Highlights
- Exodus, the upcoming sci-fi RPG from Archetype Entertainment, has similarities to Mass Effect, potentially making it appealing to fans of the series.
- The game focuses on player choice and a mature story, similar to the narrative-driven elements of Mass Effect, and emphasizes meaningful, impactful decision-making.
- Archetype Entertainment is composed of industry veterans who have worked on the Mass Effect games, suggesting that Exodus may have elements that feel reminiscent of the classic BioWare RPG series.
Archetype Entertainment offered a glimpse of its upcoming science-fiction RPG Exodus at The Game Awards 2023, and it's looking like it could be a hit with Mass Effect fans. The game was introduced by Matthew McConaughey, and while there's plenty of hype about the fact that the Interstellar star will play a role in Exodus, his involvement is only part of why it's worth following.
Exodus was first teased back in 2020, when Wizards of the Coast announced that it had formed Archetype Entertainment, a brand-new studio comprised of industry veterans. At that time, little was known about Archetype's plans, other than the fact that the fresh studio was at work on a new science-fiction RPG designed around player choice. Now, that RPG has been revealed as Exodus, seemingly a cinematic, narrative-driven game featuring at least one Hollywood star. Based on the new Exodus trailer, information about its developers, and additional news about its design, it seems like it could be a natural extension of the Mass Effect series.
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Why Exodus Could Be a Hit with Mass Effect Fans
Mass Effect 4 could return to the series' roots, but Exodus might just beat it to the punch. The upcoming game has been described as a story-driven, choice-focused RPG in space, which are all obviously things it would have in common with Mass Effect. Look past these more surface-level, genre-specific parallels, however, and some additional similarities between the games emerge.
Exodus Could Evolve the Mass Effect Formula
Archetype has described Exodus as a mature story that is focused on the "hard sci-fi" aspects of its world, rather than over-the-top spectacles or battles, much like Mass Effect's focus on sci-fi lore and world-building over constant combat. The studio has already ruled out space combat a la Starfield, suggesting that the gameplay will be more focused on straightforward, boots-on-the-ground gameplay and combat encounters similar to those found in the Mass Effect games.
Additionally, Archetype has confirmed the existence of companions, who can be interacted with both on and off the battlefield. These gameplay considerations, along with the game's apparent focus on meaningful, impactful player choice, make it sound a lot like a modern-day Mass Effect game. It could therefore benefit from advancements in both game design and gaming technology, while learning from the successes and failures of RPGs released since Mass Effect 3.
Exodus' Developers Have Worked on Mass Effect Games
The themes, premise, and genre conventions of Exodus might make it a good match for Mass Effect fans, but it's the people behind the game who could truly make it feel like the classic BioWare RPG series. Many of Archetype Entertainment's industry vets are former BioWare staff with direct experience working on the Mass Effect games, including Archetype head James Ohlen, who is the former Creative Director of BioWare. Ohlen and his peers likely don't want to simply rehash the Mass Effect formula, nor should they, but it wouldn't be surprising if their experience working on the series presented itself in Exodus' design, tone, or narrative.
Many feel that BioWare has passed its prime, with the Mass Effect series in particular suffering a blow to its reputation with Mass Effect: Andromeda, its mixed reception, and its complicated legacy. This loss of faith from fans has cooled expectations for Mass Effect 4, which has only received a few teasers that, ironically, are arguably less informative than the trailer Exodus showed at The Game Awards.
With all this in mind, it will be interesting to see what Archetype manages to produce with Exodus, which is undeniably similar to Mass Effect. Hopefully, it manages to recreate what made BioWare's sci-fi opus so special, while still having its own identity.
