Alright, so here’s the deal—my Nintendo Switch 2 is fresh outta the packaging, and yeah, it has me hooked. It’s still mostly my go-to for Nintendo stuff, but hey, who am I to ignore the shiny new ports of old games I never got to? Enter Wild Hearts S—the Switch 2 edition of that Koei Tecmo monster hunting game from 2023.
Now, I’m no tech guru, but Wild Hearts S shows off what this little gadget can handle. It reminds me of those old PS4 and Xbox One days, kinda. It’s not winning any beauty contests against the PS5 or Xbox Series X. Picture graphics that might make you squint, especially when stuff gets crazy. But if you’re more about what you’re doing than how it looks, there’s fun in store. Maybe? I think so, anyway.
You get to create your own character, and then it’s off to the races—well, hunts. Little creatures here and there, no biggie. But it’s the big ones, the kemono that mix nature and animals (a leafy boar, really?) that make things interesting. You’re practically in awe, until they try to trample you. Fair enough, since you’re hunting them, right? I still feel a bit bad for the turtle; it didn’t need to end like that. My bad.
The game’s heartbeat is those epic kemono battles. You’re out there with your magical karakuri gadgets—wooden wonders that help you explore or fight. Need a wall to block a boar? Stack those crates. A swinging hammer or healing mist? Easy peasy once you’ve got the hang of it. It’s like DIY on monster steroids.
Anyway, the fights—yeah, they’re epic. You feel like a true hunter, slashing away under the setting sun and into starry skies. Makes that 20-minute brawl seem like ages in their world. I love how time just slips by during these fights.
And then there’s the Lavaback. When it flings enemies around like it’s showing off—it’s madness. I just beat a Spineglider and thought I was on top of the world, and this Lavaback shows up, tossing it like a plush toy. The world’s alive and kicking, more than I was, honestly.
But not all’s perfect. The camera’s a bit wild. I mean, these beasts are huge, and sometimes it’s like fighting with a blindfold on—camera zipping through monsters, cliffs causing chaos. There I am, face-planting into trouble with no view of my own character. It’s a bit of a mess, but what can you do?
Despite the janky bits, Wild Hearts S is seriously fun and a nice addition to the Switch 2 saga. It’s not about jaw-dropping graphics; it’s about the thrill of the hunt, especially when you’re on the move. Can’t wait to see where my next monster adventure takes me.
