A third-person action RPG set in the world of The Expanse is on the way, and it looks gorgeous.
At Gamescom, something pretty exciting happened behind closed doors. Owlcat Games gave a private look at The Expanse: Osiris Reborn, and while the public couldn’t see it firsthand, some early footage managed to make its way out, letting fans get a glimpse of what’s coming. And honestly? It’s shaping up to be something special.
For anyone who doesn’t know, The Expanse isn’t just another game setting plucked from nowhere. It’s a hugely popular sci-fi book series and an even more beloved TV show that ran on Amazon Prime. The reputation they carry is massive, and the show? Easily one of the best sci-fi series out there. That’s why this announcement has a lot riding on it.
Not always do game adaptations of popular series turn out as expected, and the same can be said for Osiris Reborn, even if the early glimpses are promising. What makes this project interesting is not the adaptation itself, but that the devs, Owlcat Games, best known for their CRPGs, are stepping into unfamiliar territory.
Instead of a traditional top-down RPG that we have seen Owlcat make so far, Osiris Reborn is going third-person and limiting you to just two companions. That’s a major shift for the studio, and it really feels like they’re not afraid to take risks for this game.
In the game, you’ll step into the role of a Pinkwater mercenary. Fans of the show might remember Pinkwater as a military company that made the occasional cameo, but we never really got to explore more than that. This game finally dives into that side of things, which already makes it revolutionary since they are going above and beyond, even the TV series.
The Gamescom trailer showed off a number of different locations players will get to visit, and Owlcat, from the looks of things, has tried to make the game feel as authentic as possible to the source material. The tone and atmosphere in the game capture the essence of what made The Expanse what it is.
Confirmed locations include Pinkwater itself, Eros Station, Ganymede, and Ceres, with each of them having their own identity. Owlcat is not all about their visuals, though. Creative director Alexander Mishulin explained that the team, outside of cosmetics, wants to emphasize the human side of these worlds.
It’s not just about the scenery; it’s about the people trying to survive there. That level of storytelling, if done right, could make it more than just your run-of-the-mill sci-fi game. Of course, the big question is when we’ll actually get to play it. Even though this year’s Gamescom brought some major news along with it, Osiris Reborn’s release date was not one of them.
What we do know is that it is dropping on both Xbox and PlayStation consoles, as well as PC. Owlcat’s previous games often had early access periods; it’s unclear if Osiris Reborn will follow that pattern. Either way, the wait might be tough, but if the preview footage is anything to go by, it’s going to be worth it.
Seeing Owlcat Games step outside their comfort zone and bring The Expanse universe to life in this bold new way is beyond exciting. If they can deliver on the promise shown so far, Osiris Reborn could be the beginning of a franchise that will define a generation.
