Combat and Gameplay
The Expanse: Osiris Reborn is a third-person action RPG built around three interlocking combat layers: cover-based shooting, skills and technology, and companion commands. The developers have cited Gears of War, Mass Effect, The Division, and Uncharted as direct influences on the combat design. Every encounter is meant to feel like a tactical puzzle where positioning, ability usage, and squad coordination all matter.
Cover-Based Shooting
The foundation of combat is a cover system that lets players snap to walls, crates, barricades, and other objects scattered throughout the environment. Leaning out of cover to fire, blind-firing over obstacles, and vaulting between cover points are all standard actions. The system functions similarly to what you would expect from The Division or Gears of War, with the camera pulling in tighter when the player is behind cover and opening up when they move into the open.
Weapons have primary and secondary fire modes. A standard assault rifle might have a burst-fire primary and a grenade launcher attachment as its secondary. Swapping between fire modes is instant, and players are encouraged to use both depending on whether they are dealing with groups of enemies or a single armored target. There are no melee-focused builds in the game. The Expanse setting dictates that close-quarters combat with guns, grenades, and tech is the norm rather than sword-and-shield gameplay.
Skills and Technology
Beyond raw gunplay, players have access to a range of skills and tech devices that add tactical depth. These are not magic spells dressed up in sci-fi clothing. They are grounded in the technology of The Expanse universe, which keeps things feeling plausible even when the action gets intense.
Ability Type | Description |
|---|---|
Grenades with Thrusters | Throwable explosives equipped with small RCS thrusters. In zero-gravity environments, these grenades can adjust their trajectory mid-flight, curving around cover to reach hidden enemies. |
Protective Drones | Deployable drones that hover near the player and project an energy barrier or intercept incoming fire. Some companion builds specialize in drone usage. |
Energy Shields | Temporary defensive barriers that absorb a set amount of damage before collapsing. These can be placed on the ground to create improvised cover or held as a personal shield while advancing. |
Shoulder Cannons | Mounted weapons that fire independently of the player's main gun. They auto-target enemies within a cone in front of the player, providing supplementary damage during intense firefights. |
Tactical Visor | An ability that highlights enemies through walls and cover for a limited time, allowing players to plan their approach or track targets who are trying to flank. |
These abilities are tied to the character progression system rather than a fixed class. Players choose which tech to invest in as they level up, and nothing stops a player from mixing shield abilities with shoulder cannons or combining drones with grenades.
Companion Commands
The third layer of combat involves issuing orders to companions. Up to two companions accompany the player in the field at any time. Each companion has their own combat specialty, equipment, and abilities that the player can direct during fights. Ordering a companion to focus fire on a specific target, hold position behind cover, or deploy their unique ability at a key moment can turn the tide of a difficult encounter.
Companion AI is designed to be competent enough to handle itself without constant babysitting, but skilled players will get significantly more out of their squad by issuing frequent commands. The system borrows heavily from Mass Effect's squad management, where a quick radial menu lets you assign targets and trigger abilities without pausing the action.
Destructible Environments
Environments in Osiris Reborn are partially destructible. Cover can be broken by sustained fire or explosions, forcing players to constantly reposition. Walls can crack and buckle, debris can scatter across the floor, and explosive barrels and pressurized containers can be detonated to deal area damage. In zero-gravity sections, destruction takes on an extra dimension because loose debris floats freely and can obscure sightlines or create improvised cover.
No Survival Mechanics
Despite being set in the hostile vacuum of space, Osiris Reborn is not a survival game. There are no oxygen meters, hunger bars, or temperature gauges to manage. The developers made this decision deliberately to keep the focus on combat, story, and exploration rather than resource management. When the player is in a vacuum environment, the danger comes from enemy fire and physics mishaps, not from slowly running out of air.
Difficulty Settings
The game offers three difficulty levels, each designed to cater to a different type of player.
Difficulty | Description |
|---|---|
Story | Enemy damage and health are significantly reduced. Intended for players who want to experience the narrative and setting without challenging combat. Companion AI is more aggressive and effective. |
Normal | The default experience. Enemies are dangerous enough to punish careless play, but skilled players will find a steady rhythm. Covers, abilities, and companion commands are all important. |
Hard | Enemies deal substantially more damage and have increased health. Positioning mistakes are often fatal. Players need to make full use of their tech abilities, companion synergies, and environmental hazards to survive. |
Design Philosophy
Owlcat has described the overall design philosophy as wanting combat to feel like an action movie set in The Expanse universe. Every firefight should be kinetic, with the player constantly moving between cover, issuing companion orders, and deploying abilities. The combination of grounded, physics-based weapons and high-tech devices creates a push-and-pull where players need to balance aggression with caution. Rushing into the open without a plan will get you killed, but staying behind one piece of cover for too long means it will eventually get destroyed.