With the next Mass Effect probably releasing by the end of this decade, all eyes are on The Expanse: Osiris Reborn to fill that BioWare-shaped void. Thus far, it’s doing a good job, as Owlcat Games brought in former NASA astronaut Leroy Chiao to consult on space living, including traversing the exterior of spacecraft.
One of the biggest fears while venturing outside into space is suddenly floating off into the void. That’s why, as Chiao notes, the crew uses tethers, but that wouldn’t really work in a “reactive” game like Osiris Reborn. “So mag-boots is a creative way to kind of compromise and keep it realistic,” he said, “but also be able to be reactive.”
Of course, space also has a significant impact on guns, including recoil, ballistics and, most importantly, sound. While the most realistic scenario would mean almost no sound whatsoever, studio audio director Sergey Eybog says, “In our vacuum, you hear more than astronauts would, but far less than in atmosphere. What you hear is what your character feels: breathing, comms, vibrations. The tension lingers — and so do the fears.”
Ship life is just as important as combat, however, and a lot of that revolves around food. “To craft the right atmosphere, we focus on the smallest of details,” says game design producer Yuliya Chernenko. “Life in space changes tastes. Astronauts often crave spices just to feel such sensations again.”
Since Pinkwater features meals from ingredients that are only grown in orbit, you’ll still hear others talking about them and food in general. Perhaps also about obtaining some contraband (read: spices) to experience some particular sensations again?
Time will tell, but thus far, we’re liking how Owlcat adapts The Expanse’s more “grounded” sci-fi approach into the video game format. Osiris Reborn doesn’t have a release date, but it’s coming to Xbox Series X/S, PS5, and PC.
