EA and Koei Tecmo have revealed that Wild Hearts, the Monster Hunter-like action game from the Dynasty Warriors developer, will arrive on February 17, 2023.
In a new trailer, we got our first real glimpse at the game coming to PS5, Xbox Series X/S and PC (with an extended gameplay reveal set for October 5). Set in Azuma – effectively a fantasy feudal Japan – teams of up to three players will take on “giant nature-infused beasts called Kemono”, using a mixture of action combat and crafting to create outlandish contraptions.
We learned much more about those contraptions, the Monster Hunter comparisons, and why Koei teamed up with EA for Wild Hearts in our exclusive interview with Koei Tecmo directors Kotaro Hirata and Edagawa-san.
Wild Hearts can be played solo or in co-op, with crossplay across all platforms. Your player-character will be almost taken down by a winter wolf called Death Stalker, before being given access to “a life-sustaining technology and… compelled to restore balance across the region.”
While the game will look immediately familiar to Monster Hunter fans (or fans of Omega Force’s previous Monster Hunter-like series, Toukiden), its core innovation appears to be in the form of Karakuri, magically constructed structures that can aid your hunt.
The trailer shows the player constructuing Karakuri that act as platforms to leap on monsters from, building a giant hammer and bombs, and even spawning a handheld helicopter to glide. Multiple players can use Karakuri too, with one shot revealing players constructuing harpoons that hook a monster in place.
In a press release, Koei Tecmo executive vice president Yosuke Hayashi explained, “With Wild Hearts, not only did we want to showcase the evolution, infusion and real threat caused by Kemono, but we also wanted to create a game where crafting was at the core of the experience, redefining what can be possible in a beast hunting game. We have placed great care in designing our Karakuri to fit within the combat, and we’re excited for players to use these powerful mechanisms to fight giant beasts and traverse the world.”
Wild Hearts marks the latest entry in EA’s Originals catalogue, which has typically been used to bring indie games to a wider audience. Other EA Originals include It Takes Two, Lost in Random, Unravel, and more.
Joe Skrebels is IGN’s Executive Editor of News. Follow him on Twitter. Have a tip for us? Want to discuss a possible story? Please send an email to newstips@ign.com.
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