The Expanse: Osiris Reborn has launched its Closed Beta, granting players access to a narrative mission set in the wake of the Eros incident. This test phase showcases cover-based combat, squad dynamics, and RPG mechanics that influence both gameplay styles and story 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

Renowned for titles like Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader and its Pathfinder series, Owlcat Games adopts a third-person shooter structure here while retaining its signature focus on player agency and deep narrative systems.

Set within the universe of The Expanse space opera, the game unfolds in a solar system fractured between Earth, Mars, and the asteroid belt, each faction driven by competing interests and rising tensions. Much of the conflict arises from political rivalries and resource disputes, particularly between the inner planets and the disenfranchised populations residing in the Belt.

The ongoing CBT offers access to a single story mission located on Pinkwater 04 Station, occurring shortly after the Eros incident—a crisis involving an asteroid station that destabilized relations across the solar system. This mission serves as an introduction to the game’s core gameplay loop.

Combat is real-time and cover-based, emphasizing positioning, gadget deployment, and squad coordination. Players can carry one rifle-sized weapon paired with a shorter sidearm, with five distinct weapon categories available during the test phase.

Progression integrates both combat proficiency and narrative influence. Earning level-ups provides skill points that can be invested in combat abilities or social traits; the latter affect dialogue choices, exploration rewards, and key story resolutions. Further upgrades enhance squad efficiency, boost firepower, increase gadget damage, and develop companion characters over time.

Gadgets serve as active combat abilities, allowing players to issue commands to squadmates during encounters, including J, the protagonist’s twin sister. Outside of battle, users can utilize a workbench to upgrade weapons and gear collected through exploration, or interact with Luciana, a local vendor available within the CBT environment.

Owlcat Games encourages experimentation during this beta phase, inviting players to test various builds, loadouts, and dialogue decisions to observe their impact on both gameplay mechanics and narrative progression.