Beyond the Normandy: The Expanse: Osiris Reborn’s Ambitious Take on Companion Missions

The companion system is a sacred cornerstone of the action RPG genre. From the loyal followers in Baldur’s Gate 3 to the charismatic crew of the Normandy, the characters that fight by our side are often as important as the hero we control. But for every two companions a player brings on a mission, a handful of others are left behind on the ship, seemingly doing nothing of consequence. This is a common and often-lamented flaw in many RPGs, and it’s one that the developers of The Expanse: Osiris Reborn are looking to fix. In a bold move that takes direct inspiration from the legendary “Suicide Mission” in Mass Effect 2, the team at Owlcat Games is ensuring that even when a companion is not in your active party, they are still a vital and engaged part of the mission.

The core concept is brilliant in its simplicity. As game design director Leonid Rastorguev explains, the goal is to “make sure every companion is useful.” In Mass Effect 2’s iconic finale, a player’s choices and relationships with their companions directly influenced who survived the final mission. A character left behind might have to perform a critical task, and their loyalty and skills would determine whether they succeeded or failed. This created a sense of consequence and made every single companion feel important. The Expanse: Osiris Reborn is taking this idea and weaving it into the fabric of the entire game. Companions left on the ship will not just be idly waiting for your return; they will be actively helping you from a distance, contacting you over the radio to give advice, and even having specific roles that you can assign them to.

The True Meaning of a Crew

This is a major step forward for the genre. In many RPGs, the only real consequence of not taking a companion on a mission is that you miss out on their unique combat abilities and dialogue. The rest of the crew might as well not exist. By having companions who are still engaged in the mission, The Expanse: Osiris Reborn is creating a more dynamic and realistic world. It’s a game where the crew feels like a true team, a group of people who are all working towards a common goal, even if they’re not all on the ground with you. This not only makes the narrative more cohesive but also gives players a reason to invest in every single character, not just the two they plan on taking into battle.

• A New Kind of Teamwork: The game’s system will allow players to coordinate with their crew in real-time. This could mean assigning a character to hack into a security system from the ship, or having another character create a distraction in another part of the level. This kind of remote teamwork is a huge change from the traditional RPG formula and will make the missions feel more dynamic and less linear.
• A More Grounded Experience: As the developers have stated, they are aiming for a more “gritty and realistic” feel. The idea that companions on the ship are not just sitting around is a part of this. In a real-world scenario, a crew would be working together, using their different skills and positions to get the job done. This system reflects that, and it will make the game feel more authentic to the source material.
• A New Kind of Loyalty Mission: The system also opens the door for a new kind of “loyalty mission.” Instead of just being a side quest, a companion’s loyalty could directly influence their effectiveness during a mission. A disloyal crew member might fail to complete a task, while a loyal one might go above and beyond to help you out, even if they’re on the ship.

The Future of Sci-Fi RPGs

The decision to take inspiration from Mass Effect 2’s Suicide Mission is a clear statement of intent from Owlcat Games. They are not just looking to make another sci-fi RPG; they are looking to make a game that pushes the genre forward. By creating a system that makes every companion a vital part of the story, they are addressing a long-standing issue in the genre and creating a game that feels more immersive, more consequential, and more rewarding. While the game’s final execution remains to be seen, the core concept is a brilliant one, and it’s a a positive sign of things to come for fans of the genre. The Expanse: Osiris Reborn is not just a game about a space opera; it’s a game about a crew, and it seems the developers are going to great lengths to make that crew feel like a real team.