Mass Effect-like Exodus's first gameplay video features duels with space bears and chats with thankful frogs

First revealed all the way back in December 2023, Archetype Entertainment and Blur Studio's sci-fi action adventure Exodus hit us with a few things: Matthew McConaughey is involved, it looks a bit like Mass Effect, it's being developed by BioWare veterans, and it loves a bit of time dilation. In October of this year, we got a look at some icky celestial faction and zero in the way of actual gameplay. And now? Now we finally get a look at how you do things. Like sucker-punching armoured space bears in the face with electro-pistols.

Here's the new trailer:

What can we glean from it? It shares a similar over-the-shoulder look to Mass Effect, with a special "celestial tech" granting you the ability to freeze enemies, before shattering them into shards of charcoal. There's a pretty planet covered in sickly fog and a fight with an armoured space bear. The key to beating the bear is to bash it in the head. There is also an inquisitive frog in a vat of water, as well as a larger frog who is more menacing.

On a more serious note, this "celestial tech" seems to be the crux of the combat. Allowing you to turn your arm into a temporary energy blade, while your offhand provides the grappling hook goodness to flank or reposition. The protag's gun also morphs, transforming from a shotgun in the first bit, into a grenade launcher later and rifle later on. I'm unsure how exactly your pals help you out in the more explosive moments or whether you can direct them, as they're not really the focal point of this trailer. You do see them do a bit of shooting and a bit of stealthing, though.

It's hard to get a sense for the writing off only the shortest snippets, but from a general vibe sort of view, I think it looks like a 7/10 special. Not that this is a bad thing at all! 7/10 games are some of the very best, in my opinion.

There's no release date on Exodus yet, but you can follow the game over on its official site.