As I give my first steps into the land of Azuma, the sound of the breeze flowing between the trees and the vast land presented before me creates a stunning environment that makes me want to explore every inch of it, a familiar sensation that most likely indicates a fight is coming soon. In the distance, I hear a creature howling.

Last week I had the pleasure of attending a preview presentation of Wild Hearts, the upcoming hunting game brought to us by a team-up between EA and Koei Tecmo. Both publishers have produced some of the best action games in the past, however, KT has more experience with hunting games thanks to the Toukiden series. As often happens with such a collaborative project formed by two juggernauts of the industry, I was curious how a partnership like this came to fruition.

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“Before EA came into the picture, Koei Tecmo wanted to build a next-generation hunting game,” Kotaro Hirata, one of the game’s co-directors, tells me. “And as we were planning this, we know that we're famous for the Dynasty Warriors series, so we wanted to have a new type of hunting game. We were going through a trial and error process in building that game, and that's where EA came along to provide valuable input into that process”.

Wild Hearts Deathstalker Fight

Furthermore, both companies seemed to understand their strengths and focused on working on the best possible version of this project. “On the creative side it was almost 100 percent KT, and EA respected our creative direction,” says Takuto Edagawa, the game’s other co-director. “However, we got tons of valuable advice from EA. They would give us input on how international audiences would feel about certain elements and would make important suggestions that were invaluable in the development of the game.”

As soon as I started playing the demo, I noticed the Karakuri system, a tool that allows you to use materials from the environment to build up constructs to aid you in your journey. You can employ this for different purposes, such as different platforms that you can climb to while in combat, to improve the open world you move in by building different points to replenish your healing potions, or as a means of transportation like the Flying Vine - a cable you can shoot at mountains, trees, or platforms, to travel faster across Azuma.

Wild Hearts Azuma Region

As a veteran of several hunting games, I have to say I love the simplicity of the mechanic and how creative you can get with it in its different uses to interact with the world around you. “We wanted several different aspects of the Karakuri in this game, and while I can't tell you the exact number, I can give you a hint that you will see over 30 different types of Karakuri throughout the game, which are used in real-time, and the crafting is done during the battle,” explains Hirata.

“When we were incorporating crafting into the hunting game genre, we wanted it to be done in real-time, to be simple and yet multifunctional. You're able to combine multiple mechanisms to create a new Karakuri that makes it free to implement the tactics you want to use in your battle. At a base level, we are doing a hunting game so it's battle-oriented, but they can also be used to set traps, or for further exploration, you can use them to make roads, or to move easier throughout the environment”.

Wild Hearts Lavaback Fight

Something worth noting is that the Karakuri system can also be applied to the weapons that we find in the game. The Karakuri Staff, for example, is capable of transforming into five different weapons. From the Karakuri Katana to the Bladed Wagasa umbrella, these weapons will also see their shapes altered by these devices, revealing different uses and forms for us to explore throughout our journey.

Of course, this wouldn’t be a hunting game without monsters to face - in this case, that’s the Kemono. Throughout the demo, we have several Kemono to beat who present quite a challenge and show very interesting designs and techniques, indicative of their nature and behavior in combat. When I ask if we’ll be introduced to different variations or powered-up versions of a specific Kemono, Edagawa’s response is clear and concise “In general, you're going to be fighting a different Kemono each time. It won't be like they evolve and you have to fight a stronger version of that one, you're going to find a new type. However, as the fight progresses, the Kemono may fuse with the world around them, so you might see some variations in that aspect.”

While they won’t evolve, that doesn’t mean they won’t change at all, as Hirata adds “There may be a case where you may have defeated a certain Kemono, and then they might come back, or you might see them again in a different form.”

Wild Hearts Kingtusk

While Wild Hearts has a multiplayer mode, it also has its single-player adventure, and from the looks of it, it’s quite a solid story and relevant to your character’s development, which is quite unusual for this genre. This makes me think about how replayable the game will remain at the endgame stage, and wonder if there is more to discover after that.

“Having a high level of replayability after you've cleared the base storyline was a very important aspect for us,” says Hirata. “You will face stronger Kemono as you continue to play and level up your hunting ability, so you must strengthen your character and keep playing. There are also lots of elements that you won't have covered in detail if you just play through the main storyline, so our players should grow their abilities and continue playing if they want to fully grasp those elements.”

In a genre as revisited as this one, it’s quite an achievement to introduce new systems in such an innovative way. And yet, I have to say that I had the most fun exploring and hunting on this Wild Hearts preview. With each Karakuri construct unlocked and after defeating numerous Kemono, I can’t help but be hyped about this upcoming hunting game.

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