Flashspoter - Avid fans of space opera RPGs like Mass Effect have been eagerly waiting for a news of a decent spiritual successor. Fortunately, Owlcat Games, the developers of Warhammer 40, 000: Rogue Trader, have made an announcement regarding the release time of The Expanse: Osiris Reborn in spring 2027. This third-person action RPG officially comes as a day-one title on Xbox Game Pass Ultimate.
Even more excitingly, the fans will not have to wait until the year 2027 to play the game. On April 22, 2026, PC (Steam), Xbox Series X|S, and PS5 closed beta will open, Owlcat Games announced. The beta is accessible only to those who had bought the Collector's Edition for USD 289 or the Digital Miller's Pack for USD 80 through the game's official website.
The Beta will feature one full mission from the beginning of the game, where players can explore the Pinkwater 4 Station Space Station, meet the character Zafar who will later join the crew, and experience the combat and decision-making system that is the core of the gaming experience.
It is almost impossible not to spot the hand of Mass Effect when analyzing the gameplay footage that has been released. Third-person cover shooting, your companions by your side, the possibility of engaging in romance these features are all strongly reminiscent of the legendary BioWare series.
That said, Owlcat Games has willingly talked about the influence yet has also declared their desire to surpass the Inspirer. Alexander Mishulin, Creative Director of Owlcat Games, explained that the dev team desired to allow more choices and repercussions than Mass Effect.
One of the fundamental differences lies in the moral system. The Expanse: Osiris Reborn does not use a binary approach like Paragon or Renegade in Mass Effect. Instead, players are free to determine attitudes without being tied to a rigid moral path.
Another perk of the system is the character's place of origin, which also plays a major role in driving the story. A player can decide if their persona is a native of Earth, Mars, or an Asteroid belt (Belt). Generally, these aren't just token options since NPCs will be responding differently based on the character's background and such interactions will lead to different dialogue paths and narrative results.
The feature that will probably wow you most in Osiris Reborn is the presence of a twin brother named J to be found among the crew members. These twin characters look the same and their appearance is derived from the player's choices of customization when the game is started.
J as a twin brother is not a very good thing all the time, in fact, there are times when the two of you have opposing views about the right decision, conversely, this family drama is an element very rarely seen in the RPG genre.
One of the main problems dug by Owlcat to overcome is how to show combat in a setting of zero gravity. The company contacted NASA astronaut Leroy Chiao who also had a stint as commander of the ISS for the purpose of consultation about scientific accuracy. One of the measures put in place so that a character does not go floating away into outer space when walking on the surface of the space station is the implementation of magnetic boots.
Other aspects of the technical side include projectile physics in a vacuum, the sound design uses vibrations occurring through spacesuits that astronauts perceive, Special Grenades with mini-thrusters for zero gravity environments, etc.
Unlike most RPGs that lock players to a specific class, Osiris Reborn adopts a more Soulslike approach in terms of build flexibility. There is no traditional class system, players are free to mix and match abilities and weapons according to personal play style.
The Creative Director likened this ideology to discovering a weapon that really suits you. So, even if your style is centered around shooting with the help of your abilities or rather counting on the combination of skills that make one another work well, it's the same game for both of you.
The combat system features an Exploit, an opportunity where crew members who are not on a mission can provide tactical assistance. For example, blowing up cable lines near enemy hordes or providing long-range fire support. This ensures no character feels "wasted" just for not being on the core team.
Unlike most cover-based shooters where the armor is permanent, Osiris Reborn features a destructible cover system. If a player just stays hidden at one spot for too long, enemies can even blow up their defensive positions. This calls for even more fluid strategy and constant movement.
The Expanse: Osiris Reborn is set against the source material of the first two and a half seasons of The Expanse TV Show. It happens after the destruction of the Canterbury and right before the Eros Incident. While the story unfolds around similar settings, the players won't be James Holden or the Rocinante crew. A Pinkwater Security mercenary who was among Eros station survivors is actually your character.
Besides confirming the presence of well-known Expanse universe locations like Ganymede, Ceres, Mars, and the Moon (Luna) in the game, the great news for the fans is that some main characters' atores in the TV series will lending their voices to those characters in the game as well.
Visuals of the game are going to be powered by Unreal Engine 5 technology with Nanite and Lumen options. So, the finish quality can be expected to be way above that of earlier Owlcat productions. Besides, the size of the development team is said to be three to four times larger than the one of previous projects, hence, indicating a major scale of aim.
As Owlcat Games' first project in the third-person action RPG genre, The Expanse: Osiris Reborn carries a high burden of expectations. The studio's reputation for handling complex RPGs like Pathfinder and Rogue Trader is a plus, especially in terms of the depth of the choice and consequence system.
Regarding timing, releasing in spring 2027 also means that the development cycle is long enough until a year after the beta phase for Owlcat. It's quite a good window for them to iron out the game depending on the feedback from gamers.
The exclusive edge of the title stems from several major features, which make it stand out among its peers. The origin system brings a much deeper narrative impact, not just simply the choice of dialogue at the beginning, but actually affects the course of the story.
In addition, the twin dynamic concept provides a unique emotional dimension in each player's decision-making. In terms of realism, this game emphasizes scientific authenticity through direct consultation with former NASA astronauts, so the experience feels more credible.
The mechanics of the exploit system are also expanded by involving the entire crew instead of just three active characters, creating a more complex strategy. Besides, the feature of destructible cover makes it necessary for the players to always change their tactics on the move, which results in very dynamic and challenging gameplay.
Arguably, the major difficulty for Owlcat might be that, while the developer is known for making isometric turn-based RPGs, they now have to make a third-person shooter with the excitement of shooting and the responsiveness of camera controls. Nevertheless, since the development period lasts until 2027, there are still good reasons to be hopeful.
Source:
Gamespot - The Expanse: Osiris Reborn Release Window Revealed Alongside Closed Beta Next Month
Polygon - The Expanse game is looking more like Mass Effect than ever