Nu Udra Unveiled: Monster Hunter Wilds' Oilwell Basin Apex - IGN First

From the vast deserts to the lush forests, and from the fiery volcanoes to the icy tundras, the Monster Hunter series has always dazzled players with its diverse array of environments, each teeming with unique ecosystems crafted by an eclectic cast of monsters. The thrill of exploring these unknown territories and traversing their landscapes while on the hunt is one of the quintessential joys of playing Monster Hunter.

This sense of adventure continues with the latest installment, Monster Hunter Wilds. Following the Windward Plains and Scarlet Forest, hunters now venture into the challenging terrain of the Oilwell Basin, a region engulfed in flames and coated with oilsilt. At first glance, it may appear barren and lifeless, but closer inspection reveals the slow, wriggling movements of small creatures navigating through the mire. Scattered throughout the basin, remnants of an ancient civilization hint at a rich, untold history.

Yuya Tokuda, the director of both Monster Hunter: World and Monster Hunter Wilds, provides insight into the Oilwell Basin:

"During the Fallow, the Oilwell Basin is a place filled with mud and oil. When the Inclemency known as the Firespring arrives, it burns away the oilsilt, and during the Plenty, the burned-away oil and soot vanish, revealing the minerals, microorganisms, and the original colors of the manmade artifacts hidden beneath," he explains.

Down in the Muck

The development team's concept for the Oilwell Basin was detailed by Kaname Fujioka, the director of the original Monster Hunter and executive director and art director for Wilds:

"Given the horizontal expanses of the Windward Plains and Scarlet Forest, we chose to design the Oilwell Basin as a vertically connected locale," he says. "The environment changes subtly as you move between the top, middle, and bottom strata. Sunlight reaches the top, where oil accumulates like mud, and as you descend, the temperature rises, with lava and other substances becoming more prevalent."

Tokuda adds, "From the middle to the bottom strata, you'll encounter creatures reminiscent of aquatic life, evoking the deep seas or underwater volcanoes. In World, we explored the ecosystem of the Coral Highlands by imagining what it would look like if aquatic creatures lived on the surface. We've applied this knowledge to create the Oilwell Basin's creatures and ecosystem."

The Oilwell Basin transforms from a barren wasteland during the Fallow and Inclemency to a vibrant, marine-like environment during the Plenty. Fujioka emphasizes the contrast, noting, "During the Fallow and Inclemency, smoke billows from the Oilwell Basin, resembling a volcano or hot spring. But during the Plenty, it adopts a clear, marine-like tone. Observing the environmental biology closely, you'll discover it's a region inhabited by creatures you'd typically find on the ocean floor."

The Oilwell Basin's unique environment distinguishes it from other locales. Despite its seemingly lifeless appearance when covered in oilsilt, it supports a thriving ecosystem. Shellfish like shrimp and crabs, along with small monsters providing raw meat, live beneath the surface. Large monsters feed on these smaller ones, which in turn filter out and consume microorganisms from the oilsilt and environment. These microorganisms derive energy from the earth's heat. While the Windward Plains and Scarlet Forest rely on sunlight and vegetation, the Oilwell Basin is an environment powered by geothermal energy.

The large monsters of the Oilwell Basin are distinct from those in other locales. One such monster is Rompopolo, a globular creature with a mouth resembling thin needles and a noxious presence. Fujioka explains its design:

"We designed Rompopolo as a tricky monster that thrives in swamps and creates chaos for players using its toxic gas. The idea of a mad scientist inspired its depiction, leading to its chemical purple color and glowing red eyes. The equipment crafted from it is surprisingly cute, including its Palico gear."

Tokuda describes the Rompopolo Palico equipment as "amusing," and after experiencing it firsthand, I can see why. I encourage you to craft the equipment and see for yourself.

Flames of Ajarakan

Another new monster in the Oilwell Basin is Ajarakan, a massive gorilla-like creature enveloped in flames, yet with a slimmer silhouette compared to the Scarlet Forest's Congalala. In this video, we witness Ajarakan and Rompopolo battling for territory, with Ajarakan using its arms to give Rompopolo a fiery bear hug. Its martial arts-inspired movements emphasize the use of its fists, setting it apart from typical fanged beasts.

Tokuda elaborates on Ajarakan's design, "When designing fanged beasts, their low hips place their heads at eye level with the hunter, which can make it harder to perceive the threat. We aimed to give Ajarakan a more top-heavy and towering silhouette, incorporating flame elements and wrestler-like grabbing attacks to highlight its physical strength. It's a monster that combines strength, physical attacks, and flames, such as its attack where it melts something and throws it at you."

Fujioka adds, "With a series of unique monsters, we thought it was time to introduce one whose strengths are straightforward. Ajarakan's attacks are simple yet powerful, like punching or slamming its fists to create flames."

Ajarakan holds a high position in the Oilwell Basin's ecosystem. Unlike Rompopolo, which uses poison gas and oilsilt, Ajarakan's flashy appearance, with flames and magma accompanying its attacks, underscores its dominance.

Fujioka shares the evolution of Ajarakan's design, "Initially, it was just a physically powerful monster. We wanted to give it more personality, especially since it's in a fiery location. We didn't want it to simply breathe fire, so we designed it to wear flames on its back, reminiscent of the Buddhist deity Acala. The idea of its rising internal temperature giving it the power to melt anything in front of it added to its character. We wanted players to think about avoiding its hot embrace."

Ajarakan's design focuses on straightforward power, and to avoid repetitive movements, Fujioka notes that the team added increasingly flashy techniques as development progressed, such as jumping into the air, balling up, and crashing down.

