One of the big surprises of this year’s E3 was Anthem, the newest title from Bioware. It’s an open world game that blends together elements of Iron Man, Destiny, and Attack on Titan into one stunning world that simply takes our breath away. More importantly, it pushes the boundaries of sci-fi action RPGs even further than before, and it may have everything we never knew we wanted from a Mass Effect sequel.

Within the world of Anthem, players will get the chance to become Freelancers, the armor wearing humans who serve as the protectors of a walled-off city. And much like Attack on Titan, there are quite a few threats beyond the wall that are waiting to murder the city’s inhabitants. We’re talking monsters of all shapes and sizes, as well as more traditional villains.

However, it’s the customizable Javelin exosuit armor that really has us intrigued. We’ve already seen footage of the Javelins soaring through the skies of this world and even venturing deep beneath the waves. The early look at the combat system also looks amazing, and it’s incredibly satisfying to see the game’s weapons and armor in action. This title really does feel like a spiritual successor to the Mass Effect franchise, even if it is a standalone property. But is it enough to unseat Mass Effect in our hearts?

Honestly, we didn’t feel that Mass Effect: Andromeda lived up to its potential. It just didn’t have the sense of discovery or the compelling drama that made the earlier installments so memorable. It’s far too soon to say if Anthem can fill that void and give us the next great gaming experience. But there’s so much potential here that it’s impossible not to be excited about the possibilities. We can’t wait to get our hands on this game for an extended period of time.

How do you feel about the first look at Anthem? Let us know in the comment section below!

Images: EA/Bioware