The Future Games Show closed out with a lengthy gameplay presentation for Archetype’s Sci-Fi RPG, Exodus. Learn more about combat, companions, and the story.
I’ve been on the hype train for Exodus pretty much since it was initially announced. With a team comprised of developers who worked on Knights of the Old Republic and Mass Effect, it’s hard not to look at it as the spiritual Mass Effect follow-up we’ve long been waiting for. Combine that with a pair of books that do a phenomenal job of exploring the worldbuilding and technology of the game, and this is easily one of my most anticipated games.
Today brings our best look at the game so far, thanks to 19 glorious minutes of gameplay footage, narrated by the game’s Director, Chris King. Here, we get a little taste of everything from the story, characters, weapons/tech, RPG elements, and combat. It looks very, very good:
In EXODUS, players take on the role of Jun Aslan on a journey across the Centauri Cluster. Jun is a scrappy salvager turned Traveler pulled into the fight of a lifetime, leading a crew of unforgettable companions across the most dangerous reaches of space, and exploring ancient ruins for what could save his homeworld from the Rot, a Celestial virus driving humanity toward extinction.
Key Features Highlighted in the Gameplay Reveal Include
Jun, Your Way & Morality Alignments: Players will be able to customize Jun’s physical appearance and play as a male or female Traveler. Beyond the cosmetic, players will shape the path of their adventure by either becoming a virtuous Paladin or an ambitious Immortal, fundamentally altering how the world responds to them. Each alignment also ties directly to progression. The path players choose, whether Paladin or Immortal, affects which abilities can be upgraded and how powers evolve.
Wield Traveler Tech: The Recycler shifts between Repeater mode for steady mid-range fire, Shredder mode for close-quarters impact, Piercer mode for even longer-range precision attacks, and more, all at Jun’s disposal depending on the right situation.
The one-of-a-kind Gauntlet upgrades as Jun salvages alien tech, unlocking abilities like Eruption for launching enemies and shaping livestone terrain, and Lance for piercing strikes and clearing bramble left by the Rot.
With Precognition to mark enemy locations, incognito stealth attacks like Scramble Cloak, and Sonic Lure to draw hostiles into the fight, players are set with a versatile toolkit for whatever the Cluster throws their way.
A Closer Look at Your Crew: Phaedra Nath is a renowned xeno-archaeologist whose story is tangled up with the Celestials in ways she’s still discovering. As a companion, Jun will fight alongside her, learn what drives her, and see how their relationship shapes both their futures.
Other showcased companions include: Tom Vargas, an experienced Traveler who tends to be more cautious and helps teach Jun the ropes and provide moral perspective; Elise Charroux, an impatient mech pilot that loves to blow stuff up and leans into brute force; Salt, an Awakened octopus mercenary who’s as deadly as she is intelligent; Houston, another Awakened friend; and the mysterious space cowboy C.C. Orlev voiced by Matthew McConaughey.
The Awakened: Integrated into Society: The result of bioengineering and cybernetics, the Awakened are highly intelligent animals brought on ark ships who speak, think, and live alongside humans. That integration is seen in action as an Awakened elephant runs a vendor stall, selling items and gear to Travelers, along with other Awakened. In EXODUS, the Awakened aren’t just companions. They’re merchants, soldiers, medics, and more, woven into every part of society.
Shape Your Path Forward: In a tense situation, Jun is forced to choose between siding with either Elise or Tom in the control room. Elise sees an opportunity to open the airlock and purge a bunch of hostiles while you have the chance. Tom sees a risk: innocent people could be there.
These moments and decisions echo through Jun’s crew, story, and sometimes the lives of people back home. Some decisions play out immediately, while others take time to show their impact.
Time: Time Dilation is woven into the fabric of the universe, affecting everyone. Traveling at the edge of lightspeed across vast distances, days for Jun are weeks or months back home.
What players prioritize and which Remnants they decide to bring home impact how the journey unfolds. And the world—and people—left behind won’t always be the same ones returned to.
Viewers are then given a tease of Persepolis, the primary hub city on Lidon where humans and Awakened species coexist, before transitioning to the deadly planet Tsang. On Tsang, Jun and Phaedra traverse sulfurous lakes and ancient architecture in search of her missing grandfather, Elijah, who holds a terrifying secret regarding the origins of the Rot. As the gameplay reveal concludes, Jun is left with a final choice to decide Elijah’s fate.
Exodus is currently set to launch on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PCs in early 2027.