A Monster Generations in the Making

Dominating the Oilwell Basin's ecosystem as its apex predator is the "Black Flame," now officially named **Nu Udra**. With its slimy body coated in flammable oil, Nu Udra stretches and wriggles throughout the basin. Like the Windward Plains' Rey Dau controlling lightning and the Scarlet Forest's Uth Duna enveloping itself in water, Nu Udra is cloaked in flames. The developers emphasize that apex predators in Wilds are designed with their region's element in mind. Despite the unusual setting, Fujioka confirms that octopuses inspired Nu Udra's design:

"Yes, it was octopuses. We wanted its silhouette to be striking when it rises up, giving it demonic horns, but also designed it so you can't tell where its face is."

Tokuda adds that even the music during Nu Udra battles is inspired by demonic imagery, "We had the composers include phrases and instruments reminiscent of black magic, resulting in a unique and compelling piece of music."

Nu Udra's tentacle movements follow in the footsteps of monsters like Lagiacrus from Monster Hunter Tri. Both Tokuda and Fujioka have long desired to bring a tentacled monster to life:

"In Tri, I proposed an octopus-shaped monster for underwater combat, emphasizing its distinctive movements. I had fun brainstorming ideas like severable legs, but technical challenges prevented its realization. I've held onto that proposal all this time."

Fujioka reflects on past tentacled monsters like Yama Tsukami and Nakarkos, "We're always interested in using monsters with unique movements at key moments. While too many unique monsters can tire players, introducing one at the right time leaves a strong impression. That's why we had Yama Tsukami appear in Monster Hunter 2 (Dos) as you encounter it floating over the mountains in a deep forest."

Tokuda nostalgically adds, "I'm the one who put that (Yama Tsukami) there." Although technology limited Yama Tsukami's actions, they aimed to make it memorable.

The development team's dedication to creating monsters is evident throughout the process. Even if current technology can't support their ideas, they store them for future use. Realizing a monster like Nu Udra, which fully utilizes its tentacles, is a significant achievement for both Tokuda and Fujioka.

Fujioka explains, "While Yama Tsukami and Nakarkos were fixed in place, Nu Udra uses its cephalopod traits to move freely, offering new gameplay experiences."

Tokuda adds, "When we saw the tests, we decided to make it the apex predator of the Oilwell Basin. It feels like I'm finally attempting one of those long-rejected proposals."

Nu Udra's animations received meticulous attention, even outside of hunting. After taking enough damage, it wraps around ancient ruined pipes to navigate the area, effortlessly entering small holes in the terrain. Fujioka highlights the challenge of depicting flexible bodies:

"We worked extensively on depicting flexible bodies with Nu Udra. At the start of development, we come up with ambitious ideas, challenging our artists. The final product is amazing when we can make it work."

The team uses new technologies to realize their accumulated ideas as the series progresses, even if success isn't guaranteed. Hearing Tokuda and Fujioka discuss their work gives a sense of the Monster Hunter development environment:

"When we first implemented the movement of it going inside a hole, an animator asked me to wait and see it. I remember saying, 'Oh, that really is amazing!' The animator looked so satisfied."

Fujioka adds, "The way it squirms around while wrapped around a pipe is well-made. I hope you check it out. Only games can depict such things in real-time. I'm incredibly proud of it as a crystallization of the staff's efforts."

Fujioka's pride in the level of detail and the team's efforts is palpable. When facing Nu Udra, its flexible body makes finding an opening challenging. If you get too close, it launches a powerful counterattack. After breaking a tentacle, its severed tip continues to thrash on the ground. Tokuda explains:

"You can cut off many tentacles. All parts that touch the ground can be severed, though they begin to rot after some time. Carving rotten parts won't yield good materials. Nu Udra uses its tentacles for focused and area-of-effect attacks, with a unique tempo. Its sensory organs at the tentacle tips emit light to indicate its target, making it suitable for multiplayer hunts."

Nu Udra's sensory organs emit light when attacking, but as it doesn't rely on vision, Flash Bombs are ineffective. Tokuda offers advice on defeating it:

"Its body is soft with many breakable parts. Hunters should determine where to attack. Cutting off a tentacle shortens its area-of-effect attacks, making movement easier. It's a monster made for multiplayer, where targets are split. Using SOS flares and Support Hunters can enhance the experience."

Fujioka adds, "Destroying its parts is like an action game, helping you get closer to defeating it. Gravios is another example where breaking its armor reveals a way to defeat it. Carefully watching a monster's movements and making decisions fits perfectly with Monster Hunter's approach."

A Welcome Reunion

Fujioka mentions Gravios, which returns in the Oilwell Basin after its last appearance in Monster Hunter Generations Ultimate. Its rocky carapace and hot gas emissions make it a fitting addition to the area.

Tokuda explains the decision to bring back Gravios, "We wanted monsters that match the Oilwell Basin's environment and fit the game's progression without overlapping with other monsters. Gravios seemed like a fresh challenge."

The reintroduced Gravios has an even harder body than before. Its massive presence is overwhelming compared to other Oilwell Basin monsters. Attacking its rocky carapace allows for Focus Strikes after forming red wounds.

Tokuda elaborates, "We wanted to maintain Gravios's distinguishing features like its hardness. It's a monster that appears after significant progression, challenging hunters to find ways to defeat its hard body using the wound system and part breaking."

All Monsters in Monster Hunter Wilds

17 Images

While Gravios returns, its juvenile form, Basarios, will not appear in this game. Fujioka explains, "Basarios will be taking this one off. The time isn't right yet."

As discussed in our interview about monster selection, the Monster Hunter team carefully considers which monsters to reintroduce, ensuring they can be fully utilized. Although Basarios won't appear, many other monsters will inhabit the Oilwell Basin. I eagerly anticipate hunting there, Cool Drink in hand.