Summary
Archetype Entertainment offered a glimpse of its upcoming science-fiction RPGExodusat The Game Awards 2023, and it’s looking like it could be a hit withMass Effectfans. The game was introduced by Matthew McConaughey, and while there’s plenty of hype about the fact that theInterstellarstar will play a role inExodus, his involvement is only part of why it’s worth following.
Exoduswas 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 asExodus, seemingly a cinematic, narrative-driven game featuring at least one Hollywood star. Based on the newExodustrailer, information about its developers, and additional news about its design, it seems like it could be a natural extension of theMass Effectseries.
Why Exodus Could Be a Hit with Mass Effect Fans
Mass Effect 4could return to the series' roots, butExodusmight 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 withMass 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 describedExodusas a mature story that is focused on the “hard sci-fi” aspects of its world, rather than over-the-top spectacles or battles, much likeMass Effect’s focus on sci-fi lore and world-building over constant combat. The studio has already ruled outspace combat a laStarfield, suggesting that the gameplay will be more focused on straightforward, boots-on-the-ground gameplay and combat encounters similar to those found in theMass Effectgames.
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-dayMass Effectgame. It could therefore benefit from advancements in both game design and gaming technology, while learning from the successes and failures of RPGs released sinceMass Effect 3.
Exodus' Developers Have Worked on Mass Effect Games
The themes, premise, and genre conventions ofExodusmight make it a good match forMass Effectfans, 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 theMass Effectgames, including Archetype head James Ohlen, who is the former Creative Director of BioWare. Ohlen and his peers likely don’t want to simply rehash theMass Effectformula, nor should they, but it wouldn’t be surprising if their experience working on the series presented itself inExodus' design, tone, or narrative.
Many feel that BioWare has passed its prime, with theMass Effectseries in particular suffering a blow to its reputation withMass Effect: Andromeda, its mixed reception, and its complicated legacy. This loss of faith from fans has cooled expectations forMass Effect 4, which has only received a few teasers that, ironically, are arguably less informative thanthe trailerExodusshowed at The Game Awards.
With all this in mind, it will be interesting to see what Archetype manages to produce withExodus, which is undeniably similar toMass Effect. Hopefully, it manages to recreate what made BioWare’s sci-fi opus so special, while still having its own identity.
