Bungie has been rather sparse with the introduction of new races in Destiny 1 & 2. With Lightfall, it was the Cloudstriders, who had never been seen before, but they were considered the biggest waste. This race looked very different before the release, but Bungie decided to change direction.
Who are the Cloudstriders? The Cloudstriders were first introduced with the expansion “Destiny 2: Lightfall.” They are huge, muscular humans who have transformed into cyborgs with technology. They are the protectors of Neomuna, a city on Neptune.
In this role, they safeguard the city’s inhabitants and the Traveler’s veil against enemies and the darkness. The only representatives of their kind at the moment are Nimbus and Rohan, whom players will meet during the story of Lightfall.
Although they have a bulky and modern appearance, many fans were unable to warm up to the Cloudstriders. Additionally, Nimbus’ character annoyed many people. He never gave off the feeling that he knew what was at stake. Instead, he wanted to distribute fist bumps.
However, fans have now stumbled upon old concepts of the Cloudstriders and wonder if this design would have brought the race the popularity they deserve.
Knights, monks, and Terminators mixed into a war machine
What did the Cloudstriders look like before? Reddit user SwirlyManager-11 has published some concepts of the Cloudstriders, showing which ideas Bungie discarded. These are dark beings that possess a humanoid body structure but appear anything but human; see for yourself:
The concepts show three colored Cloudstriders as they pose. The first specimen even has metallic wings, a bandolier across the chest, and crystals around the shoulders and below the belt. The faces appear expressionless, with only serious glowing eyes visible.
The second specimen looks like a monk with green skin. The clothing is lighter and even features accents of plants that may originate from Neomuna. Additionally, the monk’s robe is tattered near the feet.
The last specimen is a massive warrior in thick black armor. The armor is partially noble, covered with a red cloth. Additionally, the Cloudstrider holds a staff with several spikes. The knight also has a style with an unusual helmet that makes him seem even more impenetrable.
When comparing these concepts with the final Cloudstriders, it quickly becomes apparent that Bungie has done a lot to ensure they hardly resemble each other.
What do fans say about the original design? On Reddit, people discuss the general idea behind the Cloudstriders. They feel it is a shame that Bungie created such a cool faction from scratch, only to package them into a DLC and then forget about them. The following can be heard:
- “Encountering a group of secret anti-guardians is such a great idea, and I still can’t believe they [Bungie] messed it up so badly.” – owen3820
- “I have no idea why they did the whole two-people rule. I would have liked to meet other Cloudstriders, and maybe Nimbus’ younger, arrogant attitude would have worked as a second-in-command.” – ReadStraight8255
- “I don’t think it was the aesthetic that put people off (I actually quite like it), but just the lousy writing. ‘Cow pat’ is not an appropriate reaction to someone watching their father calcify right in front of their eyes.” – 420Frederik
- “I’m not sure what many people are talking about here because the current Cloudstrider aesthetic is definitely a turn-off for me, lol. Nimbus’ reflective bikini top is ugly, they have creepy facial features, and their neck looks really disgusting (not in a good way). Not to mention the weird bulging pants they are wearing? What’s up with that?” – xWinterPR
What do you think about the design of the Cloudstriders? Were you able to tolerate the Cloudstriders, or were you just glad when the story of Neomuna and Nimbus was over? Let us know your opinions in the comments. More about Destiny 2 can be found here: Former Destiny director wanted to make great games with new company – But his first game was Concord, and now he is in a crisis like Bungie
