Wild Hearts is a new monster-hunting action RPG developed by EA Originals and Omega Force. The game centers around players’ quests to hunt down giant nature-infused beasts in a world heavily inspired by feudal Japan. Players must master an ancient technology known as Karikuri to give themselves the fighting edge in combat with these monsters.
In a genre that has long been dominated by the popular Monster Hunter franchise, Wild Hearts’ inclusion of Karikuri technology and its beautiful design allows this debut game to stack up well against its competitors. There are many interesting and unexpected facets of the game, and players will need to dedicate a lot of time to make these discoveries.
1 Upgrade Your Tsukumo
When players first journey into the world of Azuma, they will likely come upon a small rolling robot known as a Tsukumo. Though the little robots can be found everywhere in the game, the first one that is come across will serve as the protagonist’s main battlefield assistant.
Up to 50 additional Tsukumo can be found on each map and finding them will provide players with the old cogs needed to upgrade their main robot buddy. Upgrading the main Tsukumo will have a huge impact on Wild Hearts gameplay, as each upgrade will add certain capabilities. The Threader form is particularly crucial, as this upgrade allows players to hold more of the game’s basic resource of Threads.
2 Create Environment Shortcuts
Though fast travel in the world of Azuma is an incredibly useful tool in traversing Wild Hearts’ expansive map, a fair amount of manual travel will be required as well. In this case, the Karikuri technology can be an incredible boon. It might primarily be intended for use during fights, but utilizing Karikuri around the map can cut down travel times.
A well-placed spring or a stack of crates can help players access certain areas without much fuss. As many of the Karikuri structures are semi-permanent, they will remain where they are placed whether the player leaves the map or not. They will only be destroyed when the player chooses to dismantle them or during a fight with a Kemono.
3 Refill Stamina During Combat
The basic four Karikuri have incredible utility during combat with the fearsome Kemono. From the crates providing a more powerful plunge attack, to the torch imbuing weapons with fire, there are many practical uses for this basic set of technology. But the springboards in particular can be valuable combative tools.
Though players do have a dodge capability without the springboard, this move will drain some of their stamina. Using the springboard can be a great dodge alternative, as it refills stamina when it is used by the protagonist. In addition, the springboard gives players invincibility frames which is a window of time when they are impervious to all attacks.
4 Change Your Character After Creation
For many players, being stuck with the same character they created early on in the game is a huge limitation, and can sap some of the enjoyment that they get out of gameplay. Luckily for them, Wild Hearts allows players to alter their character's appearance after that start-of-game creation screen.
Within the extensive Karikuri progression tree, there is a mirror that can be unlocked and placed within campsites. Interacting with the mirror will allow players to change their character’s name and appearance with all the tools that were available to them in the original character creator. The only thing players won’t be able to change is their character’s gender model.
5 Capture Critters To Farm Items
In addition to the large monsters roaming around Azuma, Wild Hearts also features many smaller critters that populate the maps. These critters, often taking the form of bugs, birds, and small mammals, can be picked up by the protagonist as they run past them. It might seem counterintuitive to keep these critters as pets, but they serve an important purpose.
Once players have reached it within the Karikuri progression tree, cages can be built and placed within campsites in the game. These small critters can then be placed within these cages where they will spawn materials every now and then that the player will be able to collect. This can be a handy way to farm certain resources without much effort.
6 Build Shrines For Tsukumo
Much like the little critters of the world, players can eventually unlock shrines for the Tsukumo that they come across. When the Tsukumo swarm to a shrine, they will drop materials that the player can collect. Often they drop materials that can be quite difficult to obtain otherwise, such as Mirrorstones and Corestones.
Interestingly, building these shrines in different areas of the map will change the kind of materials that the Tsukumo drop. Players wanting to get the most of the game should be sure to test this out, and prioritize building shrines in areas that give them access to the materials they need most.
7 Pet The Monsters
Many players of Wild Hearts will be tempted to jump straight into monster slaying when they begin the game, but there’s more to it than just killing Kemono. Some monsters, mainly ones that are more passive or smaller, can be pet as well as slain. It might seem odd to choose a pacifist interaction in a monster hunting game, but petting the Kemono will reward players.
When players choose to pet a monster rather than kill it immediately, it will drop materials for that player to collect. For some rare materials, this is the only way they can be acquired. Players must execute this interaction before they are detected by the animal, otherwise it will run away.
8 Progress Together In Multiplayer
Wild Hearts also has multiplayer capabilities in which players can unite with up to two others to take down various beasts. This multiplayer mode is also crossplay enabled, so players can support their friends regardless of the platforms they use. Uniquely, Wild Hearts also supports co-op progression.
The Guest Story Progression setting can be enabled to allow players to progress in the story even when playing multiplayer. Co-op progression can only take place when players are at the same point in the story, however any progress made and items unlocked will automatically be applied in player’s own solo games. Multiplayer also makes some Kemono stronger, so it can be a great challenge for seasoned players of the game.
Wild Hearts is available now for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S.