There is nothing wilder than a good hunt. The tracking, the fighting, the success of the hunt. The reward gained for finishing a quest. These wild tendencies can be embraced in a hunter game such as Wild hearts.

Wild hearts is being developed by a mash-up of the two development companies EA and Koei Tecmo. Knowing that both developers have produced large games on their own, this mashup has some potential.

Hunting games have had some of the most significant gaming titles to date, from the monster hunter series by Capcom to the Toukiden series. However, never has there been a hunting game to be released by EA. A hunting game is not a game that EA is familiar with developing, but it is a game that Koei Tecmo is familiar with developing. That’s why through EA originals, Koei Tecmo was able to reach funding through EA to create a hunting game under EA’s label.

Azuma, where the story takes place, is a wild and fantastical landscape based in feudal Japan. A former peaceful kemono now ravages the once peaceful and serene land. The kemono have a decently extensive range of monsters, from squirrel plant halfbreeds, to extremely large wild boars.

This game allows you to step into the hunter’s shoes, your goal being to hunt down all these beasts and protect those whom the beasts threaten to harm. Join up on quests, hunt alone, or with a friend. The world of Azuma is at the player’s mercy. 

Despite being a traditional hunter, this game includes details others don’t have. This is the Karakuri system, a tool that allows the player to use materials previously gathered to build structures that may very well turn the tide of the battle. Construct traps or build a wall to stop a charging boar. The uses are endless, and the advantages are numerous.

The gorgeous scenery is also something to note when playing this game. It is stunning, to say the least. The Karakuri system forces the player to interact and explore the world more than if they just went in for the hunt.

Overall, I believe this game will be a good casual play. It doesn’t seem like it is going to be a very long grind to achieve success, but it also seems like there are a lot of things to do in-game that can ward off boredom. I enjoy the hunter genre of games, and Wild Hearts excites me to be released.