The Expanse: Osiris Reborn has entered Closed Beta, giving players access to a story mission set after the Eros incident. The test highlights cover-based combat, squad mechanics, and RPG systems that shape both gameplay and narrative outcomes.
The Expanse: Osiris Reborn Closed Beta Now Live With First Story Mission
Closed Beta Mission at Pinkwater 04 Station Highlights Owlcat’s Shooter RPG Design
The Expanse: Osiris Reborn has officially entered its Closed Beta Test (CBT), offering an early look at Owlcat Games’ upcoming sci-fi RPG based on the award-winning novels of James S.A. Corey. The Closed Beta Test is currently available on Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, and PC via Steam, but access is limited to players who purchase the Miller’s Pack or Collector’s Edition through the official website.
Known for Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader and its Pathfinder titles, the studio is taking a different direction here with a third-person shooter framework while maintaining its emphasis on player choice and narrative systems.
Based on the space opera series The Expanse, the game takes place in a solar system divided between Earth, Mars, and the asteroid belt, each with competing interests and growing tensions. Much of the conflict stems from political rivalries and resource struggles, particularly between the inner planets and the marginalized populations living in the Belt.
The current CBT provides access to a single story mission set on Pinkwater 04 Station, taking place in the aftermath of the Eros incident—an event involving an asteroid station that triggered a major crisis and further destabilized relations across the system. The mission introduces players to the game’s core gameplay loop.
Combat is real-time and cover-based, with an emphasis on positioning, gadget use, and squad coordination. Players can equip one rifle-sized weapon alongside a shorter weapon, with five weapon categories available in the test.
Progression ties into both combat and narrative systems. Leveling up grants skill points that can be allocated to combat abilities and social traits, the latter influencing dialogue options, exploration rewards, and the outcomes of story events. Additional upgrades can improve squad effectiveness, increase firepower, enhance gadget damage, and develop companions over time.
Gadgets function as active combat abilities, and players can issue commands to squadmates during encounters, including J, the protagonist’s twin. Outside of combat, players can use a workbench to upgrade weapons and equipment gathered during exploration, as well as interact with a local vendor named Luciana within the CBT.
Owlcat has emphasized flexibility during the beta, encouraging players to experiment with different builds, loadouts, and dialogue choices to see how they impact both gameplay and story progression.
Sources:
Beta Mechanics Overview | The Expanse: Osiris Reborn
The Expanse: Osiris Reborn Official Website
