

However, it leaves you wide open if you hit the right stick accidentally or just don’t build quickly enough. This gimmick frequently feels like the only way to stop the monster from attacking long enough to get some damage in. Karakuri are used to build anything from a box you can use for jump attacks on the monster to a wall it runs into causing the monster to go down. You have a roll or slide (dependent on which weapon you chose) to compliment the Karakuri which are your primary defense. It’s similar to Monster Hunter but less responsive when you need to switch between offense and defense.

Unfortunately, the combat, which is arguably the most important thing in a game like Wild Hearts, falls short.

Even things like the water and sky, which a lot of games can’t seem to get right, look fantastic in Wild Hearts. Each monster, whether in its base form or transformed state, looks intimidating, and you get a feeling of awe just looking at them. The climbing and exploring are reminiscent of Breath of the Wild. The environments look absolutely stunning and are quite fun to traverse. The character creator allows for some fairly in-depth customization. I had fun with the Wild Hearts during my time with it, but it lacked a lof the extra features that I’ve come to expect from a game like this. It’s very pretty, and the monsters look awesome. The issue is this is an infuriating game. After putting quite a bit of time into Monster Hunter Rise and World, Nioh, Dynasty Warriors and playing Toukiden on the Vita, I was really excited for Wild Hearts.
