Capcom shows off Monster Hunter Wild’s new and improved Heavy Bowgun with a gameplay trailer

Capcom shows off Monster Hunter Wild's new and improved Heavy Bowgun with a gameplay trailer

What you need to know

  • Capcom has released a new trailer for Monster Hunter Wilds, showcasing the Heavy Bowgun.
  • The Heavy Bowgun is one of the game’s 14 weapon types, and its main gimmick is firing armor-piercing bullets and explosive projectiles at long-range to obliterate enemies with overwhelming firepower.
  • Monster Hunter Wilds, the latest entry in the Monster Hunter series, is scheduled to launch in 2025 for Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, and PC via Steam.

As a seasoned gamer who has hunted monsters since the days of Monster Hunter Freedom Unite on the PSP, I must say that Capcom continues to impress me with their innovative approaches to weapon types in the Monster Hunter series. The latest trailer for Monster Hunter Wilds’ Heavy Bowgun showcase is a testament to this commitment.


Among the standout features that make Capcom’s Monster Hunter series appealing is the vast selection of weapon options for players to utilize while pursuing monsters. Recently, Capcom has offered a sneak peek at one of these weapon choices.

Yesterday we delved into how Capcom adapted the Great Sword in Monster Hunter World, and today they’ve unveiled a fresh trailer showcasing their design for the Heavy Bowgun in Monster Hunter World!

The Heavy Bowgun is a weapon designed for long-range combat, particularly effective against heavily armored foes and massive monsters. By crafting different types using monster components, it allows you to fire various ammunition types that can cause significant damage, weaken enemies with status effects, or boost your teammates.

In Monster Hunter Rise: Sunbreak, the Heavy Bowgun from Monster Hunter World has been revamped with some new features. For instance, it now possesses a distinct energy meter that gradually fills up automatically and also when you hit enemies. Interestingly, both methods contribute to filling the gauge simultaneously.

Once the energy meter is fully charged, players are able to engage Ignition Mode and select particular ammunition based on the type of Heavy Bowgun they are employing. The Ignition Mode’s special ammo has two distinct effects: it can transform your Heavy Bowgun into a continuous-fire Gatling gun or an anti-tank rifle that fires armor-piercing rounds which lodge themselves in a monster before detonating from within.

In Monster Hunter Wilds, the method for triggering heavy bowgun’s powerful Ignition Mode is an enhancement of the Wyvernheart and Wyvernsnipe techniques from Monster Hunter World. The speed at which you can charge up this mode in Wilds has been boosted, allowing you to fire off its unique ammunition much more frequently compared to the original game.

A significant alteration in the Heavy Bowgun, especially noticeable in Monster Hunter World and Monster Hunter Rise, is its defensive features. Now, you can fit a shield attachment to these guns, enabling them to ward off monster attacks. Yet, it’s important to note that in previous versions, the Heavy Bowgun’s blocking was automatic when the player wasn’t firing; players had no control over the weapon’s blocking during combat.

It’s great news for Monster Hunter Wilds players! Now, Heavy Bowguns offer a new function: manual blocking of incoming attacks. This addition complements the weapon’s existing Auto-Block feature, enabling players to more effectively defend against enemy attacks without interrupting their offensive strategy. Instead of pausing to activate a guard, you can now manually block while continuing to fire.

Capcom shows off Monster Hunter Wild's new and improved Heavy Bowgun with a gameplay trailer

In terms of fresh additions, the Heavy Bowgun now includes a new attack called Focus Strike. This can be activated through the special Focus Mode feature in Monster Hunter Wilds. When used, the Focus Strike fires powerful rockets that burrow into a monster’s vulnerable areas, causing internal explosions for substantial damage.

As an onlooker, I can’t help but marvel at the heavy bowgun’s latest move. In this combat, the user forcefully inserts the weapon into the monster’s maw and detonates it, sending a powerful shockwave that appears to disintegrate the beast’s brain matter. Quite an impressive display of power!

When you need big guns, they don’t come bigger than Heavy Bowguns

Capcom shows off Monster Hunter Wild's new and improved Heavy Bowgun with a gameplay trailer

Although I think Monster Hunter World ranks among the top Xbox games and PC games, it’s true that the Heavy Bowgun wasn’t my go-to weapon in this game. The Wyvernheart and Wyvernsnipe mechanics were slow to charge, causing me to rely on standard ammo for optimal damage instead. While effective, this approach was less thrilling and didn’t compare to the excitement offered by other weapon types, as I had to use regular ammunition more frequently.

It’s anticipated that the revamped Ignition Mode in Monster Hunter Rise could make a significant difference, since it appears that the energy meter fills up more swiftly compared to the Wyvernheart and Wyvernsnipe mechanics from Monster Hunter: World.

Additionally, the thrilling new Focus Strike and the unique move involving thrusting a Heavy Bowgun into a monster’s mouth to explode its head from within are both incredibly brutal and captivating. I eagerly anticipate testing these moves out on the expanding array of monsters in Monster Hunter World.

Is there excitement about how the revamped Heavy Bowgun in Monster Hunter Wilds might make gameplay more enjoyable compared to earlier versions, and what other innovative features can we expect from the various weapon types within this upcoming title? Get ready to join the hunt starting in 2025, as Monster Hunter Wilds will be available for Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, and PC via Steam.

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2024-08-06 14:11