Devastated By Monster Hunter Wilds? This Promising Alternative Releases In Just 10 Days

As we sit back and watch the post-launch debacles of Monster Hunter Wilds unfold, it’s time to look for alternatives. While Capcom may address some of the issues before everything is said and done, the fixes aren’t prepared just yet, and there are plenty of other games to try in the meantime. Wild Hearts S, a Switch 2 port of the 2023 action RPG from Koei Tecmo’s Omega Force, is launching in just 10 days.

While Wild Hearts didn’t get nearly as much of a warm welcome as a brand-new Monster Hunter when it originally launched, it delivered on several fronts, having played through it. It’s a literal monster-hunting affair, so the comparisons are fully warranted, but it also employs a lot of its own mechanics and personal flair, like crafting and utilizing gadgets to fight even bigger foes.

What Went Wrong With Monster Hunter Wilds?

Performance Issues And More

While Monster Hunter Wilds debuted with stellar critical reviews, it is now sitting at 89% “overwhelmingly negative” reviews on Steam. There are several reasons why this happened, but a buggy and performance issue-ridden PC port is largely to blame. Even PC players with top-of-the-line rigs are running into problems, if they can run it at all consistently.

Monster Hunter Wilds: Weapons Difficulty Tier List

In Monster Hunter Wilds, 14 different weapons exist, some with complex systems to learn while others are easy to start using on hunts immediately.

Beyond PC woes, there are also increasing concerns over how Capcom handles content drops for Monster Hunter Wilds, with many users finding them to be “FOMO” (fear of missing out) heavy. Capcom is thankfully addressing some of these problems, but for many dedicated fans, it’s too little, too late.

Wild Hearts S May Be A Better Monster-Hunting Option

This Underrated Koei Tecmo Game Has Style

Three players fighting a giant monkey boss in Wild Hearts.

Wild Hearts S is slated to release on the Nintendo Switch on July 25, and I suggest you give it a shot. After being whisked away to the land of Azuma, you’ll take on gigantic beasts as you craft items and objects using the Karakuri system. Think shields and traps, in addition to hunting gear; a mechanic that sings when played in co-op with up to four people. If you’re curious, you can play a demo of Wild Hearts S on Switch 2 now, which allows you to transfer your save data to the full version of the game.

Curiously, the “S” version of the game does not allow cross-platform multiplayer (or voice chat), but it did increase the total player count in online and local play to four, from three. “S” will include additional modes and update beasts from the get-go, beast escapes have been reduced across the board, and there are some balance changes that make initiating later boss encounters a bit simpler. Digital bonuses from the Wild Hearts Karakuri Edition are also in.

Palico and Rathian from Monster Hunter Wilds

I’m Worried Monster Hunter Wilds’ Performance Issues Could Have One Massive Consequence For PC Players

Monster Hunter Wilds’ performance issues aren’t new to the series but it could have wide-reaching consequences in the future for PC fans.

Considering the PC port of Wild Hearts is having some issues at the moment, the Switch 2 edition should hopefully be as smooth as the other console versions. The Switch is off to a fantastic start when it comes to ports, as it hosted Cyberpunk 2077 with ease, and managed to upgrade many older versions of existing Switch 1 games.