EA and Omega Force officially revealed new Monster Hunter-like game Wild Hearts Wednesday morning with a trailer showing off towering beasts and impressive technology. The collaboration between EA and the Dynasty Warriors studio was revealed earlier this week, hinting at a triple-A title set in Feudal Japan with few details given at the time. The project will be the first major collaboration between EA and Omega Force with Omega Force mostly working on the Warriors franchise and its many spinoffs. Now, the newest project from Omega Force looks to take inspiration from Capcom's hunting franchise.
The reveal trailer for Wild Hearts shows off a breathtaking world steeped in Japanese architecture and mythology. The game's first video introduces players to the world of Azuma, a lush landscape filled with a variety of unusual creatures. Wild Hearts looks to follow in a similar hunting gameplay style to Monster Hunter, showing off some of the massive beasts players will fight throughout their adventure. Some highlights of the initially revealed "Kemono" include a colossal boar covered in moss and algae, a giant squirrel that causes trees to grow, and a wolf in a frozen tundra.
A major focus of Wild Hearts' reveal trailer that looks to set the game apart from Monster Hunter comes with the emphasis on technology. Players will be able to use a variety of technology and buildable items to aid them in battles with monsters, including building blocks to help players gain altitude. Some other inventions the players can use to aid them in battle include a helicopter-like propeller to hover over larger enemies and a hammer catapult. The trailer also teases the ability to upgrade players' weapons with a variety of effects.
EA closed the trailer by confirming the release date of Wild Hearts for early next year. The trailer revealed the collaboration between Koei Tecmo and EA will launch on February 17, 2023 and has been confirmed as exclusive to next-gen consoles and PC. The game will also reportedly feature cross-play between Xbox, PlayStation, and PC with players across all platforms able to team up to take on the game's roster of ferocious monsters.
Wild Hearts comes as the latest game to join EA's line-up of "EA Originals," a publishing initiative between EA and other development studios. EA has already seen massive success with several games published through the EA Originals program including 2021 Game of the Year It Takes Two and Coldwood Interactive's Unravel. The unique mix of giant monsters and technology will look to set Wild Hearts apart from its inspiration when it launches early next year.
Wild Hearts will release on February 17, 2023 for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S.