Mass Effect AAA Spiritual Successor Drops 20 Minutes Of Gameplay, We're So Back

Mass Effect 5 is in development at BioWare, but it’s certainly not a game that’s being rushed.

In fact, very little has surfaced outside of the odd N7 Day teaser since the title was first confirmed six years ago.

In the years since Mass Effect 3’s launch, several franchises have attempted to fill the gap left behind by the absence of this sci-fi behemoth.

Starfield is perhaps the most famous example, but Exodus will soon be vying for the attention of Mass Effect fans as it most certainly feels like an apt spiritual successor.

Developed by Archetype Entertainment, Exodus confirmed a 2027 launch window at 2025’s The Game Awards for both consoles and PC.

This third-person action-adventure centres around Jun, who can be played as a male or female, and is set within the 23rd century after humanity has set up residence 15,000 light years from Earth.

Jun is a lowly scavenger but one who discovers that he can tap into celestial abilities and he’ll need to use those abilities to stop a universe-ending event known as The Rot.

Celestials form the game’s key villainous group, although there are several. Interestingly, Celestials were also once human but set up residence in space first and thus have evolved.

Exodus feels very similar to Mass Effect and that’s because the team at Archetype comprises several former BioWare developers.

Exodus’ Drew Karpyshyn, for example, was the lead writer on the first two Mass Effect games.

This isn’t a carbon copy of Mass Effect though. Exodus plays around with time dilation which plays a large role in films like Interstellar.

While Exodus skipped some of last week’s major shows, it did surface during the Future Games Show Summer Showcase with a 20-minute gameplay deep dive - and we have to say, it looks brilliant.

Meet Some Of The Companions You’ll Be Able To Recruit In Exodus

Exodus’ bumper gameplay drop introduced an array of recruitable companions, including Phaedra Nath, Tom Vargas, Elise Charrouz, Salt, Houston, and C.C. Orlev.

That latter companion is actually voiced by Matthew McConaughey who will be starring in his first ever video game role.

The gameplay deep dive also showcased a number of weapons and abilities and those were:

• Sonic Lure used to draw enemies in.
• Precognition used to mark enemies.
• Eruption used to launch enemies.
• Scramble Cloak used for stealth attacks.
• Lance used to clear obstacles created by The Rot.

As you’ve likely gathered, Exodus will see you make pivotal choices as you work your way through both main and side missions, recruiting a team as you go.

As for the time dilation, venturing to another planet for a side quest could see base planets look very different upon your return.

One hour might have passed for you, with several years potentially having passed on your home planet. I can’t think that many games have played around with that mechanic.

Unfortunately, despite this bumper look, Exodus hasn’t moved up its launch date from 2027.

Hopefully the title arrives sooner rather than later within that window, although we wouldn’t want its development to be rushed.

READ MORE: Exodus Confirms Early 2027 Launch at TGAs, RPG From Ex Mass Effect Devs