Wild Hearts, a collaboration between EA Originals and Koei Tecmo’s Omega Force (the studio behind the long-running Warriors series), transplants the creature battling formula most closely associated with Capcom’s Monster Hunter games to a fantastical feudal Japan where up to three players can battle mysterious beasts known as Kemono. Omega Force - which has previous experience in the monster hunting genre, courtesy of its two Toukiden games - has now expanded on Wild Hearts’ initial reveal with seven minutes of new, largely uninterrupted gameplay footage. The sequence begins with a solo player exploring the land of Azuma’s picturesque coastlines in search of a mighty boar-like creature known as Kingtusk, using a portable zipline to traverse the rocky terrain before launching into battle against their enormous foe. Upon their defeat, the mission begins again with a friend in tow, this time offering a much better look at the diversity of Wild Hearts’ beautiful world. As the battle continues, we get a glimpse at some of Wild Hearts’ wonderful Karakuri - magical gadgets used in combat, each unfurling delightfully from self-assembling panels of wood - including a propellor used to glide through the air, a wall-like blockade, and a large bomb that detonates when struck. It’s already looking promising, but expect plenty more from Wild Hearts ahead of its 17th February release on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC next year.
