Automatons in Helldivers 2 Might Have Looked Very Different. Old Concept Art Reveals Designs Straight Out of Metal Gear and Titanfall
Would an enemy faction like this be even harder to defeat?
The record-breaking popularity of Helldivers 2 didn't always look the way we know it - a statement that could fit any game. Preliminary drafts, while atmospheric and captivating, may not always be included in the final version due to hardware limitations or a change in concept.
An example of this second situation is certainly the project of automatons. What was the original concept of the developers?
Climate straight from old wars
A few days ago, designer Tore Wesolowski, working for Arrowhead Game Studios, shared early concepts of automatons via Art Station. It's not hard to notice that they differ from the official version - not only in terms of colors, but also shapes and functions.
According to the initial outline, smaller specimens were armored robots from game series like Titanfall. Finding any human traits in them is difficult, with even the most basic variations being larger than the average helldiver. The Helldivers 2 version known for being a bit more human-like is mainly due to the skull being placed where the head would be.
However, the biggest surprise seems to be larger tanks and drones, which were missing in the official game and which evoke associations with Metal Gear. An example is a tank moving on legs like an animal. Another detail is a different color scheme that brings to mind old war machines.
Rusty doesn't mean worse
The concept arts captivated the commenters under the above-mentioned Reddit post, especially in regards to the automatons that didn't make it to Helldivers 2. Players would be willing to engage in battle even with walking tanks, which some believe are more in line with the shooter atmosphere than the final result.
Players indeed refer to the aforementioned Titanfall, due to the color scheme and design of old automatons. This especially applies to the Soldier and Lieutenant, who seem even stronger. Some still suggest adhering to the canon that considers automatons to be a lesser version of cyborgs.
The rusty aspect makes more sense imo. [The Automatons] are supposed to be a counter measure from the cyborgs after their loss to Super Earth. Maybe they emerged from underground bunkers or something like that. That design also fits Kenshi aesthetics, I like it.
-- TerranST2
