Exodus Devs explain what sets it apart from Mass Effect

Exodus has been compared to Mass effect from the moment it was revealed, and to be fair it was probably inevitable. Archetype Entertainment is made up of several former BioWare developers, after all, Exodus is a choice-driven sci-fi RPG with companions, alien worlds, and a massive universe to explore, and Mass effect is still one of the easiest reference points for that type of game. If anything, the comparison is a compliment, especially given how much of a mark BioWare's own sci-fi RPG franchise left on the genre.

During a recent Future Games Show presentation with Archetype Entertainment and Wizards of the Coast, I asked Exodus teams where they welcome that comparison and where they hope the players see the game as their own thing. After getting a response from every member of the team that was there, it was undeniably clear that Archetype is not running away from Mass effectbut it doesn't want to either Exodus to be seen as a spiritual copy. Between time dilation, dynasty building, leadership, The Awakened, the Celestials, and a much greater focus on what happens after players leave home, Exodus seems to be aiming for a different kind of sci-fi RPG identity altogether.

Exodus uses the mass effect comparison as a starting point

Mass effect is one of those games that all sci-fi RPGs will probably be measured against in some way, especially if it emphasizes companions, player choice, alien civilizations, and a story set in the farthest reaches of space. BioWare's trilogy helped set the standard for what a modern space game could look like, and because of that compares to Mass effect is hardly a bad thing. In fact, for most RPG developers, it would probably be an honor. Archetype general manager Chad Robertson seems to feel that way too, though he also believes Exodus is built around ideas that Mass effect never had:

First of all, we love the comparison to Mass Effect. It's a great science fiction series, and some of us had the pleasure of working on it. I think what I would focus on in terms of what we're trying to deliver with Exodus that's unique to us is that the overall experience is based on some elements that just weren't part of that franchise. Specifically, we've done these things with the story, with time dilation, for example, that make it stand out and make it feel unique and make the importance of the decisions in the game, we hope, feel much more significant. And we've always had a goal to deliver modern, world-class quality gameplay, and take a step forward from where Mass Effect left us, as good as it was back in the day, and really take the next step in all of these areas.

If Exodus can really make player choice feel heavier through time dilation, that would already give it a big way to differentiate itself. Mass effect had many big decisions, sure, but Exodus working with the idea that some choices may not fully play out until years or even decades have passed. Robertson also mentioned modern play, and that's another area there Exodus has a real opportunity. As much as I love Mass effectI never loved it because of the combat. It was good for its time, and it certainly got better as the series went on, but the characters, story, and atmosphere were always the real reasons I wanted to stay in that universe.

But this is where the comparison becomes much more difficult Exodus. Mass effect made me care about its characters, but it also made me care about its world. It made each new location feel like part of something much bigger, and each conversation seemed to add even more depth to the galaxy BioWare had built. That's a tough thing for any new sci-fi RPG to pull off, especially one that will be compared to Mass effect whether it wants to be or not. According to narrative lead Drew Karpyshyn, who also worked on Mass effectArchetype seems to believe Exodus is ready for that challenge:

When people talk about Mass Effect, to me, having worked on it, what was impressive about it is just the depth of the universe, and I think that's what we've really taken to a whole other level. There is so much in our universe, between the celestials and the awakened, and can I say changes? I guess I just did. Sorry, I don't know. But there's just so much stuff we've built in and there's so much to explore, and it's such a huge universe. That's what I love. It's just the depth of the science fiction stuff that we're putting in there, the different pieces and how they work together, for me that's really what I think people will recognize, is something that was made with care and attention and love by true fans of the genre.

It will certainly be interesting to see how deep Archetype's universe really goes once players get their hands on it. Time dilation already feels like the game's biggest hook, and it delivers Exodus a great way to give quests and choices more impact than they normally would. Still, that idea can only carry so much on its own. If the world around it feels empty, then all the years passing in the background won't mean nearly as much. Exodus needs places worth returning to, factions worth learning about, companions worth keeping close, and enough history behind its universe to make players feel like they're stepping into a world that could actually exist in reality.

But when it comes down to it Exodus' similarities to Mass effectit doesn't need to run as far away from BioWare's acclaimed trilogy as possible to prove itself. There's nothing wrong with Archetype building a sci-fi RPG with companions, choices, strange worlds, and big questions about humanity's place in the universe. Mass Effect 3 came out over a decade ago, and the genre has had plenty of room to grow since then. If anything, it gives Exodus a chance to take some familiar bits and push them forward with ideas BioWare has never really had the chance to explore in the same way. Game director Chris King compared it to the difference between two other sci-fi giants:

Chad's favorite sci-fi series is Star Wars, my favorite series is Star Trek. And the reason I bring that up is, if you look at them, they both have spaceships, they both have aliens, but there are a lot of things that are different. And that's pretty much how I feel about Exodus as well. You can probably take a first glance and say, “Oh, I see similarities with companions and whales, all those things.” But I think the kind of story we're trying to tell and some of the things we're experimenting with is quite different from things we've done before. So, the notion of building a dynasty, going on these missions and being separated from people, these themes of what it means to be a leader and how you approach it and how people are going to perceive it. Time dilation. There are all these kinds of things that we haven't been able to explore before that we're super excited about, and when we start talking about things that we want to do here, those are the kinds of things that we realized that we hadn't done before. So while there may be some ingredients that are similar, there are many things that will make it feel a little different.

Indeed, King's comparison is the right one, because Exodus no need to pretend there are similarities to Mass effect is not there. It just needs to prove that the similarities aren't the most interesting thing about it. That's obviously going to be a lot easier said than done, especially with how much love people still have for BioWare's trilogy, but Archetype seems to approach the comparison the right way. It's acknowledging what players already see when they make the case Exodus has another story to tell. If the whole game can back it up, Mass effect may still be the first comparison players make, but it shouldn't be the last.