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We just got our biggest-ever look at Exodus, the anticipated new sci-fi RPG from a group of Mass Effect veterans set to launch early next year. In the 20-minute extended gameplay reveal that aired just after the Future Games Show, developer Archetype Entertainment showed off everything from combat to companions as it dived deep on what you can expect to see when Exodus launches in early 2027. The reveal was chock-full of new information, so we've dived deep to pull out the five biggest things we learned.
Companions come in all shapes and sizes
Your companions make up a major part of your journey in Exodus, assisting you in combat while out on missions and shaping the way you experience the galaxy during downtime. But from the very beginning, you'll get to experience just how diverse the characters that travel by your side truly are. The gameplay reveal begins by introducing you to Houston, main character Jun's friend who's one of the game's 'Awakened' - super intelligent animals capable of communicating with humans. Houston is a wolf, but he's just one of several Awakened, and the other companions that Jun encounters during the game have their own differences.
Early on, you'll also meet humans Elise and Tom. While both are human, the latter strides into battle in a massive mech, and has an explosive personality to match her firepower in combat. Later on, there's Phaedra, who uses drones to replace her missing sight, and Salt, an Awakened octopus who specializes in stealth and is housed in her own mechanical chassis. Exodus' cast of companions is as diverse as you'd expect from a game set across a sprawling galaxy, and they'll play a massive role in Jun's story.
Roleplay begins early
Jun might be on a specific journey through Exodus, but that doesn't mean you won't be able to play your way. The extended gameplay reveal shows off the female version of Jun for the first time, and introduces some of the character customization options that will be available when you get your hands on the game. But roleplay isn't just skin-deep, as right at the start of the game, you're able to choose your character's initial alignment - either a virtuous Paladin, or an ambitious Immortal.
That first choice might shape the way your Jun plays, but there'll be plenty of other opportunities to guide their journey throughout the game. Some of those are small, but others will affect your companions' opinion of you. Others still promise to be massive moments in the story, major decisions that could shape the way the rest of the game plays out. And since Exodus' story plays out over decades for the characters that remain on your home planet, those big decisions could be the most impactful ones you've ever experienced in an RPG.
Combat gets loud...or quiet
Sometimes, even the most silver of tongues won't get you out of trouble. When it's time for the shooting to start, Exodus offers plenty of options depending on how you want to bring the pain to your enemies. During the gameplay reveal, we get to see what a quieter approach looks like - kitted out with a new mod that allows Jun to take down foes silently, they scan a few enemies to keep track of them, pick off a few, and then move in for melee stealth takedowns with the help of the 'scramble cloak, allowing you to stay invisible for a brief window to thin out foes before they even know you're there.
Of course, things don't always go to plan, and Jun and co quickly get loud. Thankfully, you've got plenty of options there too. The gameplay preview shows Jun rapidly switching between different mods, chaining together gunfire with explosive grenades and supporting abilities from their companions, and manipulating the environment around them to provide cover. Your choice of weapons, upgrades, and the companions you take on each individual mission can have a massive impact on the way a fight plays out.
A terrible threat awaits your home planet
Exodus might send you all around its galaxy, but Jun and their friends always have a home to come back to - their home planet of Lidon. Unfortunately, Lidon is facing extinction - a virus left behind by the Celestials - powerful beings who called the galaxy home many centuries ago - called the Rot threatens to wipe humanity out. You'll travel the Centauri cluster attempting to find a cure, but you're not the first to try. Explorers have been searching for a solution for decades, and time is running out.
Thanks to one of Exodus' biggest storytelling tricks, you'll get to see the evolution of Lidon over many years. As you travel through wormholes to reach the far corners of the cluster, those you leave behind will experience the passage of time differently to you - where only a few days might pass for Jun, months, years, or even decades could pass back on Lidon. Every time you arrive home, the people and places you once knew could look very different indeed.
But Jun has a trick up on their sleeve
Thankfully, you won't have to rely solely on your wits in your attempt to save the planet. As Jun and their companions go out on missions, they'll uncover ancient technology, left behind by the Celestials that upgrade Jun's gauntlet. Passed down by Jun's father, this is a powerful artifact that offers you the chance to interact with the galaxy in ways unique to Jun. Over time, the gauntlet can be upgraded, offering new tools for traversal and combat.
It's not always a smooth journey - in a brief clip, Jun has to put quite a lot of work into using the gauntlet to access that technology. But once they've tamed it, they immediately have access to new abilities. In this case, it's the ability to dispel 'Bramble', a by-product of the Rot, by using 'Lance' and hurling an energy projectile at a mass that blocks their path forward. Later on, Lance can also be used in combat, helping Jun and Phaedra through a challenging boss fight. It's another addition to Exodus' choice-driven combat that will have ramifications throughout the story.
While the extended gameplay reveal is our best look yet at what to expect from Exodus, there are plenty more secrets hidden across the galaxy. While much of what we've seen is still a work-in-progress, Archetype Entertainment's RPG experience comes shining through. We're still waiting for an exact release date for Exodus - currently it's scheduled to release in early 2027 - but now that we've had our most in-depth look yet, I'll be seeking out the nearest wormhole to wait out the next few months.
If you're looking for more excellent games from today's Future Games Show, have a look at our official Steam page.
