The Expanse Osiris Reborn PS5 Previews

If you're anything like us, you'll have been keeping a very close eye on The Expanse: Osiris Reborn — the sci-fi RPG from OwlCat Games.

From day one, the title's been providing undeniable Mass Effect vibes thanks to a focus on third-person shooting and character-driven dialogue choices, and the good news is that the game's supposedly shaping up really well.

Previews for Osiris Reborn have started to appear online, based on early access to its closed beta demo on PC. The game's not coming out in full — and on PS5 — until sometime next year, but again, early impressions are rather positive.

YouTube VideoWatch on YouTube

Subscribe to Push Square on YouTube169k

Multiple previews praise the project's already impressive sense of world building, and tightly written companions. To be fair, you'd expect as much from the aforementioned developer, which has been producing in-depth CRPGs for years.

Indeed, Osiris Reborn is a bit of a calculated risk for OwlCat. It marks the studio's first foray into a realm outside of turn-based or strategic role-playing, and its inexperience with third-person action is perhaps noticeable in this demo.

Indeed, a number of previews raise slight concerns of floaty shooting mechanics and a fiddly cover system. The kind of criticisms that were levelled at the first Mass Effect, funnily enough.

The key difference, of course, is that Osiris Reborn can take this feedback onboard and hopefully improve the combat experience well ahead of its eventual 2027 launch.

Having said that, there are still gameplay elements that a few outlets have given a big thumbs up to. Environmental hazards, for example, are apparently a key part of making shootouts feel dynamic; your own custom character, or your allies, can alter the arena quite dramatically by using certain abilities on weakened structures.

But perhaps the most promising sign of Osiris Reborn's overall quality is just how much the storytelling and encounters can change based on your narrative choices.

Granted, this demo is just a small slice of a much bigger game, but basically all of the previews highlight the fact that multiple playthroughs of said demo resulted in some vastly different plot developments.

Anyway, this closed beta demo is now available on PS5 — but you need to pay up for the game's more expensive pre-orders if you want access. You can find more info on the developer's official website.

Here's a round up of some choice quotes from the previews...

RPG Site

"I can at least say that Osiris Reborn makes a strong first impression — especially for anyone hungry for a specific kind of sci-fi roleplaying experience."

Polygon

"Battle outcomes feel more like the result of your choice instead of something inevitable this way. But it's also refreshing to see a game that's potentially unafraid to make you live with your choices, unlike some recent RPGs. All the skill checks were low-level in the demo, though presumably specializing in one thing over another in the main game means you'll miss out on special gear and things that matter."

GamesRadar

"There's a 7/10 feel to it so far, but the kind of 7/10 that you'll play easily for the 30 or so hours developer Owlcat say the final game will last, without so much as blinking."

Wccftech

"As a big fan of Mass Effect, Owlcat's games, and The Expanse, I wish I could freeze myself and awaken when the full game is available in Spring 2027. This looks like the proverbial match made in heaven; alas, we'll have to make do with this beta for one more year."

Are you looking forward to The Expanse: Osiris Reborn? Dare we ask if you're checking the closed beta out on PS5? Try not to blow up the entire space station in the comments section below.