The expanse game faces reality check: no tedious space travel

Owlcat Games is confronting a fundamental truth about adapting hard sci-fi for interactive Entertainment: sometimes, realism demands compromise. Their upcoming RPG, The Expanse: Osiris Reborn, is wrestling with the notoriously granular physics of space travel from James S.A. Corey’s celebrated series, choosing immersive storytelling over tedious simulation.

Balancing authenticity and gameplay

Fans of The Expanse know the series prides itself on its scientific grounding. Travel times, facilitated by the risky “Juice” injections and Crash Couches, are measured in days, weeks, or even months—a stark contrast to the instantaneous jumps common in many space operas. Leonid Rastorguev, game design director at Owlcat, readily admitted this posed a challenge. “The Expanse setting is very grounded and it’s very scientifically accurate,” he explained during a recent preview. “That places a lot of restrictions on the developers.”

The developers considered incorporating a time-management mechanic to reflect these extended voyages, but ultimately deemed it “excessive.” Instead, they’re opting for a more cinematic approach. Players won't be micromanaging trajectories or rationing fuel. Rather, expect short cutscenes depicting life aboard the ship: crew interactions, meals, workouts—brief glimpses designed to convey the passage of time and foster immersion.

Alexander Mishulin, creative director, echoed this sentiment last year, emphasizing the team’s focus on story and character development. “We decided that we will show those things, we will tell you about those things, but we will not let you play them or manage them because it leads to additional tediousness,” Mishulin stated. The team aims to showcase the nuances of space travel—the Juice injections, the acceleration and deceleration maneuvers, the gravitational somersaults—through carefully crafted cutscenes, while ensuring realistic trajectories account for gravity wells and planetary orbits.

But it’s not all compromise. Owlcat intends to retain the series’ commitment to realism in other areas, even embracing “flesh physics” to accurately depict the behavior of fluids in zero-gravity environments. Imagine a shootout in space—blood won't just splatter; it will behave according to the laws of physics, a detail that underscores the studio’s dedication to authenticity.

The Expanse: Osiris Reborn is slated for a closed beta on April 22, 2024, and a full launch in spring 2027 as a day-one Game Pass title. Whether this blend of grounded realism and streamlined gameplay will resonate with fans remains to be seen, but Owlcat's decision to prioritize narrative over relentless simulation suggests a bold attempt to capture the essence of The Expanse without sacrificing player engagement.