The first Wild Hearts gameplay trailer for EA's new monster-slaying action game promises some delightful twists on the traditional Monster Hunter formula. Come for the giant creatures, like a two-story tall moss-covered pig, but stay for the ziplines, siege weapons, and battle-umbrellas.
The game seems to promise punchy, responsive combat alongside an emphasis on exploration and multiplayer. The game also offers a grittier, more down-to-earth aesthetic than its Monster Hunter causing, much more reminiscent of Elden Ring than Monster Hunter Rise.
The upcoming EA Original is set to release on PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC. You can watch the trailer below:
Sky high
As you can see, Wild Hearts has a lot going on. In addition to the robust cut and thrust one might expect from a monster-tracking hack and slash, Wild Hearts clearly aims to bring a lot of mobility and utility to the table, as well.
Judging by the trailer, it looks like you can construct platforms, zip lines and even siege weapons right in the middle of combat. When combined with the game's multiplayer elements (a must for any Monster Hunter-alike), it looks like there will be potential for some devious strategies. Imagine using bombs to direct one of the unfortunate creatures directly into the path of your friend's siege engine. There's clearly a lot to unpack, here.
What's more, Wild Hearts seems to be pretty keen on exploration. The zip lines and deployable ledges seem reminiscent of Death Stranding in their ability to get you from A to B in style. The personal helicopter is a nice touch and, though clearly very useful in combat, might open up entirely new areas to intrepid explorers out in the world.
As you've probably noticed, the visuals on show in Wild Hearts differ from your usual Monster Hunter fare. The highly saturated, clean style of Monster Hunter Rise starkly contrasts with the grittier realism on display in EA's new title. You don't need me to tell you that the giant pig in the trailer is absolutely disgusting – the game does that for you. The darker, more naturalistic tone of Wild Hearts seems reminiscent of Elden Ring and the Dark Souls games. It certainly makes for a novel approach within the monster slaying genre.
We have no word on when Wild Hearts is due to release. Given the game was only announced a week ago, it's still early days. However, if you've ever wanted to zipline onto the back of a disgusting giant pig before slashing it to ribbons with a cool sword, this may be the game for you.
