Summary
Archetype Entertainment announced the upcoming sci-fi RPGExodusduring the Game Awards on December 7. Despite being the studio’s first game,Exodusnevertheless has a lot of talent behind it. Helmed by22-year BioWare veteran James Ohlen, the studio includes personnel from various AAA developers. Meanwhile, the cinematic trailer may not have featured anything in the way of gameplay, but serves as a decent introduction to the game’s world.
Given its status as an original sci-fi RPG, some might be tempted to draw comparisons toBethesda’s recently releasedStarfield. However, Ohlen has explicitly said that the studio is not interested in making a direct competitor toStarfield, andExodus' universe doesn’t give off the same vibes as Bethesda’s game. Better comparisons might be BioWare’sAnthemand Bungie’sDestiny, at least based on what Archetype has shown so far.
Exodus, Anthem, and Destiny Share Common Elements
It’s usually not a good thing when someone compares a game toAnthem, though it’s far too soon to make any speculation aboutExodusdevelopment. Both games were multiplayer-focused, whereas Archetype Entertainment hasn’t said anything aboutExodushaving multiplayer. However, all three games have a few big things in common, mainly regarding their story and visual aesthetics.
Exodus' reveal trailershows two human explorers called Travelers searching for a lost alien artifact. It’s unclear what precisely the glowing sphere does, but it helps turn the tables against the Celestials. While descended from previous waves of human colonists in Exodus' Centauri Cluster, each Celestial is functionally a separate species, collectively representing the greatest threat to humanity.
Thus, there are many surface-level similarities betweenExodus,Anthem, andDestiny. Like in those games,Exodussees humanity threatened by a diverse collection of hostile aliens, and its survival depends on power-armored warriors using ancient and functionally supernatural alien technology. The suits shown in theExodustrailer are reminiscent of the different styles ofJavelins inAnthem, and the designs of the Celestial ships wouldn’t necessarily look out of place in either game.
Exodus Looks Like a Space Opera
However, the fundamental similarity comes fromExodusappearing to be a space opera, the same sub-genre of science-fiction asStar Wars,Mass Effect, andDestiny. Epic battles, high-risk space adventures, a high-stakes plot, and heavy use of emotional drama are all hallmarks of the space opera genre. Therefore, any two examples of the genre are likely to evoke similar feelings on the surface, even if they are quite different when examined more closely. Still, it meansDestinyandAnthemfansmay have a good reason to be interested inExodus' worldbuilding.
Exodus Sets Itself Apart in at Least One Big Way
Its similarities to other examples of its genre do not mean thatExoduslacks interesting new ideas. The game revolves around time dilation, which is where objects experience time differently depending on the object’s speed. The faster something moves, the slower time moves for it relative to the rest of the universe, though an object must move incredibly fast for the difference to be significant.
Players come from a group of human colonists who arrive in the Centauri Cluster after 30,000 years in space. While significantly less time has passed from their perspectives, the Centauri Cluster has seen numerous civilizations rise and fall over the millennia as the earlier waves of human colonists gradually evolved into the Celestials. TheExodustrailer also showcases its effect on people, with narrator Tom’s partner living an entire life while he only experienced a few days at lightspeed.
The novelsRocannon’s World(1966),Tau Zero(1970), andThe Forever War(1975) are among the first science fiction stories to prominently feature the effects of time dilation as central to the narrative.
Time Dilation in an RPG
Exodusis far from the first sci-fi story to explore the effect of time dilation on an interstellar society, withExoduspossibly drawing inspiration fromInterstellar. However, it’s not a concept that has been as widely explored in the medium of gaming. According to Archetype Entertainment,Exodus' time dilation will let players see the effect of their actions across years and decades. Time will tell if the game pulls this off, but it certainly has the potential to setExodusapart from similar space operas.
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