The Austin-based video game studio, Archetype Entertainment, recently revealed the developer’s first look at their first major game release, Exodus. The new sci-fi action-adventure role-playing game is currently in the works and was first revealed last Thursday at The Game Awards 2023.
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This was the title that was introduced by Oscar-winning actor Matthew McConaughey during the livestream broadcast. The intro was followed by an intense cinematic reveal trailer, which you can check out below:
EXODUS LOOKS TO BE AN EPIC SCI-FI ROLE-PLAYING ADVENTURE
Archetype Entertainment is notable as the company is a subsidiary of Wizards of the Coast. It was also co-founded and is currently headed up by James Ohlen, who is the company’s Executive Creative Director. Ohlen previously worked at BioWare and was a developer on such notable titles as Baldur’s Gate, Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, and Dragon Age: Origins.
With Exodus, Archetype is promising a game that focuses on “broad player agency,” modern gameplay, and a consequences-fueled story of player choices due to the impact of Time Dilation, and how that affects the lives of those we care about the most.
Speaking on the game reveal via a press release, Ohlen commented, “Exodus introduces an innovative new sci-fi world that forces players to face the consequences of their choices over time.” He continued, “We introduce the player, as the Traveler, to an original sci-fi universe, a world created with an incredible level of detail in collaboration with award-winning sci-fi authors. The gameplay setting and story we created is built around the impact of Time Dilation, a concept I’ve been fascinated with since I was 12 years old.”
Ohlen also commented on how the game will use the idea of Time Dilation. He added, “We use Time Dilation as a catalyst impacting the choices you make in-game that sets in motion events affecting your relationships with your loved ones, and your entire civilization, for generations.”
Meanwhile, Archetype’s Co-Founder, General Manager, and Executive Producer Chad Robertson said in the press release announcement, “We’ve always dreamed of creating a game like EXODUS, and we’re thrilled to finally be making it with the support of an incredible team alongside us. We’re building a world we think players will want to immerse themselves in and we’re eager for players to explore this new universe.” He went on, “Our team is putting their full talent and passion behind the vision of crafting a player experience that will captivate fans by creating a bond between them and their character based on the level of impact they have on this world over time.”
The new game is set in a future time when humanity was forced to flee a dying Earth, hence the title Exodus. Now, humans have to live in a hostile galaxy, where they are underdogs fighting for survival. Players assume the role of The Traveler (isn’t that the entity from Bungie’s Destiny?), who is humanity’s last hope for their salvation. The Traveler now has to steal alien weapons and technology from the most powerful beings in the universe, dubbed the Celestials, who are humanity’s greatest adversaries.
The catch of the gameplay is Time Dilation. Due to the nature of space travel, Travelers on interstellar missions will be gone for seemingly days. However, what is days for the Travelers amounts to decades back home (similar to Christopher Nolan’s film, Interstellar). The sacrifices made by the Traveler to protect humanity cause unpredictable consequences to change the Earth and reshape the future.
After returning home, players must confront the consequences of their choices. Archetype is promising that the outcome of player choices will manifest at a massive level, compounding over generations of humanity in the game’s storyline.
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While the reveal trailer offered up mostly CG cinematics, it did offer some snippets of gameplay at the end. It looks like it’s going for a third-person shooter squad dynamic, similar to the Mass Effect series. Players will be exploring the cosmos looking to seed worlds to perhaps give humanity hope for the future. It looks like there will also be various hostile threats.
It looks interesting so far, so it should be interesting to see what Archetype, a studio made up of former BioWare devs, comes up with for a game that looks reminiscent of past BioWare titles. Exodus is currently in the works and does not yet have an official release date. The game is in development for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and Windows PC.
About Exodus
Release Date: 2023
Developer: Archetype Entertainment
Publisher: N/A
Genre: Sci-Fi Third-Person RPG
Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Microsoft Windows
Players: N/A
Synopsis: In EXODUS, humanity has fled a dying Earth, finding a new home in a hostile galaxy – here, we are the underdogs fighting for survival. As The Traveler, you are humanity’s last hope. Your job is to steal alien weapons and technology from the most powerful beings in the universe, the Celestials – humanity’s greatest enemy. But there’s a catch – Time Dilation. As Travelers on interstellar missions, days for you are decades back home.
The sacrifices you make to protect your loved ones create unpredictable consequences that change your world — reshaping the future. Returning home, you confront the consequences of your choices. In EXODUS, the outcome of those choices manifests at a massive level, compounding over generations.
But what do you think of the announcement trailer? Is Exodus a game you plan on keeping an eye on? Do you think it has some promise? Do you like the idea of its Interstellar meets Mass Effect premise? Let us know your thoughts about the game reveal on The Illuminerdi’s social media.
SOURCE: Archetype Entertainment
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