"Nu Udra: New Monster in Monster Hunter Wilds Revealed"

Monster Hunter Wilds directors reveal a whole new locale and ferocious monster to beat through an exclusive interview. Read on to find out more about the Oilwell Basin and its king, the Nu Udra.

Monster Hunter Wilds Introduces The Black Flame, Nu Udra

Welcome To Oilwell Basin

In an exclusive interview with IGN, Monster Hunter Wilds directors Yuya Tokuda and Kaname Fujioka introduce players to one of the areas they’ll be able to explore in the full game: the Oilwell Basin, as well as the gallant monster that rules over its lands, the Nu Udra.

Oilwell Basin stands out with its unique vertical structure, a departure from the series' usual horizontally broad locales. "We had two horizontally broad locales in the Windward Plains and Scarlet Forest, so we decided to make the Oilwell Basin a vertically connected place. The deeper you go, the more magma-filled and hot it gets," explained Fujioka. He added that the top strata mostly consist of oil-like swamps, creating a distinct "gradation" in its overall structure.

Tokuda elaborated on how the area transforms during the event known as the Plenty. Once you enter around the center or bottom level, the area resembles an underwater volcano ecosystem. The team drew inspiration from the Coral Highlands in Monster Hunter World to design the Oilwell Basin in this state. "During the Fallow and Inclemency, smoke comes out of everywhere in the Oilwell Basin like it's some sort of volcano or hot spring. But during the Plenty, it takes on a clear, marine-like tone. Look closely at the environmental biology, and you'll find that it's even a region inhabited by the kinds of creatures you'd expect to find on the ocean bed," Tokuda noted.

These creatures are distinct and native to Oilwell Basin, enhancing the environment's uniqueness. Despite its seemingly lifeless appearance, a plethora of monsters and creatures call it home.

Nu Udra, The Black Flame

Of course, a location in a Monster Hunter game is not complete without its apex predator. The harsh and desolate environment of the Oilwell Basin is home to the "Black Flame," Nu Udra. This massive, octopus-esque monster has a slimy, flammable body adapted to its environment. It uses its slithering tentacles to capture prey before unleashing scorching flames, sending them to a fiery death. With Windward Plains’ Rey Dau reigning over lightning and the Scarlet Forest’s Uth Duna wielding the power of water, the eldritch horror-looking Nu Udra completes the trio with its fire affinity.

Nu Udra largely resembles an octopus, a seafaring creature, and Fujioka shared that this was intentional. "I’ve always wanted to add a tentacled creature at some point," he mentioned, noting that they thought of taking a normally aquatic creature and modifying it to give a more striking look and feel. Additionally, they were going for a "demonic" look, adding horn-like elements to its head. Its unique battle music, reminiscent of demonic imagery and black magic, ties it all together. "We had the composers include phrases and musical instruments reminiscent of black magic. I think it ended up being a unique and good piece of music," Tokuda added.

Battling Nu Udra is immensely challenging, as it is equipped with several tentacles and can attack with both focused and AoE (area of effect) moves in rapid succession. It is immune to Flash Bombs since it doesn’t rely on its vision to see prey—it only needs its many tentacles to sense its environment.

More Monsters In The Basin

However, Nu Udra isn't the only formidable creature in the Oilwell Basin. Trailing just behind it is the huge, scaly, and monkey-like Ajarakan, covered from head to toe in flames. It attacks with martial arts-inspired movements and frequent use of its fists in its moveset. A terrifying blend of massive physical strength and fire power, Ajarakan is a welcome new addition to the series’ repertoire of monsters.

Another intriguing addition is the strangely globular monster with thin needles for a mouth called the Rompopolo, which uses toxic gases from its body in combat. Its strangely purple color and glowing red eyes are menacing, reminiscent of a mad scientist. The developers said they were directly inspired by the stereotypical mad scientist when designing Rompopolo, calling it a "tricky monster." Despite its eerie features, its drops make for surprisingly "cute" equipment for both the Hunter and their Palico companion.

Even a monster from previous games makes its comeback. Gravios, last seen in Monster Hunter Generations Ultimate, returns to occupy the Oilwell Basin. Its inclusion was due to its fit with the locale, featuring its rocky carapace, fiery breath, and typical presence in volcanic regions. "When we were thinking of monsters that match the Oilwell Basin's environment, make sense in the game's overall progression, and don't play too similarly to any other monsters, we thought that we could make Gravios seem like a fresh challenge and decided that it would reappear," Tokuda mentioned.

With all these exciting reveals, it’s hard not to be pumped for Monster Hunter Wilds’ upcoming release on February 28th.