Surprise! Monster Hunter World: Iceborne is adding one of the series' most infamous monsters

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I can still hear the screams

When Capcom teased that it had new Monster Hunter World: Iceborne monsters to reveal between now and the expansion's release on September 6, I was expecting Gammoth or Zinogre, or maybe another mega-monster like Xeno'jiiva. I was not expecting Yian Garuga, but that's exactly what we got in a new Japanese TV commercial for Iceborne (around 12 seconds in). Not that I'm complaining, just rather surprised and slightly fearful.

Yian Garuga is a bird wyvern that was introduced all the way back in Monster Hunter Freedom, and it is a nightmare on legs. It's basically a giant version of the endearingly derpy (and pink) Yian Kut-Ku, but far, far fiercer. It flies, it screams, it shoots fireballs, its tail is poisonous, and I hate it with every fiber of my being. 

It's a good hunt, honestly, but the gap between a bad Garuga hunt and a good Garuga hunt is enormous. On a good Garuga hunt, you take advantage of its huge head and readable moves to head-lock it, stun it, and otherwise pummel it into mush. On a bad Garuga hunt, you get frozen by its instant roar because you didn't want to gem in Earplugs, poisoned by its tail swipe because you underestimated the size of your current quarry, lit ablaze by its fireballs because you got too close with your charge attacks, and you get stunned - while taking constant damage from the burning and poison, mind you - by its instant charge attack because it can go to hell. I mean, not that I would know. 

Monster Hunter World has done a good job of reinvigorating classic monsters with new moves and personalities, and I shudder to think what tricks it's given Yian Garuga. This would be the monster to drive me to give up damage-boosting skills like Weakness Exploit and Critical Eye in favor of defensive ones like Poison Resistance and Earplugs, I'll tell you that. That said, if we get to make its awesome hammer again, it'll be worth it. 

Monster Hunter World: Iceborne recently received a new trailer and dev diary - here are 10 unmissable details. 

Austin Wood
Austin Wood
Senior writer

Austin has been a game journalist for 12 years, having freelanced for the likes of PC Gamer, Eurogamer, IGN, Sports Illustrated, and more while finishing his journalism degree. He's been with GamesRadar+ since 2019. They've yet to realize his position is a cover for his career-spanning Destiny column, and he's kept the ruse going with a lot of news and the occasional feature, all while playing as many roguelikes as possible.