The Exodus developers talk about the importance of choice

The archetype of fun Exodus is a game that will require players to make tough decisions. As a 'Traveler', players will search for artifacts called Remnants to protect and improve their home world while battling various human and alien factions, each with their own goals and motivations. It also means time dilation associated with interstellar transport Exodus players will see the far-reaching effects of their decisions for hundreds and even thousands of years.

In an interview with Game Rant, members of the group Exodus development team — studio vice president and general manager Chad Robertson, narrative director Drew Karpyshyn, and game director Chris King — emphasized the important role this choice will play in their upcoming game. They revealed that many of the game's choices will focus on “moral ambiguity” and the need to consider the short-term vs. long-term consequences given the reality of time dilation. Ultimately, the Archetype team is excited about the conversations they hope players will have about the various choices they make, as well as the significant replayability afforded by the many critical, far-reaching choices included in the game.

Exodus developers believe in players as “co-authors of the experience”

The idea that the player would be heavily involved in shaping Jun's story was a key part Exodus team philosophy from the beginning of development. In creating the game's sci-fi story, they wanted to ensure that there would be a series of key moments where the outcome would be drastically different, encouraging players to discuss their experiences with each other. King described the team's philosophy:

“We strongly believe that great RPGs are about agency. We call them water cooler moments, where when we're all playing, we come to work the next day and talk about where we got in Exodus. They're drastically different experiences depending on the choice. One of the internal mantras we have is that we want to think of the player as a co-author of the experience.”

Player agency starts from the first moment Exodus, where they can take advantage of the game's character customization system and play as male or female Jun. From there, they will regularly encounter choices that will set them on unique journeys through the game's story. Some options are big, some are small, but each will shape the player Exodus path and encourage them to play the game multiple times to experience different outcomes.

Exodus' Choices focuses on the theme of moral ambiguity and long-term effects

Moral ambiguity is a major theme players will encounter as they progress through the game. Often, Exodus' choices will not be simply black or white, with clearly defined “good” or “bad” options. Instead, King explained, players will have to consider the “short-term versus long-term” effects of their decision, “because of time dilation and how these things play out.” When Jun goes on a mission, their homeworld can be ten or more years away. When they return, they see the effects of a choice they made long ago and how it still affects the people of the world. King described what it would look like:

“Because of the time dilation, the manifestation of change for us can be really dramatic. The time scale that takes place on some of these paths is really huge. You can imagine the evolution of the homeworld through technology and potentially some other things related to the way you make choices when harvesting pieces of celestial technology called Remnants.”

A lot of Exodus' the plot will center around Jun harvesting the Remnants, a highly advanced relic developed and used by the Celestials, a group that was once human before undergoing significant genetic enhancement. Robertson revealed that through Juno, players will have a choice in how they use the Remnants, and that they can be used for both good and evil purposes. “All of this has an impact back on your homeworld,” he said, “both in the physical structure and the way things look, but also in how your companions interact with you… The extent of the change [you] it can have a really huge impact there.”

Karpyshyn agreed with Robertson, stating that he was excited for players to share with each other the various results they discover due to the time dilation phenomenon that is prominent in Exodus. “The journey doesn't seem so long to you,” Karpyshyn explained, “but you will go back 10 years.” [later, things] have changed. For everyone left behind, things have evolved and there are new challenges depending on the choices you make – different challenges than other players may have experienced.” He encouraged players to replay the game. Exodus multiple times and try out different choices to see the small and large changes their homeworld and companions can experience.

Player choices can affect missions, companions, and more

Not every choice is included Exodus is a big decision that will have a significant impact on Jun's home world. King revealed that player choice will also play a key role in how missions are handled, with players choosing to approach combat from stealth and infiltration, attack aggressively from the start, or even mix different strategies. “We embrace the style of the game in our own way,” he said, “when you go into battle, there's no right or wrong way to play it.” He went on to clarify that combat and mission decisions will often focus on dealing with situations where the player's party is outnumbered by the enemy:

“We kind of lean on what I call the sci-fi infiltration trope… you go into enemy territory, you're outnumbered, you're outmatched. So, how do you take on these guys?”

Finally, the main game loop Exodus it's so focused on the player's decisions that the team calls it a “choice-consequence loop.” Aside from the “macro loop” described above, in which Jun collects scraps and uses them to develop his home world, players can make choices about Jun's build and which companions they favor. Of course, companions also react to Jun's choices and may even oppose them directly—perhaps to the point of affecting Jun's potential romances with various companions—which Karpyshyn discussed in more detail:

“The companions don't always agree with what you're doing, and they don't always agree with each other. You have to sort of balance that…it brings a real role-playing element. There are certain decisions where you might be able to upgrade or improve one companion at the expense of not helping another. So we really want you to be in this constant [state] where you make decisions and adapt – and worry.”

Eventually, Exodus it will be full of possibilities, big and small, that will have a profound effect on how each player experiences Jun's story and the development of his world. Karpyshyn and the team promise that: “You can't have everything, so you have to choose what you want, and there are hard decisions.” Of course, Exodus Players who want to see anything and everything this vast sci-fi universe has to offer can start another game to experience what they may have missed the first time around.