‘Exodus’ looks like a next-gen Mass Effect, but you get to fight an armored space bear (trailer)

Despite abundant videos focusing on Exodus‘ alien species and uncharted worlds, it’s been a while since the last time we got a proper look at the game. Fortunately, studio Archetype Entertainment and publisher Wizards of the Coast are ready to start showing off meatier chunks of gameplay, and the new trailer is a must-watch.

The official website had also given us plenty of in-universe history and lore to chew on, but we’d been dying to see more of the actual game. After missing last week’s Game Awards ceremony (which was nonetheless packed with exciting space games), Archetype Entertainment’s social media channels announced that Exodus gameplay was coming on December 17. You can watch the new trailer below:

Heavy Mass Effect vibes aside (logical, as plenty of ex-BioWare devs are involved), this new trailer gives us a closer look at the weaponry and skills we’ll be using in our fight against the Celestials, the Mara Yama, and many other foes (yes, that is a space bear). Likewise, we’re slowly but steadily learning more about the ambitious story – which depicts a twisted faraway future for mankind among the stars – and all the surrounding worldbuilding. It’s all looking expensive to boot, with movie star Matthew McConaughey taking on one of the main roles in the title.

Much like BioWare’s iconic sci-fi franchise, Exodus is an action-adventure RPG filled with third-person combat encounters and interactions with non-player characters. Expect the usual progression systems and a colorful group of allies to support you. That said, the main gimmick appears to be how time dilation affects the worlds visited by the main cast as they jump across space during their odyssey. No doubt, that’s putting some extra pressure on the development process, but it’s also a very fascinating concept from a game design and writing perspective if Archetype can pull it off.

Exodus hasn’t locked a launch date (nor window) yet in spite of development looking advanced. We’ll be keeping tabs on it and other upcoming space games as we venture into 2025. You can check our everything we know about Exodus guide for all the latest news. For now, you can watch the Secret Level short based on the game as part of the Amazon Prime Video anthology series’ second batch of episodes.

Exodus is coming to PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC (Windows).