The Hunt is On
In the play Much Ado About Nothing, Shakespeare wrote that “comparisons are odorous”. Though written as the words of a fool, it does strike upon an important point. Critical writing on artistic endeavours is incredibly difficult without the use of comparing and contrasting with similar ventures. Take GamEir’s coverage of Lords of the Fallen. Would it have even been possible to discuss that game without comparing it to the Souls series, to which it was clearly indebted? When the original Wild Hearts launched in 2023, the world couldn’t help but look at it through the lens of Monster Hunter, but now that it has been reborn as Wild Hearts S on the Switch 2, is it now time for this title to step out of the shadows of Capcom’s behemoth slaying series?
Originally published by EA, Wild Hearts S has now been republished by Koei Tecmo, developed by their Omega Force division. The Warriors series developers seemingly wanted to change their style from “battle thousands of enemies” to “fight one very big boy”. Indeed, Wild Hearts S follows the winning formula of tracking a big beast and then engaging in a lengthy battle that may span an entire world map as you wear down your enemy. You can then use your plunder to upgrade and craft gear to fight more monsters. You can also team up with other players to make a party of four (one more than the original release). Yes, this is all VERY Monster Hunter!
Good Will Hunting
However, the ways Wild Hearts distinguishes itself are what make it a game worth discussing. On the aesthetic level, the world of Azuma is based on feudal Japan, with far more indicators of an advanced civilisation than Capcom’s series. This leads into the karakuri mechanics, rudimentary mechanical devices used for traversal and combat. You can initially summon boxes to help climb walls, and in combat can be used to gain a height advantage for aerial attacks or to block monster charges and daze them. You’ll quickly gain new karakuri, and while they must be used strategically as they use thread currency, they add a new flavour to these battles by putting player choice first.
The weapons are influenced by this system, too. As you attack, you charge up a meter, which then allows you to channel karakuri mode. For example, the standard katana transforms into a mechanical whip, giving you greater range and flexibility. The game has much less emphasis on preparation and deliberation, wanting you to get into the action as quickly as possible. You can see how the developers come from the Warriors series, wherein you dictate the flow of an entire battle by jumping in and manually kicking arse. Strategy? What for?
Monsters Incorporated
The monster designs are quite exquisite, a Princess Mononoke style blend of faune with flora to make some pretty incredible big baddies to bash. That said, as impressive as this title is now running on a handheld, it would be a lie to say it looks consistently great. The art style helps to hide this as best it can, but low-res textures and pop-in aplenty make for some shoddy presentation. This won’t be an issue when locked in a deadly duel with a massive badger, but more so in the downtime of the game. While it wasn’t the best-looking game on other platforms, previously looking strangely blurry, it now looks overly sharpened. Hopefully, as the developers become more used to this new hardware, they can address graphical issues down the line. Aside from that, the game plays well and controls are responsive, though combat can feel deliberately imprecise.
In short, Wild Hearts S wears its inspirations well. It takes a solid foundation and finds new systems and complexities to heighten the tension and increase the options available for creature clashes. Despite some technical hitches, this is a fantastic title for a system in its early days. If you’re looking for a deep co-op RPG experience for your new handheld, then consider your hunt over.
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