The Expanse: Osiris Reborn has struggled to shake the inevitable comparisons to Mass Effect. Between its identity as a space-faring RPG, its emphasis on narrative choice, and its tactical, cover-based combat, the parallels were always going to be drawn. Having spent significant time with the recent demo, I can confirm those observations are fair—but they don’t tell the whole story. Developer Owlcat Games isn’t merely mimicking a genre titan; they are actively refining and expanding upon the foundational mechanics that made the medium’s best space operas so compelling.
It has been roughly six years since I last engaged with the SyFy adaptation of The Expanse, and I haven’t caught up on the later seasons or James S.A. Corey’s source material. Consequently, much of the specific lore felt distant to me. While terms like “Pinkwater” and “Protogen” carry substantial weight for series veterans, Owlcat does a commendable job of grounding newcomers. You quickly grasp the socioeconomic tension between Earth and Mars, and the malevolent nature of Protogen becomes crystal clear the moment they start slaughtering civilians—a universal, unmistakable signifier of villainy.
While an 80-minute demo isn’t enough to fully digest the narrative, the intensity of the combat was a genuine surprise. This isn’t the methodical, stop-and-pop pace of a traditional RPG; it feels significantly more aggressive. Despite sharing a structure with Mass Effect, the firefights in Osiris Reborn share more DNA with high-octane shooters. Enemies are relentless, employing flanking maneuvers, flush-out tactics with grenades, and forcing you into kill zones if you linger in one position for too long.
You cannot afford to be passive. Grenades in this game are lethal, turning from mere inconveniences into critical threats that demand immediate repositioning. Success requires a deliberate synergy between your environment, your gadgets, and your arsenal.
I got most of a space station killed in The Expanse: Osiris Reborn
I also think I’ve become a cat smuggler.
The tools provided in the beta are genuinely satisfying. The short cooldowns on abilities encourage active experimentation rather than waiting for a “panic button.” Whether it’s chaining electric shocks between tightly packed enemies or deploying a swarm of killer bugs, the gadgets feel like vital components of your loadout rather than mere flavor text. Watching a plan come together—blinding an enemy squad, setting them loose on one another, and signaling a companion to collapse a structure on a sniper—is deeply rewarding.
Modern action-RPGs have suffered from stagnant skill trees defined by uninspired stat bumps. Fortunately, Owlcat breathes some life into the system. The “Gadget” tree offers meaningful modifiers that reward specific playstyles, while “Survival” perks encourage risk-taking, such as providing buffs when you are dangerously close to death. These aren’t just minor percentages; they feel like potential shifts in your tactical approach.
That said, the “Shooter” tree feels somewhat uninspired, relying on the classic, mundane accuracy and damage boosts that are better suited for equipment mods than character progression. While the functional improvements are noticeable—particularly regarding rifle stability—I hope for more active, ability-driven perks for firearm specialists in the final build.
Where the game truly shines is through its trait-based progression. Successfully passing skill checks for athletics or perception often unlocked hidden paths, leading to unique gadgets like wrist-mounted rockets. Choosing this tool forced me to ditch my scanner, which immediately altered my situational awareness in later encounters. It created a compelling feedback loop where your character’s capabilities define your interaction with the world.
The outcomes of battles feel like direct manifestations of your tactical decisions rather than predetermined events. Furthermore, the game seems prepared to force you to live with the consequences of your choices, which is a breath of fresh air in a landscape often devoid of meaningful narrative stakes. The Expanse: Osiris Reborn is slated for a 2027 release, with the current demo available to select backers and collector’s edition owners.
Source: Polygon
