Exodus already feels like so much more than a successor to Mass Effect

What the report says

by Hayes Madsen on 04 September, 2026 It often feels like every new sci-fi RPG that comes along has its moment where everyone wonders if it'll be the next Mass Effect. BioWare's beloved franchise had an inexplicable, almost measurable, effect on the genre and video games at large. Mass Effect's beloved companions, dynamic choice-based narrative, and general world design have gone on to inspire countless others in a multitude of ways, from The Witcher to The Outer Worlds. Advertisement. Keep scrolling for moreBecause of that legacy, it feels almost unfair to compare something to Mass Effect, but if any game was going to get those comparisons, it's Exodus.

With the lead writer of Mass Effect 1 and 2, Drew Karpyshyn, attached, as well as a handful of other former BioWare staff, Exodus was never going to be able to avoid it. But after playing Exodus for two hours and talking to the developers, there's a clear, earnest effort to both embrace that legacy and push forward with Exodus into uncharted territory. While those Mass Effect elements are certainly there, I'm already incredibly hopeful that Exodus can stand on its own.The roughly two-hour missions I played of Exodus took place partway into the game, as Jun accompanies one of the major companions, Suliman, to a space station above Leidan that's been taken over by enemy forces.

An "Awakened" species called the Kei (evolved Earth animals with extreme intelligence), calls the station home. The goal is to take the station back while keeping the Kei, and their vital task of operating Leiden's planetary shields intact. Keep in mind, my demo was lacking a lot of the narrative context to build up to this moment. But my two hours were spent creeping across a massive space station, battling a handful of mercenaries, mechs, and Awakened, and helping the wonderfully whimsical Kei with a myriad of problems. There are a lot of elements to dig into, from party-based combat to a seemingly major story choice at the end of the demo that shapes how this game's big decisions will play out.

Key details

From a gameplay standpoint, Exodus plays a bit like a more grounded Mass Effect Andromeda, with streamlined companion skills that are quick and easy to use, and snappy third-person shooter combat. I use grounded literally in this context: completely ground-focused combat that feels satisfyingly sticky, much like Mass Effect 2 and 3, but with the streamlined ability and companion management of something like Mass Effect Andromeda. This is likely where Exodus will draw the most comparisons, but combat does feel fittingly impactful. Jun has access to a number of weapons: assault rifles, marksman rifles, a shotgun-type spread weapon, etc.

But his Traveller powers also gives them access to an array of powerful battle-altering moves. Jun can throw a deadly spear straight ahead, bursting through an enemy's shield with ease. Another ability lets you rip up the ground in a straight line, sending enemies flying or breaking through barriers. At one point, I ran into a sub-boss room only to use this move and send the boss careening over an edge and into a pit, without firing a single shot. During the demo, I unlocked another ability to slow down time for a specific item or enemy, which proved useful in both puzzle solving and the boss battle against a terrifying Awakened bear later on.

Advertisement. Keep scrolling for moreApart from Jun themselves, your two companions have a basic move and a more powerful ultimate move they can use on timers. Suliman has a teleport where he can backstab an enemy for huge damage, while Elise fires off a barrage of rockets that can damage a zone and essentially lay down covering fire to keep enemies pinned. Much like Mass Effect, there's some really great interplay between Jun and the party members, with bonus synergy damage popping up in super satisfying explosions if you string the right abilities or effects together.

More from the announcement

But crucially, companions also feel like active participants in battle, clearly holding their own, and not just vessels for abilities that are along for the ride.There's clearly a bit of jankiness to Exodus' combat that needs to be ironed out before launch, awkward animations, the occasional enemy AI problem, etc. But I found myslf enjoying the combat experience more than I thought I would. Taking the best parts of Mass Effect 2 & 3 and smashing that together with Andromeda is a smart approach. Beyond the combat, though, perhaps what's stood out the most, although it's a little vague, is the general vibe of Exodus.