With the news about BioWare’s current state as a company and its next move toward developing the next Mass Effect entry, one game already in development could potentially rival the iconic space opera, The Expanse: Osiris Reborn.
Set in the same universe as the hit Amazon series and the nine-book saga by James S.A. Corey, The Expanse: Osiris Reborn tells an original story about a group of space mercenaries caught in the wrong place at the wrong time. We’ll get to visit iconic locations from both the show and the books, including the massive artificial gardens of Ganymede, Lunar cities, and the now-destroyed asteroid Eros.
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+ 3What got me interested in Osiris Reborn is how much it draws from what BioWare’s Mass Effect did so well: a compelling story with deep politics, familiar third-person shooter combat, and a sprawling science fiction world. Oh, and of course — aliens.
Watching the reveal trailer for the first time, a part of me wished this was the next Mass Effect game. I’ve been waiting a long time to return to BioWare’s galaxy. While that return is still a way off, I’m excited to see Osiris Reborn step up to fill that space.
READ: Where Is Mass Effect 5? Latest Updates, Rumors & Potential Release Window
I’m currently reading Book 9 (Leviathan Falls) of The Expanse, and I can’t help but see this game as the next great science fiction RPG in the vein of Mass Effect. There’s so much ground to cover in a universe this rich. Osiris Reborn is set during the events of the first two books, between Leviathan Wakes and Caliban’s War, a period full of tension between Earth, Mars, and the Belt.
click to enlarge+ 3Should Osiris Reborn prove to be a massive success in both scope and direction, we could see more and more entries from The Expanse universe making their way into the gaming market. After all, we’ve already had our first taste of an Expanse video game with Telltale’s narrative-driven take, featuring Camina Drummer as the main character.
As a huge fan of both stories, I find the similarities between The Expanse and Mass Effect to be too strong to ignore. There’s the protagonist caught in the right place at the right time, the complex web of interplanetary politics, and ancient alien civilizations that helped humanity discover FTL travel.
But instead of leaning on familiar faces like Thomas Jane’s Josephus Miller or Steven Strait’s James Holden, Owlcat Games is introducing a new cast of original characters. They come with their own motivations, romantic entanglements, and flaws — just like the crew of the Normandy in Mass Effect.
click to enlarge+ 3The Expanse: Osiris Reborn feels like the start of a new personal obsession — a new era of science fiction games shaped by Mass Effect’s legacy. It has all the makings of the next great sci-fi RPG. This could be the perfect game to fill the void BioWare has left behind. And if Mass Effect 5 doesn’t deliver, at least the universe of The Expanse is stepping up to carry the torch.
(The Expanse: Osiris Reborn doesn’t have a release date yet, but Owlcat Games is actively seeking support from players through the purchase of Founder Packs and by encouraging early adopters to join the development journey.)
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