new players to it adding a new level of depth to gameplay. | Read review |
| The Escapist | KC Nwosu | Recommended | 02-23-2023 | Video Review | Read review |
| The Games Machine | Francesco Alteri | 8 / 10 | 02-16-2023 | Wild Hearts is an innovative, interesting hunting game that explain the mass genocide committed by hunters. Net of a few camera defects and too many reskin, it is a solid game that brings a breath of fresh air to a genre that is a little too scared of Monster Hunter’s shadow. | Read review |
| The Outerhaven Productions | Kyle Simcox | 3.5 / 5 stars | 02-16-2023 | Wilds Hearts is an incredibly fun monster hunting experience that’s really only held back by its technical issues. Performance issues across the board on all platforms are what stop the otherwise faster paced and stylish action game from truly giving Monster Hunter a run for its money. | Read review |
| TheSixthAxis | Dominic Leighton | 9 / 10 | 02-16-2023 | Wild Hearts has proved to be an immense surprise. It navigates the line between well-worn ground and exciting new innovation immensely well. It’s the best non-Capcom hunting game we’ve ever had, and a hugely enjoyable action RPG in its own right. | Read review |
| Twinfinite | Anna Koselke | 4 / 5 stars | 02-16-2023 | Despite some performance issues and awkward camera controls, I would recommend Wild Hearts not only to long-time fans of monster hunting but to players like me who never quite understood the hype before. Wild Hearts will make you understand as it made me understand. From its immersive world to its unique building system, this is one big release you will not want to miss out on. | Read review |
| VG247 | Dom Peppiatt | Not Recommended | 02-16-2023 | Wild Hearts often feels like a game that doesn’t want to be played. It’s fussy, it’s janky, and it constantly trips itself up. An erratic gameplay loop, an absolute bastard of a camera, and some ill-conceived weapon gimmicks prevent Koei Tecmo and EA’s experimental hunting joint from ever really succeeding where its genre rivals have. It’s ironic that building is such a core part of this game: if this is the start of a series, Omega Force has laid down some important groundwork, but it needs to make some serious structural revisions from the foundations up if it ever wants to look eye-to-eye with Capcom’s imposing juggernaut. | Read review |
| VGC | Chris Scullion | 3 / 5 stars | 02-16-2023 | Wild Hearts is a solid enough first attempt at taking on the Monster Hunter crown, but its occasionally frustrating battles, its rather small number of monsters and the fidgety nature of its admittedly inventive gadget system mean you have to put up with a fair degree of irritation if you want to see it through. | Read review |
| Video Chums | A.J. Maciejewski | 8.4 / 10 | 02-16-2023 | I’m having a wonderful time with WILD HEARTS and I can’t wait to take on more monsters with online folks as I have a few tricks that I’d like to show off. Overall, this is a phenomenally fun and fully-featured monster-hunting game that I’m sure you’ll love. | Read review |
| Wccftech | Francesco De Meo | 8 / 10 | 02-16-2023 | Wild Hearts couldn’t have been a better start for a new IP. While the experience shares more than a few similarities with that of the Monster Hunter series, the unique monster design, the great weapon variety and the Karakuri crafting mechanics give the game a unique flavor that makes it stand out easily among similar games. Performance issues, sadly, impact the experience considerably on all formats, preventing it from reaching greater heights, but even in its current state, the game is a more than worthy purchase for fans of the genre. | Read review |
| We Got This Covered | Jon Hueber | 4 / 5 stars | 02-16-2023 | Wild Hearts treads familiar ground as you hunt one monstrous beast after another, but Omega Force has added new tricks and gimmicks that help separate it from the games it draws inspiration from. At the end of the day, it proudly stands as a unique experience with its own identity. | Read review |
| WellPlayed | James Wood | 8.5 / 10 | 02-17-2023 | Wild Hearts is packed with creative mechanics and delightful flourishes that make it a welcome and exciting addition to the monster hunting genre. | Read review |
| Windows Central | Alexander Cope | 4 / 5 stars | 02-17-2023 | It is a shame that Wild Hearts launched in the state it is in. The gameplay loop of hunting monsters and using their parts to create gear is addictive, the weapons are entertaining to use, the Karakuri system is deep and filled with secrets, and the world of Azuma is beautiful and immersive. Yet the horrendous optimization issues bring down the experience and, in worst cases, render the game unplayable on certain platforms. | Read review |
| Worth Playing | Cody Medellin | 6.5 / 10 | 03-07-2023 | There’s potential in Wild Hearts. The building aspects alone add some depth to the exploration and combat aspects of the hunt, while the weapons feel right in a fight. There are many compelling reasons to give this a go: a drip feed of abilities, near-instant multiplayer with cross-play, and permanently affecting a player’s instance. The sometimes-finicky building system can be an annoyance, while the lack of kemono variety is a knock, even if more beasts are promised later as free updates. The PC performance is what really drags down the game, and the lack of fixes combined with the game’s high price tag are enough to hold off for now. On consoles, Wild Hearts is a fine counterpart to Capcom’s offering, and it’s worth checking out. PC players will want to wait and see if the game can make efficient use of the platform and hardware variety before jumping in. | Read review |
| Xbox Achievements | Richard Walker | 80 / 100 | 02-20-2023 | While having to hunt monsters driven from their habitat by human intervention and a lack of food engenders a sense of Shadow of the Colossus-level guilt, there’s no avoiding the sheer depth and consistent enjoyment that Wild Hearts has to offer. | Read review |
| ZTGD | Terrence Johnson | 9 / 10 | 02-16-2023 | I would like to see some improvements to AI and things in the future but with an aggressive post launch plan that includes more monsters (kemono) and story beats, Omega Force is firmly behind Wild Hearts and that can only mean good things for the monster hunting market at large. | Read review |
Wild Hearts Credits
CREDITS
DIRECTOR(S):
Kotaro Hirata, Takuto Edagawa
PRODUCER(S):
Yosuke Hayashi
DESIGNER(S):
n/a
PROGRAMMER(S):
n/a
ARTIST(S):
Marina Ayano, Yu Oboshi
WRITER(S):
Yuki Ikeno, Mari Okamoto
COMPOSER(S):
Junya Ishiguro, Masashi Hamauzu, Daisuke Shinoda, Ippo Igarashi, Modanqing Zhu
Time to Beat
TIME TO BEAT
0
hrs MAIN STORY
0
hrs MAIN + EXTRAS
0
hrs COMPLETIONIST
0
hrs ALL PLAYSTYLES
* VSG’s best estimate for how long it will take you to complete the game. Learn more.
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