The Monster Hunter series is renowned for its diverse environments, from arid deserts to lush forests, fiery volcanoes, and icy tundras, each boasting unique ecosystems teeming with a variety of monsters. Exploring these unknown worlds and traversing their landscapes in pursuit of thrilling hunts is a cornerstone of the Monster Hunter experience.
In the latest installment, Monster Hunter Wilds, adventurers continue their journey into new territories. Following the Windward Plains and Scarlet Forest, the next frontier is the Oilwell Basin, a harsh landscape blanketed in flames and oilsilt. This seemingly inhospitable area is fraught with challenges, such as navigating through thick, dripping oil and navigating around molten magma. Yet, amidst the desolation, life persists, evident in the slow, wriggling movements of small creatures that inhabit the mire. Scattered across the basin are remnants of an ancient civilization, hinting at a rich history.
Yuya Tokuda, the director behind both Monster Hunter: World and Monster Hunter Wilds, provides insight into the Oilwell Basin's dynamic nature. He explains, "During the Fallow, the Oilwell Basin is a place filled with mud and oil. When the Inclemency known as the Firespring comes, it burns away that oilsilt, and at times during the Plenty, the burned-away oil and soot vanishes, revealing the minerals, microorganisms, and the original color of the manmade artifacts hidden underneath."
Down in the Muck
When asked about the concept behind the Oilwell Basin, Kaname Fujioka, director of the original Monster Hunter and executive director and art director for Wilds, shares, "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 environment there changes slightly when you travel between the top, middle, and bottom strata. Sunlight reaches the top strata, where oil gathers like mud, and the lower you go, the hotter the place becomes, with lava and other substances."
Tokuda adds, "From the middle to bottom strata, you'll find creatures not unlike aquatic life that may remind you of the deep seas or underwater volcanoes. In World, we created the ecosystem of the Coral Highlands using the idea of what it would look like if aquatic creatures lived on the surface, and we've used the knowledge we gained in the process to create the Oilwell Basin's creatures and ecosystem."
Fujioka emphasizes the dramatic transformation of the Oilwell Basin: "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 as we just mentioned. 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."
The Oilwell Basin's ecosystem is uniquely driven by geothermal energy, contrasting with the sunlight-dependent ecosystems of the Windward Plains and Scarlet Forest. Shellfish like shrimp and crabs, along with small monsters, thrive beneath the oilsilt, forming a food chain where large monsters prey on smaller ones, which in turn feed on microorganisms that derive energy from the earth's heat.
The Oilwell Basin introduces new monsters that reflect its unique environment. Rompopolo, a globular, noxious creature with needle-like mouthparts, is designed to be a tricky swamp-dweller. Fujioka explains, "We designed it as a tricky monster that lives in swamps and creates chaos for players by using its stored up toxic gas. The idea of a mad scientist came up often when we were trying to depict this trickiness. We were inspired by this concept when giving it a slightly chemical purple color and glowing red eyes. The equipment you can craft from it is surprisingly cute, though. So is its Palico equipment."
Tokuda finds the Rompopolo Palico equipment amusing, and players are encouraged to craft and experience it firsthand.
Flames of Ajarakan
Another new inhabitant of the Oilwell Basin is Ajarakan, a flame-enshrouded monster resembling a massive gorilla but with a slimmer silhouette compared to the Scarlet Forest's Congalala. Videos showcasing Ajarakan and Rompopolo battling for territory highlight Ajarakan's martial arts-inspired movements, including its use of fists and a bear-hug attack.
Tokuda elaborates on Ajarakan's design: "Normally when we design fanged beasts, their hips are low to the ground, putting their heads at about eye level with the hunter. We thought that this can make it harder to sense the threat that the monster poses. That's why we were conscious of giving this monster a more top-heavy and towering silhouette. We then added flame elements that are at home in the Oilwell Basin, as well as grabbing attacks reminiscent of a wrestler that highlight its physical strength. It's a monster that combines strength, physical attacks, and flames, like its attack where it melts something and tosses it at you."
Fujioka adds, "With one unique monster after the next making an appearance, we thought that this might be a good time to add a monster whose strengths are easy to understand. That's how we got Ajarakan. It just punches or slams its fists on the ground to make flames shoot up, making it the kind of monster that's strong by way of all its super-straightforward attacks."
