Nintendo Switch 2’s been hanging out for a couple of months now, and wouldn’t you know it, games are piling up on this thing. Being a kinda, sorta gamer-on-all-platforms, I still think of it mainly as my go-to for Nintendo exclusives. But hey, it’s new! So, that’s my excuse to catch up on stuff I missed the first time around. Enter Wild Hearts S, which is, let’s say, the Switch 2 version of Koei Tecmo’s 2023 monster-catching bonanza.
Now, about Wild Hearts S — it kinda shows off what the Switch 2 can do with third-party games. The console’s getting stuff it couldn’t handle before, like, this feels big — Cyberpunk 2077. Okay, so Wild Hearts S doesn’t quite compare to a PlayStation 5 or Xbox Series X spectacle. We’re talking more like a souped-up PS4 or Xbox One here. Textures? They’re not exactly screaming, “Look at me!” Framerate? Yeah, it takes a nosedive during all the flashy bits. But if you’re team substance-over-style, then you’re going to have a blast, promise!
In the same vein as its predecessor, Wild Hearts S is about you and your character hunting down and annihilating kemono. Little guys, big guys, all thrown in across the maps. The little ones? Eh, easy enough. The real deal? Oh, those massive kemono! They’ve got this crazy mishmash of animals-meets-nature. Rabbits with vine coats, boars smacking you with some leafy appendage. It’s nuts.
The designs are both stunning and, well, kinda terrifying. You’ve got docile ones, like some turtle covered in coral (and yep, I took it out even though it wasn’t bothering me. Wish I’d petted it instead). Then you’ve got the boar — first boss — that really won’t stop until you’re toast. They’re in survival mode too, just like you!
Gameplay here? It’s all about those grand kemono hunts. You walk into these massive locations, scope around for your prey. And you can literally build stuff, like spot towers. Enter the magical karakuri constructs! Basically, wooden things that help you explore or fight. More stomping, more karakuri unlocking, like combining crates to make walls against charging boars, or mixing springs for some hammer gizmo, or gliders for a healing mist. Pretty nifty!
And once you’ve located these kemono with your trusty karakuri, the battles? Epic. They drag on, but you really feel like a hunter squaring off against a beast. What I love? Time progressing—20 minutes of IRL fighting means hours of game-world drama, from sun-up to starry night.
Oh, and first meeting the Lavaback? I’m all about games where enemies clash with each other. Makes the world feel alive, chaotic — seeing a Lavaback treat a Spineglider like a ragdoll? Thrilling but terrifying. I’d just beaten that Spineglider when this beast came in swinging. Yikes.
But, oh man, the camera. If you’re familiar with Monster Hunter, maybe it’s no biggie. Me? It felt like a boss-battle FromSoftware-style. The camera would freak out, giving me a VIP tour of the kemono insides. Too close to cliffs? Not good. Large creatures, frazzled camera. I’d see the kemono’s back while getting trampled. Fun times.
Despite the quirky camera, Wild Hearts S? Loads of fun. Solid addition to the Switch 2. It’s not a graphics powerhouse, but who cares — it’s about the gameplay! Hunting beasts? It’s thrilling, chaotic, and I’m all set for more monster mayhem on the fly.
