Summary
This year’s The Game Awards gave fans of the industry a lot of projects to look forward to, and the announcement ofExoduswas one of the most interesting of the bunch. As a deeply layered sci-fi RPG, many are already tipping the game to provide a truly unique experience that other space-faring titles have failed to capture in the past.
Exodusis being developed by Archetype Entertainment, which is made up of many pastBioWareemployees, leading many fans to wonder whether the upcoming game will act as a competitor to theMass Effectfranchise. This does not seem to be the case, thanks to the reveal trailer of the project, withExodusclearly taking heavy inspiration from the best of other cosmic media such as the hit 2014 filmInterstellar.
Exodus Follows Many of the Same Beats as Interstellar
As a space-centric game,Exodusis always going to have some similarities to the likes ofInterstellar, but the game has gone a step further in terms of taking inspiration from the Oscar-winning film. To begin,Exodushas worked in close collaboration with Matthew McConaughey, who is set to play a major role in the upcoming game. Of course, McConaughey was also the memorable lead inInterstellar, creating an immediate overlap between the two franchises.
Even the premise of the film and upcoming game are overtly similar, with humanity being forced into space exploration thanks to the decaying nature of Earth. With the main goal of finding a hospitable new home among the stars, the player will have to dictate the actions of a group of brave space pioneers across potential planets, makingthe core narratives ofExodusandInterstellarextremely similar.
What is currently known about Exodus' narrative is very similar to Interstellar’s, but it could end up being wildly different once more information is revealed about the game.
Exodus is Borrowing the Most Memorable Elements of Interstellar
One of the major points ofExodus' The Game Awards appearance was its use of time dilation as a major game mechanic. This refers to the time-related hazards of space exploration, where minutes on a distant planet can equate to decades of time passing on Earth.Time dilation inInterstellarwas one of its most poignant and chilling aspects.This plot device clearly hopes to hold the same emotive weight inExodus. During the presentation, McConaughey cheekily remarked about his own past experience with time dilation, clearly alluding to the similarities between both projects.
Thanks to things like time dilation and the risks associated with exploring distant planets, the player will have to make some morally taxing choices for the greater good of the human race, withsacrifice being at the core ofExodus, much likeInterstellar. While the upcoming game is unafraid to showcase the inspiration it has taken from the film, there are many elements ofExodusthat set it apart fromInterstellar.
For example,Exodushas a clear alien focus thatInterstellardid not feature, with an ancient race of beings known as Celestials being at the heart of the game’s narrative. The player will be able to scavenge and utilize powerful Celestial technology throughoutExodus, while also directly fighting the advanced species in riveting combat sequences.Interstellar, on the other hand, had a clearly human focus, so the presence of Celestials may be the most defining difference between both franchises.Exodusclearly has immense respect forthe story and experience ofInterstellar, and the project is rightfully unafraid to state its inspirations while still curating a unique standalone experience.
