The Expanse: A Telltale Series Review – Choices That Matter

[Editor’s note: This review encompasses episodes one, two, and three of The Expanse: A Telltale Series]Within minutes of firing up the primary episode of The Expanse: A Telltale Series, you may be confronted with a sequence of life-or-death decisions. Though some decisions could appear trivial at first, almost all of them lead to “[character name] will remember that” showing within the top-left nook of the display screen, leaving you to marvel what precisely will occur if that alternative comes again to chew you a number of episodes later. These sorts of narrative decisions and penalties are a staple of the Telltale model and, at first look, one would possibly mistake The Expanse for a clone of the studio’s earlier video games, reskinned to mirror the suitable franchise–but this could not be farther from the reality.Upon nearer inspection, it turns into clear that Deck Nine Games–the studio that developed Life Is Strange: True Colors and is Telltale’s co-developer for this project–has fairly actually added a brand new dimension to the usual Telltale system. In The Expanse, gamers can freely discover the three-dimensional recreation surroundings, a primary for Telltale, because the studio’s earlier video games supplied little or no alternative for exploration and freedom of motion. This change to a typical third-person perspective works wonders for immersion, particularly given the sport’s massive, detailed environments. The capacity to listen to Camina Drummer’s internal monologue–something by no means seen on the show–also performs an enormous half in bringing the sport to life, creating a way of connection between the participant and the sport’s protagonist. In the tv present, Drummer is thought to be quite reclusive, not often sharing her emotions aloud. The determination to allow us to hear her internal ideas is a daring alternative, however it works extremely nicely because of the recreation’s stellar writing and the efficiency of Drummer’s voice actress.Cara Gee (who performs Drummer in The Expanse tv sequence) reprises her position as soon as once more and Gee’s highly effective, emotive efficiency makes all of the difference–it’s onerous to think about the sport with out her. Unlike the tv present, Telltale’s The Expanse permits us to see a brand new, barely extra weak aspect of the usually reserved, enigmatic Belter by serving as a prequel that particulars what Drummer’s life was like main as much as the occasions of the tv present. Interacting with objects will immediate Drummer to audibly share her ideas on the matter at hand, and this mechanic is a superb technique to introduce Drummer to gamers who will not be acquainted with the present.Of course, the sport additionally features a group of latest characters, all of whom serve aboard the scavenger ship Artemis alongside Drummer. From the gruff, aged pilot, Khan, to the contrasting personalities of the Morozov twins, Arlen and Rayen, Telltale’s characters really feel real, like they might simply as simply match into The Expanse tv present or the ebook sequence upon which it’s primarily based. Your opinion of every character will change wildly because the narrative unfolds, however it at all times appears like these characters are every rising in a selected course, not continually wavering backwards and forwards between reliable ally and unfastened cannon with a hair-trigger. It’s a pointy distinction to the supporting characters of earlier Telltale video games, like Kenny from The Walking Dead sequence, who steadily bounced between “helpful companion” and “selfish idiot who randomly turns on me when the plot decides it needs a twist.”Since Telltale’s The Expanse is a prequel to the tv sequence, Drummer’s plot-armor is thicker than the hull of the Artemis, however her fellow crew members aren’t as fortunate. At the tip of the fifth and remaining episode, gamers can discover themselves with no crew members left alive besides Drummer, or with the complete squad saved, relying on the alternatives Drummer makes. Despite being solely 5 episodes lengthy (with a sixth DLC episode set to launch this fall), the sport’s characters are intriguing and plausible sufficient for gamers to rapidly kind attachments, making it all of the extra devastating whenever you fail to save lots of considered one of them.Aside from the flexibility to freely roam and discover, probably the most notable distinction between The Expanse and Telltale’s earlier initiatives is the higher-quality animation. Deck Nine’s dedication to hanging visuals is instantly obvious inside the first jiffy of the sport. Instead of the cartoonish, stylized character designs of Telltale’s earlier video games, The Expanse boasts extra life like graphics and cutscenes that do not continually lower to a close-up shot to cover wonky animations–mainly as a result of there weren’t any wonky animations in want of hiding in my time with it. Cutscenes are extraordinarily detailed however even outdoors of cutscenes, the sport’s inside environments really feel lived-in and alive, whereas exteriors set within the vacuum of area really feel appropriately huge for a franchise referred to as The Expanse.The recreation’s largest visible triumph is undoubtedly the characters’ facial motion-capture and animations. Previous Telltale video games typically struggled with facial expressions, leaving characters trying stiff and unusual. But Deck Nine’s animations are clean and life like, with characters typically sharing understanding appears that make you marvel what they’re pondering, or having transient exchanges with Drummer that consist solely of physique language and facial expressions. The optimistic impact of those moments can’t be overstated–every body of each cutscene is executed with goal, and between the characters’ lovable (and typically love-to-hateable) personalities and the developer’s willpower to create cinematic cutscenes, it typically feels such as you’re directing an episode of the tv present, not simply taking part in a recreation.But one of many recreation’s strongest options is that, above all, it achieves its