KH: Players hunt using a type of crafting called Karakuri, an ancient technology that allows for the creation of extremely flexible and creative hunting grounds to take on powerful beasts. IGN: Can you explain the building system we're shown in the trailer? Are you solely creating hunting tools, or can you build structures as in the likes of Fortnite? However, the original aspects of Wild Hearts, such as what you are hunting, the battle system, the world setting, and the visual presentation, are different from Toukiden. Certainly, as a Japanese-style hunting game, Wild Hearts has some things in common with Toukiden.

Takuto Edagawa: We wanted Wild Hearts to appeal to a more global audience than the Toukiden series. Why did this feel like it needed to be a new IP, rather than a Toukiden sequel? IGN: As you mention, this shares similarity with your previous work on the Toukiden series. We believe that Wild Hearts, born from these core ideas, is a hunting game that offers a new and innovative experience. The ideas that formed the core of the project were Kemono, a fusion of nature and animals and Karakuri, a craft element that was added specifically to suit the hunting elements of this game. To achieve this, we went through several prototypes and trial and error over a very long period of time. One challenge we faced was creating something unique with universal appeal that would be accepted by players around the world. Our goal of creating a Japanese-style hunting game for a new generation remained consistent from start to finish, but making this core idea a reality was not something that happened overnight. It was informed by our experience developing hunting games, specifically the Toukiden series. Kotaro Hirata: This project began as an attempt to create a Japanese-style hunting game that a new generation of players around the world could have fun with.

What was the spark of an idea for Wild Hearts? IGN: Omega Force is best known for its Musou/Warriors games, but this looks like a big departure from that approach.

Wild hearts crew monster high