Redesigned Hero Unveiled for Mass Effect’s Spiritual Successor

When Exodus was first revealed, it was touted as an expansive sci-fi RPG that could potentially take the place of Mass Effect during its long hiatus. This week, that comparison gained even more weight after the announcement that BioWare, the studio behind Mass Effect, is shutting down and the next installment in the series has been canceled.

With heightened interest in Exodus, the game’s developer made a timely announcement in light of BioWare’s unfortunate news.

Archetype Entertainment, the team behind Exodus, dropped a new trailer showcasing a redesign of the protagonist. The initial look for Jun received a fair amount of criticism from fans, with one commenter on Reddit humorously noting that the old design made him look like “he was stung by a bee.” The revamped design, however, seems to be well-received, with several fans pointing out Jun’s new resemblance to Jim Hawkins from Disney’s Treasure Planet (and yes, that’s a compliment). In the reveal video, co-founder Chad Robertson mentioned that the redesign was a direct response to community feedback regarding the original look.

What the trailer doesn’t reveal is the female version of Jun. Similar to Mass Effect, players will have the option to choose the protagonist’s gender and customize features like hair, although the fundamental body and facial structure will remain consistent. So far, Archetype Entertainment has kept FemJun under wraps, which is becoming increasingly frustrating as the game is set to launch in about six months. Fans are eager to see her!

In case you missed it, EA announced on October 21 that BioWare is closing its doors and the next Mass Effect game has been scrapped. This news sent shockwaves through the gaming community, leaving developers, journalists, and fans mourning the loss of one of the most influential studios in gaming history.

On a somewhat brighter note, a trailer for the canceled game quickly surfaced online. Unfortunately, it looks incredible. The trailer hints at an espionage twist on the series, featuring a brief but beautifully chaotic bar fight that includes an older version of Liara from the original trilogy. Now, we’re left with the bittersweet knowledge that this game will never come to fruition. Hopefully, titles like Exodus can help fill that void.