Monster Hunter Wilds | Great Sword Analysis

The release of Monster Hunter Wilds has been steadily approaching. In the meantime, Capcom has been rolling out previews of the new weapons in the upcoming game. These previews showcase the weapons and describe the new features introduced in each video. It looks like the classic Great Sword will get a move set change in the new game.

The showcase starts with a beautiful close-up of the Greatsword, and of course, it looks fantastic. The True Charge Slash, which is the bread and butter of any Greatsword user, makes its return, and it’s as satisfying as ever. I’ve always loved how these overviews present the key art for each weapon, and seeing the Greatsword in all its glory just gets me hyped.

What caught my eye, though, was the splash art reveal. These splash screens have always added a touch of class to the overviews, and I’m glad to see that tradition continues. But beyond the aesthetics, the gameplay footage has got me all excited. Capcom has showcased the new Focus Mode for the Greatsword, where it seems like you have even more freedom to turn while charging your slash. You might even be able to pull off 360-degree charge slashes now, which would be an absolute game-changer for positioning and crowd control/hitting weak points. I won’t know for sure until I am able to try it out when the game releases.

Another returning favorite is the shoulder tackle. This move has always been a lifesaver, letting you tank through attacks and perfectly time your follow-up strikes. It’s great to see it back in action, along with the wide slash, which we don’t use all the time, but it’s still nice to have in the arsenal for certain situations. Seems like you will have the option to play more aggressively with the great sword.

The coolest part has to be the variant of the wide slash they showed off. It looks like it might be a charged wide slash, complete with that glowing red aura we see when charging up an attack. The result is a massive hit that knocks the monster down, followed by a slick multi-slash combo. Honestly, it’s one of those moves that just looks as powerful as it feels, and I can already imagine the satisfaction of landing it in the game.

We also looked closer at the Focus Strike, which lets you drag your blade along the monster to trigger weak spots and optimize your damage output. This move ties into the new Focus Mode, and while it’s not the flashiest attack, it’s definitely going to be useful as long as I don’t forget to use it.

A brief clip of a clash mechanic is teased, but we haven’t gotten any specifics. I’m curious to see how it works, though. Another interesting tidbit is what looks like a sneak attack mechanic. In the footage, the hunter lands a wide slash on a monster, unaware of their presence, and with rumors of a sneak attack modifier, this could be our first look at how it works.

The great sword had no massive changes, but the focus mode and the new move set aim to make this weapon more precise and aggressive. The wide slash just looks crazy. It will be interesting to try it out once Monster Hunter Wilds finally releases.

Also, check out the Monster Hunter Wilds' weapon analysis below:

• Monster Hunter Wilds | Insect Glaive Analysis
• Monster Hunter Wilds | Longsword Preview Analysis
• Monster Hunter Wilds | Heavy Bowgun Preview Unveils Huge Changes