Back in early 2023, Wild Hearts was released with bold ambitions: a direct rival to Monster Hunter, built around elemental monsters, feudal Japan-inspired biomes, and a unique, gadget-driven combat system known as “Karakuri.”

MKAU’s PS5 review at the time praised its creative mechanics and the visual scale of its Kemono battles, but also highlighted frustrating bugs, technical stumbles, and a general lack of long-term support from EA, which published the game under its EA Originals label.

Fast forward to 2025, and Wild Hearts S launches as a Switch 2 exclusive, but more importantly, with EA no longer involved. This release is entirely in the hands of developer Omega Force and publisher Koei Tecmo, and that independence results in a tighter, better-performing, more complete experience. It’s not just a re-release, it’s a reassertion of identity.

We won’t delve too deeply into moment-to-moment gameplay since MKAU’s original PS5 review already covers core combat, weapon classes, and Karakuri mechanics in great detail. Instead, this review will focus on what makes Wild Hearts S a significant evolution.

Unlike the original console versions that struggled to maintain stable frame rates (especially on PS5 and Xbox Series X during larger encounters), Wild Hearts S has been specifically optimized for the Switch 2’s hardware. Performance is vastly improved across the board, including sharper textures, enhanced lighting, and a more consistent resolution, even in handheld mode. Additionally, there are faster load times and smoother open-world traversal.

The new Switch 2 hardware allows the world of Azuma to finally breathe; fog-laced forests, crystalline caves, and ancient ruins now appear far less compressed, with improved draw distances and more detailed environmental storytelling.

The Karakuri, deployable gadgets used in battle and exploration, have also benefited from these upgrades. Previously, framerate dips and animation hitches could make quick building during high-intensity moments frustrating. On Switch 2, these issues are mostly eliminated, allowing your tactical creativity to flourish.

Perhaps the most meaningful improvement, however, is philosophical. Wild Hearts S is no longer a product compromised by a third-party publisher trying to chase a trend. EA abandoned the original within seven months.

Koei Tecmo, on the other hand, has embraced this re-release not as a second chance but as the definitive version. No in-game storefronts. No roadmaps or “coming soon” updates. Just a fully-featured, polished title ready to be played from start to finish.

Every cosmetic and premium item previously locked behind the deluxe edition, including lanterns, emotes, and layered armor, is now included by default.

There’s a sense of creative closure here; the developers went back and addressed the core issues, from technical optimization to quality-of-life enhancements.

Wild Hearts S is what the original always wanted to be: a bold, inventive monster-hunting action game with systems that encourage creativity and cooperation. It still features some of the best creature design of the past five years, still delivers that thrill of crafting a last-second Karakuri to outwit a towering beast, and now it does so without the baggage that once held it back.

For returning players, this is a redemption arc worth experiencing. For newcomers, this is the ideal way to enter the world of Azuma. If you’ve ever bounced off Monster Hunter for being too dense, or found Soulslikes too punishing, this might be the perfect middle ground.

Written by: Bradley Thorsen