Wild Hearts Reviews

Wild Hearts is ranked in the 75th percentile of games scored on OpenCritic.
Feb 16, 2023

Wild Hearts refreshes the hunting genre with clever crafting and awesome beasts but is brought down by a poor technical state and weak story.

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90 / 100
Feb 16, 2023

Wild Hearts brings a uniqueness to the monster hunting genre that keeps the experience feeling refreshing. The Karakuri and different weapon options are very fun to experiment with and present interesting combat opportunities. Overall, Wild Hearts capitalizes on what made monster hunting games so much fun in the first place while still giving fans of the genre a new reason to get excited and dive back into the fight.

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Feb 17, 2023

It is a shame that Wild Hearts launched in the state it is in. The gameplay loop of hunting monsters and using their parts to create gear is addictive, the weapons are entertaining to use, the Karakuri system is deep and filled with secrets, and the world of Azuma is beautiful and immersive. Yet the horrendous optimization issues bring down the experience and, in worst cases, render the game unplayable on certain platforms.

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Guardian
Top Critic
Feb 16, 2023

This wonderfully weird creature-hunter has an unending supply of memorably unhinged, massive foes; it may not be an all-timer but it's fun while you're fighting

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8 / 10
Feb 24, 2023

Wild Hearts apes Capcom's monster-hunting series, and does so well while introducing new elements that enhance the genre.

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Unscored
Feb 23, 2023
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7.5 / 10.0
Feb 24, 2023

Wild Hearts have dismantled the beast, and retrofit its parts into something more accessible and highly addictive in its own right. Obnoxious exposition and an uninspired narrative can sometimes get in the way of its well crafted gameplay loop, but the thrill of the hunt is more than worth it.

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8 / 10.0
Feb 16, 2023

Wild Hearts is an innovative, interesting hunting game that explain the mass genocide committed by hunters. Net of a few camera defects and too many reskin, it is a solid game that brings a breath of fresh air to a genre that is a little too scared of Monster Hunter's shadow.

Review in Italian | Read full review

82 / 100
Feb 16, 2023

If the developers were hoping to launch an IP that could stand side-by-side with other monster-hunting games, they can rest easy. Wild Hearts shares some mechanics with other titles in the genre, but it’s best when staking out unique territory. Hunting Kemono alone and with others, using the Karakuri, and just enjoying the game’s satisfying loop are all a lot of fun. Best of all, Wild Hearts has the mechanical foundation and potential for endless DLC and sequels. If they can live with its slightly disappointing visuals, fans of that “other” monster-hunting game have a viable and addictive alternative in Wild Hearts.

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9 / 10.0
Feb 16, 2023

I would like to see some improvements to AI and things in the future but with an aggressive post launch plan that includes more monsters (kemono) and story beats, Omega Force is firmly behind Wild Hearts and that can only mean good things for the monster hunting market at large.

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8 / 10
Feb 16, 2023

Wild Hearts is, at times, an utterly thrilling game. It's a game that will leave you kicking yourself for a poorly timed dodge or a missed opportunity, and jumping out of your chair when you finally topple a troublesome foe with a last-ditch, go-for-broke attack. There's a handful of technical issues, a mite too much repetition, and some quibbles about the difficulty, but the core monster hunting experience is spectacular enough that the joys far outweigh the frustrations.

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8.8 / 10.0
Feb 16, 2023

WILD HEARTS marks the emergence of a worthy new AAA franchise. While the game suffers a bit from some minor technical issues on PC, the core gameplay is astoundingly strong. The mixture of wildly creative Kemono monsters and player-built karakuri creates a strong, addictive cocktail of fun. The challenge level is high, but victory feels triumphant. Highly recommended.

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8 / 10.0
Feb 16, 2023

Wild Hearts couldn't have been a better start for a new IP. While the experience shares more than a few similarities with that of the Monster Hunter series, the unique monster design, the great weapon variety and the Karakuri crafting mechanics give the game a unique flavor that makes it stand out easily among similar games. Performance issues, sadly, impact the experience considerably on all formats, preventing it from reaching greater heights, but even in its current state, the game is a more than worthy purchase for fans of the genre.

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B+
Feb 28, 2023

Wild Hearts is a blast from beginning to end, and the combination of Karakuri with streamlined, snappy combat, makes it a joy to pick up and play. Newcomers to the genre or those who have always been intimidated by Monster Hunter should start here. But there is a very real possibility you may just stick with Wild Hearts for its unique aesthetic and streamlined mechanics, on top of the incredible Karakuri system.

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Feb 28, 2023

Wild Hearts is ultimately a monster-hunting game, and just as in Monster Hunter, the core flaw of just how arduous it can be to take down prey, even with a little help from your friends, is present here. The story, though, at least provides a bit of motivation in hard times. Namely, the game’s main hub world, a fishing village powered by magic, provides some surprisingly poignant little tales worth seeing through to the end, and which home in on the important role that you play in helping to provide for that community. The results of your good work are tangible when those tales are said and done, which in the end makes the monster hunting at the center of Wild Hearts feel, if not less like work, then at least purposeful.

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Unscored
Feb 16, 2023
Goddamn, I really wish I could recommend: Wild Hearts (Review) - YouTube video thumbnail
8 / 10.0
Feb 17, 2023

Wild Hearts fits into a genre landscape dominated by an extraordinary contender. The "tested" elements are many and evident, but the game still finds its dimension thanks to the introduction and management of karakuri.

Review in Italian | Read full review

6 / 10.0
Feb 22, 2023

Although WILD HEARTS puts up a valiant effort to capitalize on the success that Monster Hunter has found in the West these past few years, it still leaves a lot to be desired. The most disappointing aspect is how bogged down it is with technical issues that prevent a seamless online co-op experience. A lot of the joy in hunting monsters is being able to do it with friends. Despite featuring cross-platform play, I preferred to play WILD HEARTS alone rather than be bothered with the slow-downs that I encountered. It shows great promise with their weapon types and the upgrading mechanics, but ultimately WILD HEARTS feels like an unfinished product. I hope that the upcoming content updates can turn that around. In the meantime, I’d look elsewhere for getting that next hunt in.

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90 / 100
Feb 22, 2023

More than a Monster Hunter clone, Wild Hearts managed to be a worthy competitor to the Capcom series, thanks to its original ideas and handling of well-known concepts. Omega Force has delivered a new series that could well become a mainstay for the Japanese studio.

Review in Spanish | Read full review

PCMag
Top Critic
Feb 21, 2023

Wild Hearts is a refreshing take on monster hunting that features huge creatures, cool weapons, and highly useful support systems.

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