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

Oilwell Basin stands out with its unique vertical structure, a departure from the series' typical horizontally expansive 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 are primarily composed of oil-like swamps, creating a distinct "gradation" in its overall structure.

Tokuda elaborated that the area transforms during the event known as the Plenty. When you enter around the center or bottom level, the Oilwell Basin resembles an underwater volcano ecosystem. The team leveraged their experience from designing the Coral Highlands in Monster Hunter World to craft this dynamic environment. "During the Fallow and Inclemency, smoke emerges from everywhere in the Oilwell Basin, resembling a volcano or hot spring. But during the Plenty, it adopts a clear, marine-like tone. If you look closely at the environmental biology, you'll discover it's a region inhabited by creatures you'd expect to find on the ocean bed," Tokuda noted.

These creatures are unique and native to the Oilwell Basin, enhancing the environment's distinctiveness. Despite its seemingly lifeless appearance, the basin teems with a variety of monsters and creatures.

Nu Udra, The Black Flame

Every Monster Hunter locale has its apex predator, and the Oilwell Basin is no exception. It is ruled by the "Black Flame," Nu Udra. This massive, octopus-like monster has a slimy, flammable body adapted to its environment. It uses its slithering tentacles to capture prey before engulfing them in scorching flames. Alongside Windward Plains’ Rey Dau, who commands lightning, and Scarlet Forest’s Uth Duna, who wields water, Nu Udra completes the elemental trio with its fire affinity.

Nu Udra's design draws inspiration from octopuses, a choice Fujioka had long desired. "I’ve always wanted to add a tentacled creature at some point," he said. The team transformed this aquatic creature into a striking, demonic figure by adding horn-like elements to its head. The battle music further enhances its eerie presence, with compositions that evoke black magic. "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.

Engaging Nu Udra in battle is a formidable challenge. It wields multiple tentacles and can unleash both focused and area-of-effect attacks rapidly. Its immunity to Flash Bombs, due to its reliance on tactile senses rather than vision, adds another layer of difficulty.

More Monsters In The Basin

Nu Udra isn't the only formidable creature in the Oilwell Basin. The Ajarakan, a huge, scaly, monkey-like monster covered in flames, also roams the area. It employs martial arts-inspired movements and powerful fist attacks, blending immense physical strength with fiery prowess. Ajarakan is a thrilling addition to the Monster Hunter series.

Another intriguing inhabitant is the Rompopolo, a globular monster with a needle-like mouth that emits toxic gases. Its eerie purple hue and glowing red eyes give it a mad scientist vibe, a direct inspiration from the developers. Despite its menacing appearance, Rompopolo's drops yield surprisingly "cute" equipment for both the Hunter and their Palico companion.

Even a familiar face returns to the Oilwell Basin: Gravios from Monster Hunter Generations Ultimate. Its rocky carapace and fiery breath make it a fitting resident of this volcanic region. "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 explained.

With these exciting reveals, anticipation for Monster Hunter Wilds' release on February 28th is at an all-time high.