When I interviewed some Exodus devs late last year ahead of a new trailer at The Game Awards, it was easy to feel the upcoming game's Mass Effect influence.
Many of those working on Exodus at Archetype Entertainment previously worked at Bioware, including those I spoke to: vice president and general manager Chad Robertson, game director Chris King, and narrative director Drew Karpyshyn.
The devs told me that they are aiming to make another "science fiction RPG that stands the test of time with players" just like Mass Effect, and judging by this new gameplay, it's definitely nailing the aesthetic and gameplay angle that fans of EA's RPG series enjoy.
The debut gameplay footage above, via IGN, is short but sweet. Exodus isn't due out until some time in 2027, so it's still got a lot of time in the oven before releasing, but this quick tease has me excited for some combat that is very Mass Effect-ish, and traversal that looks like something new.
Exodus is a third-person, cover-based shooter RPG where you play as a custom character, recruit squadmates, and take them into battle while forming relationships with them (one of whom is a sentient squid in a mech suit). The short combat snippet shows off the HUD, which features controls to command the companions, along with a time slowdown effect while swapping weapons. And those HP bars above the enemies are uncanny.
The devs told me that the game features a time dilation mechanic, which will greatly affect the game's story, events, and even its characters. “When you leave the world, a few days will pass for you, but years will pass for everyone back home,” Karpyshyn teased.
“Early on, we decided on this notion of Indiana Jones meets Interstellar,” King said of the game’s core concept. “And it was this notion of, ‘I’m gonna explore space and recover this ancient celestial tech which we call Remnants and I sort of choose what to do with the technology,’ and that’s sort of what impacts how the world changes.”
The watermark on the video is very clear that the game is a work-in-progress, and the footage does show some roughness around its edges, but the base for what could be the next great sci-fi RPG looks like it's there. At the very least, it's exciting to have a Mass Effect spiritual successor in the works.
EA and Bioware are still working on an actual Mass Effect sequel, but that game still feels like it's a long ways off. Until then, maybe next year Exodus can breathe some new life into the genre in the meantime. It's looking rather promising so far.
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