One New Monster Hunter Wilds Creature Could be the Game’s Khezu

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One New Monster Hunter Wilds Creature Could be the Game's Khezu

Highlights

  • Monster Hunter Wilds introduces new, eerie monster designs like Balahara, following the trend set by the creepy Khezu creature.
  • The eyeless serpentine swimmer, Balahara, brings a formidable challenge with its insectoid features and desert setting traps.
  • The latest addition to MH’s eyeless creatures is likely to resonate with players, offering a scary yet lasting impact in the series.

As a seasoned Monster Hunter veteran with over a decade of slaying beasts under my belt, I can confidently say that the latest addition to the Monster Hunter Wilds roster, Balahara, is a chilling testament to Capcom’s knack for creating unsettling creatures. With its eerie design and desert-dwelling habits, it harkens back to the days of battling the iconic Khezu, a monster that has left an indelible mark on my psyche and hunting career.

The upcoming game, Monster Hunter Wilds, promises to unveil a new realm teeming with unique monster ideas. However, one of the designs leaked so far could potentially be classified as one of the franchise’s strangest creatures. Known for its ability to stretch the limits of creative yet plausible monsters in each installment, some of these creatures have gained notoriety for their unsettling appearances. With a glimpse of the gameplay already revealed for Monster Hunter Wilds, there’s a possibility that this creature might follow in the footsteps of the grotesque monster from the Monster Hunter series that started this trend.

The designs initially revealed in Wilds‘ first trailers were the likes of relatively predictable Herbivores and Fanged Beasts, but a unique Monster Hunter Leviathan stood out against these more conventional archetypes. Known as the Balahara, this monster is a serpentine swimmer of sand dunes, bearing stout limbs and what appears to be an eyeless, worm-like face. Apart from featuring a far more intimidating look than players are accustomed to at the start of a playthrough, this monster could be the latest addition to a lineage of strange and eerie creatures that began with the Khezu.

Khezu Set the Tone for Creepy Designs in Monster Hunter

The Evolution of Eyeless Monsters

Making its first appearance in Monster Hunter Freedom Unite, the Khezu represented a shift from the more conventional mythical and regal wildlife-inspired monsters that came before it. With a leech-like face and no eyes on its visage, this slobbering, cave-dwelling interpretation of a Flying Wyvern has remained one of Monster Hunter’s most indelible creatures. Its distinctive attachment to wall-climbing and the emphasis on electricity since its inception have helped it endure, serving as a foundation for Capcom to further develop this concept in future iterations.

Although the strange, eyeless creature from Monster Hunter 3, known as Gigginox and Gore Magala in later games, might seem frightening, it’s clear that their appearances in subsequent generations wouldn’t have happened without Khezu paving the way. This unusual monster has so far outlasted other creatures since its debut in Rise, but it appears that the upcoming game in the series will introduce a new take on this pattern.

Balahara’s Uncanny Features Could Mean Its Monster Hunter Wilds’ New Khezu

As a devoted Monster Hunter Wilds fan, I can’t help but notice the striking similarities between the upcoming Balahara and some of my favorite monsters like Khezu and its descendants. The Balahara seems to be moving into territories that are already familiar, with its trapping tactics reminiscent of Antlions and its unique, tripartite jaws resembling mandibles. Despite this insectoid vibe, it’s a massive creature that promises a daunting fight within its desert domain. The Balahara’s heavy reliance on its environment, combined with its intimidating serrated jaws and luminescent flesh, suggests it’s following closely in the footsteps of the Khezu, carving out a niche all its own.

There may still be room for the cave-dwelling Wyvern to exist in Wilds though, as the Balahara has been shown to operate in groups as opposed to the solitary behavior of Monster Hunter‘s influential Khezu. With it only having been seen in packs so far, there’s even the potential for a greater Balahara leader that can function as a proper boss in the same vein as creepier monsters of the past. Regardless of the variations that may follow it, however, the latest addition to MH‘s set of eyeless creatures which represent some of the scariest parts of the entire series is sure to remind many returning players of the lasting impact of one of the series’ most horrific concepts.

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2024-08-08 14:34