Ajarakan's design evolved to incorporate more personality, drawing inspiration from the Buddhist deity Acala. Fujioka explains, "It's a monster in a fiery location, so I wanted to make use of flames and heat. That said, I didn't want it to simply breathe fire or create flames. That's how we ended up with a design where the monster seems to be wearing flames on its back, similar to the Buddhist deity Acala. From there, we got the idea of Ajarakan's rising internal temperature giving it enough heat and power to melt anything in front of it, which seemed to give it so much more personality. Ajarakan will grab the hunter or hug Rompopolo, and we wanted to make players think about how much they'd want to avoid getting hugged by an absurdly hot creature. We decided to make it seem scary by making it so hot that it'll melt anything and everything around."
The development team continuously refined Ajarakan's moveset to ensure it remained engaging and visually striking, adding dynamic techniques like jumping into the air, curling into a ball, and crashing to the ground.
A Monster Generations in the Making
Dominating the Oilwell Basin as its apex predator is Nu Udra, the "Black Flame," an octopus-like monster that secretes flammable oil, allowing it to coat itself in flames. Inspired by octopuses, Nu Udra's design includes demonic horns and an ambiguous facial structure, creating a striking silhouette.
Tokuda notes that the music during battles with Nu Udra draws from demonic imagery, resulting in a unique and compelling soundtrack. Nu Udra's tentacle movements echo those of past monsters like Lagiacrus from Monster Hunter Tri, fulfilling a long-held ambition of both Tokuda and Fujioka to create a tentacled monster.
Fujioka reflects on the challenge of integrating such a creature into the game: "We're always interested in using monsters who move like that in moments where they'd stand out, as their silhouette and the impression they give are nothing like standard monsters with limbs and wings. While including too many unique monsters will cause players to get tired of seeing them, dropping one in at just the right moment leaves such a strong impression."
Tokuda nostalgically recalls his role in introducing Yama Tsukami in Monster Hunter 2 (Dos), noting the technological limitations of the time. With Nu Udra, the team has successfully realized a more dynamic tentacled monster, utilizing new technology to overcome previous challenges.
The development team's dedication to Nu Udra's animations is evident in its ability to wrap around ancient pipes and navigate through small holes, showcasing the monster's flexibility and the team's attention to detail. Fujioka shares, "We did quite a lot of work on depicting flexible bodies this time with Nu Udra. At the start of development, we try coming up with pretty unreasonable ideas, whether or not we can actually achieve them. It's a challenge to ourselves in a way, and while it does cause a lot of challenges for our artists, the final product looks so amazing if we're able to actually make it take shape."
Fighting Nu Udra proves challenging, as its flexible body and multiple tentacles require strategic attacks to sever and weaken. Tokuda advises, "Its body itself is fairly soft, and it has lots of breakable parts. I think hunters should think about how to determine where to attack. Cutting off a tentacle will also shorten its area of effect attacks, making it much easier to move around. You could also call it a monster made for multiplayer, as that means its targets will be split up. You may be able to enjoy it even more by using SOS flares, Support Hunters included."
Fujioka emphasizes the action-game feel of tackling Nu Udra: "As we designed this monster, I thought it's one that can be tackled in a way that's very much like an action game in the sense that destroying its parts can help you get closer to defeating it. Gravios is another monster where you discover a way to defeat it as you destroy its tough armor, right? The ability to carefully watch a monster's movements and use that to make a decision fits perfectly with Monster Hunter's overall approach."
A Welcome Reunion
Fujioka mentions Gravios, a familiar monster from Monster Hunter Generations Ultimate, making a return in the Oilwell Basin. Its rocky carapace and hot gas emissions make it a fitting addition to the area.
Tokuda explains the decision to bring back Gravios: "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."
The reintroduced Gravios is even more formidable, with a harder body that requires strategic attacks to break through. Tokuda elaborates, "When bringing Gravios over to this game from previous titles, above all else, we wanted to make sure it still had its distinguishing features like its hardness. From a game design perspective, we also wanted it to be a monster that appeared after you've progressed a good bit and had gone through everything the game's design has to offer. That's why I came up with the idea of it being a monster where it's difficult to figure out a way to defeat its hard body at first, only for hunters to find more and more clues as they make good use of the wound system and part breaking."
While Gravios returns, its juvenile form, Basarios, will not appear in Monster Hunter Wilds. Fujioka confirms, "Sorry, but Basarios will be taking this one off." The decision reflects the careful consideration the Monster Hunter team gives to monster reappearances, ensuring they fit well within the game's ecosystem and gameplay.
The Oilwell Basin promises a thrilling hunting experience, with a diverse array of monsters and a unique environment that challenges and rewards adventurers. As players prepare to explore this new area, they can look forward to encountering both new and familiar creatures, each contributing to the rich tapestry of Monster Hunter Wilds.
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