The Expanse: Osiris Reborn is Looking Like a True Successor to Mass Effect

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While the vastness of space can be exciting – offering endless opportunities for exploration and creativity – games like Mass Effect have stayed popular because they offer more than just freedom. Space provides a powerful setting for compelling stories, filled with characters you care about and choices that truly matter. Some might see these elements as restrictions, but fans of sci-fi RPGs continue to enjoy being deeply involved in a rich, character-driven narrative.

Let’s talk about The Expanse: Osiris Reborn. This is new ground for Owlcat Games, the team behind CRPGs like Pathfinder: Kingmaker and Wrath of the Righteous, as well as Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader. Shifting from the tactical, pause-and-play or turn-based combat they’re known for to a fast-paced, cover-based shooter is a big change in itself. Combining that with the existing, detailed world and fanbase of The Expanse sci-fi series makes this project particularly challenging and risky.

The closed beta gave me a very different feeling. It seemed like the development team has a clear vision for their story and is confident in how they’re presenting it. They appear comfortable letting players get lost in the game’s world and are rewarding to those who take the time to discover everything. While the beta was limited – offering only one mission, two character classes (Hacker and Officer), and two backgrounds (Earther and Belter) – it was already obvious that a lot of care went into making your choices meaningful, both in how you create your character and how they act.

Okay, so you don’t have to be a huge The Expanse expert to jump in! Basically, my character and their sibling, J, are mercenaries working for Pinkwater. We just barely got out of Eros before things really went bad – you know, after that terrible bioweapon was released. We saw a bit of that chaos in the trailer, but now we’re picking up the story after the escape. We managed to steal a ship and are heading back to Pinkwater 4 to tell our boss, Oscar O’Connell, everything that happened.

Despite its science fiction setting, The Expanse feels remarkably realistic. Simple actions, like flipping a switch to open an airlock, are required. The space station feels cluttered and lived-in, with boxes and crates everywhere. News broadcasts on a large screen report on current events, such as a damaged ice hauler and a water shortage on Ceres. The station’s communications are managed by Larry, an overworked employee who clearly needs a break. This attention to detail creates a believable and vibrant atmosphere – a futuristic space station that feels both distant and attainable, maintaining that essential sci-fi vibe. It’s comfortably worn, but not overly familiar, which seems to be exactly what the creators intended.

Before I can defend Larry – he’s quickly become a favorite – we meet Luciana, who runs a stall and loves to gossip. She reveals what Zafar, the engineer who examines recovered ship transponders, and O’Connell recently ordered. If you’re persuasive enough, she’ll share even more interesting rumors. The twins can also ask about their own reputations, which vary depending on whether you identify as a Belter or an Earther. The Belter reputation involves a story about drinking juice with tea to cope with the effects of high gravity, and an unbelievable tale of defeating a pirate ship at just thirteen years old.

The real reason we left Earth was because J reportedly punched the son of the UN Deputy Secretary General – that part’s pretty accurate. We were also initially presented as models, not the soldiers we actually are. Though I didn’t get to talk to everyone, it was cool seeing the various characters going about their lives, like repairing a door to help someone who was stuck, since Zafar was busy with another assignment.

The lighthearted mood doesn’t last long. O’Connell learns about the fate of the Piranha, our original ship, and the outbreak on Eros, and things quickly get worse when a group from Protogen arrives. They claim the stolen ship belongs to them, and their leader angrily demands to board the station, accusing us of being criminals. O’Connell, depending on your persuasion skills, can either order a defense or try to de-escalate the situation to protect everyone. But that doesn’t stop you from trying to sneak back to the ship through the ventilation system with Zafar’s assistance.

Your decisions will directly impact the battle. You might witness allies falling in combat against the Protogen, or you could gain a surprising edge by appearing from the ventilation system – though someone might question why you’re sneaking around! This highlights the core combat experience in Osiris Reborn, and any worries about Owlcat not capturing the feel of Mass Effect quickly disappear.

I’m really enjoying how solid the shooting and cover system feel – everything just works. I was a little bummed at first that I couldn’t roll out of cover or climb things like in The Division, but I quickly forgot about that. What’s really cool is being able to tell my teammate to focus fire on a specific enemy or take advantage of something in the environment. And when Zafar starts laying down covering fire from the ship? Forget about it! It’s so satisfying to watch him tear through enemies and even buildings. Now that’s what I call having a friend’s back!

Your character’s special abilities are linked to the gadgets you use, like firing explosive bullets or scanning for enemies. You can change these gadgets whenever you want, and by collecting materials, you can add upgrades to make them even more powerful. For instance, I can modify my abilities so that when I use a special ammo type—like incendiary rounds—my teammates also get the benefit, and their abilities recharge faster while dealing more critical damage. That’s just one example; different equipment also impacts how you build your character. The Warlock Fire-Control System, for example, lets me use my Armor-Piercing Wrist Cannon four times before needing to recharge it, and it significantly speeds up the recharge time. Plus, both your equipment and your weapons can be further customized with mods.

Honestly, the depth of this game is amazing! It’s not just about basic attacks, there’s a whole system of skills that do everything from giving you small boosts to seriously increasing your damage, especially if you’re using abilities that last for a while. And playing as the Officer and the Hacker feels totally different – the Officer is a tank who gets right up in the enemy’s face, while the Hacker focuses on stunning and messing with them from a distance. There’s this cool risk-reward thing too – you can charge up your abilities to make them stronger, but if you hold it for too long, it backfires. And honestly, trying to do that on Hard mode is super dangerous because enemies will punish you for being greedy!

Even though this is just the beginning, I’m really impressed by how many different ways you can build things. The goals themselves are sometimes simple, but tasks like repairing a terminal or circling the station can be enjoyable thanks to the unique, weightless movement. This same feeling extends to combat, with quiet weapons and enemies drifting off into space when defeated.

Okay, so it’s still a beta, which means it’s not quite finished. I’ve definitely run into a few little glitches and some parts where the animations or writing feel a bit rough around the edges. But honestly, even now, I’m really impressed with The Expanse: Osiris Reborn. It’s shaping up to be something special!

Ultimately, Osiris Reborn doesn’t just recreate the core gameplay of Mass Effect; it adds its own unique elements while remaining faithful to the established story and style. Owlcat Games still has a lot of work to do on the complete game, but this expansion shows a lot of promise and could be exactly what fans are looking for.

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2026-04-22 21:13