The Expanse: Osiris Reborn: A New Kind of Mass Effect

1 hour ago 1

Published Mar 26, 2026, 2:00 PM EDT

Shane Limbaugh (He/Him) is a Contributor from the US. While he hasn't been writing about games for very long he has certainly been playing them. His degree in Game Design and Criticism let him better understand the fundamentals of the industry and the games themselves. There aren't many games he hasn't at least put hands on thanks to his time working at GameStop.

Owlcat Games has a brand-new experience coming, and this one is pretty different from their previous games, like Warhammer 40K Dark Heresy or Pathfinder. The Expanse: Osiris Reborn is hoping to bring the skills of the Owlcat team to a new genre with a focus on what they do best.

I got a sneak peek at the trailer and had some questions answered about the game. It was really awesome to hear from the team about some of the upcoming features that will be focused on in the game.

After taking a look at what's coming up and learning a little more about the game, I have to say I'm very excited to see what these developers have been cooking. That said, let's go over some of the finer points of detail they gave us during the preview show.

A New Take on an Old Formula

The Expanse: Osiris Reborn will look incredibly familiar to those who remember the days when Mass Effect was the go-to RPG for any sci-fi lover. It aims to be a little different from its predecessor and wants to retain the sort of storytelling that the studio has become known for over the years.

The game is a third-person RPG set in the universe of The Expanse. While it is set in the same universe, the game focuses mostly on its own story and characters to differentiate it from the franchise as a whole. You'll play as a mercenary for the Pinkwater Security group, who managed to survive the events of Eros.

There's not much more information provided on the story specifically, but it will involve space travel, companions, and a ton of choices that will have various kinds of impacts. An important note here is that players will find themselves exploring some new parts of the world of The Expanse, so while the universe may seem familiar, a lot of things will be very different.

Gameplay-wise, it seems to be very similar to Mass Effect, with a focus on using two companions and a mix of gunplay and ability usage. It seems to be a much more updated system honing in on using cover as a primary means of avoiding damage, so paying tactically may prove to be a better strategy than simply throwing yourself at the enemies.

In the World of The Expanse

One of the interesting things brought up is that the team was fairly involved with Alcon Interactive Group, which worked on The Expanse: A Telltale Series. They provided some help in navigating the story and world of The Expanse to the Owlcat team.

The question that everyone is probably thinking right now is, 'Does it follow the books or the show?' and the answer is that it follows the show more closely, but for the most part, the game exists as its own story. Some things will be similar, but the story and characters that will be the focus of the game will be unique to the game.

You will, however, be visiting some places you'll recognize, including Ganymede, Ceres, Mars, and Luna. Players who are familiar with the franchise in one way or another will find themselves right at home, and those without prior knowledge will be sucked into the world of The Expanse as the game is being designed to suit the most and least knowledgeable players.

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New Gameplay for a New Age

While Mass Effect may be a good general comparison, the developers have assured us that this game will bring a breath of fresh air to the old gameplay. From some updated class mechanics to fighting in Zero G environments, there are a lot of things that the team is bringing to the old school formula.

According to the developers, there's a lot more freedom in how you level your character's skills, and it gives you the ability to use all manner of weapons that you'll find scattered throughout the world. Of course, your choices matter; from the abilities you upgrade to the ones you make in dialogue, everything will have some kind of impact.

Beyond that, there's not a whole lot of information on offer about the specifics of how everything will work. One thing is for certain: the game may be reminiscent of other games, but it will be its own thing and hopes to carve out its place as another fantastic story-focused RPG that players will enjoy for years to come.

The Upcoming Beta

Much like the other games that Owlcat creates, they'll be offering a beta that begins on April 22nd, which will run until the game is scheduled to release sometime in 2027. This will only be available to those who decide to pre-order the Collector’s Edition or Miller’s Pack.

The beta will include a map to explore, Pinkwater-4 Station, and will include the most important parts of the game, like dialogue choices, combat, and upgrading your character and equipment. This allows players to experience firsthand exactly what the game will be like well ahead of launch.

More than that, it allows Owlcat to adjust certain aspects of the game as they approach launch, hopefully smoothing out any issues that may arise. While it isn't a full game beta, it will be a good opportunity for Owlcat to test the waters on several different platforms and get ahead of any potential issues or complaints that players may have.

The Closed Beta will be available on Xbox Series X|S, Steam, and PlayStation 5. If you're interested in the world of The Expanse, or perhaps just interested in a new sci-fi RPG game, then checking out The Expanse: Osiris Reborn is a great chance to test the waters. Just remember everything is still a work in progress, and you'll be helping shape the upcoming game before launch.