purpose by a narrative that’s sturdy sufficient to face by itself. Some cutscenes have awkward gaps and pauses between strains, however it’s a uncommon incidence, and you will by no means meet an NPC who spends a stable three minutes word-vomiting exposition at you earlier than sending you on a fetch quest, which is a serious plus. When it involves each dialogue and actions, Drummer is sort of at all times confronted with solely two choices, however surprisingly, these choices by no means really feel like binary “good” and “bad” decisions. Drummer is not merely good or unhealthy, a renegade or a paragon–she’s simply Drummer, a girl who has needed to make extremely tough choices all her life. It’s uncommon that you’re going to come throughout a alternative the place one choice instantly feels prefer it’s the plain “right” alternative, until you’ve got discovered environmental context clues that time you in (what seems to be) the proper course.[Cutscenes are] executed with goal, and between the characters’ lovable (and typically love-to-hateable) personalities and the developer’s willpower to create cinematic cutscenes, it typically feels such as you’re directing an episode of the tv present, not simply taking part in a recreation.Despite the sport’s narrative arc hinging on varied dialogue decisions, The Expanse strongly adheres to a “show, don’t tell” coverage, utilizing environmental storytelling in a manner that makes the sport’s ranges enjoyable to discover even when there is not any loot available. It’s at all times price having a look round, particularly when on board the Artemis. In truth, the Artemis is the place it’s best to do probably the most trying round, as objects Drummer can examine typically reveal useful clues that make tough choices a lot simpler. If Drummer notices a defaced poster on the wall, the following time you examine it, there could also be extra graffiti added to it. If she feedback on an unsecured merchandise in a crew member’s quarters and returns later, it would seemingly be mendacity on the ground in a number of items because of getting knocked round in zero-g.Unfortunately, zero-g motion is the sport’s largest flaw. It appears beautiful and life like from a visible perspective, however in apply, utilizing Drummer’s vac-suit thrusters sends you floating throughout the infinite expanse of area at roughly the identical pace as an exhausted tortoise. The go well with has two speeds: gradual, and barely less-slow. When you are looking down an merchandise for a aspect quest in a large ship graveyard, the belief that you must backtrack is prone to be accompanied by a pissed off groan because of the period of time it would take to retrace your steps. If you drift too far into area, a notification seems, informing you that you simply’re leaving the protected zone. This, mixed with the darkish and infrequently disorienting places Drummer should discover early on within the recreation could make some ranges extra irritating than they must be.Another weak spot is the collectible mechanic. As you progress by the sport, you can gather varied valuables scavenged from derelict ships. Drummer typically feedback on what the merchandise is, and which NPC crew member would possibly discover it helpful. But there is not any stock for this stuff to be seen in, no alternative to present them to anybody, and it’s extremely tough to inform in the event that they’re simply there to present completionists one thing to do, or if they really have an effect on the plot. The important collectibles you may want to fret about are made very obvious–they seem as aspect quests within the recreation’s mission log, and are separated from the scavenged loot. The largest drawback right here is that every stage has some extent of no return on the finish, however it’s by no means clear what precisely will set off it. In Chapter 2, as an example, the principle quest duties you with discovering three gas sources, and likewise offers you two aspect quests with further gadgets which can be essential to particular characters. But when you full the principle quest earlier than finding the aspect quest gadgets, you may instantly be thrown right into a cutscene and won’t be able to return and proceed your search until you restart the episode. A easy immediate asking you when you’re prepared to depart as soon as you’ve got accomplished a important quest (which frequently consists of a number of levels, making it even tougher to discern how shut you’re to ending it) would immediately clear up this drawback.Still, the sport shines in nearly each different class. One significantly spectacular feat the builders someway managed to drag off was making Drummer’s phrases and actions plausible, regardless of which decisions you make whereas taking part in as her. Whether it is amputating an harmless man’s leg in the midst of a spacewalk or deciding to “space” a troublemaker (learn: toss them out of an open airlock with no vac-suit), Drummer executes no matter choice you select in a fashion that does not appear out of character for her, even when the choices offered are polar opposites. Though Drummer’s dialogue response choices are often restricted to solely two decisions, these choices nearly at all times work flawlessly with regards to authenticity. The dialogue alternative descriptions are quick, however The Expanse avoids forcing the participant to decide on a line of dialogue primarily based on a deceptive description–Drummer would not blurt out one thing fully sudden in a tone you did not intend for her to make use of. You will not end up pondering, “I didn’t mean for her to say it like that,” a difficulty typically seen when RPG dialogue choices are too quick or too imprecise.The recreation’s writing is, with out query, its biggest energy. You’ll snort out loud at all the things from snappy comebacks to humorously penned datapad entries. But identical to the tv present and ebook sequence, the sport’s humorousness fortunately doesn’t undergo from a Marvel-esque have to throw in a self-conscious joke each time there is a second of rigidity, as a substitute managing to remain completely balanced within the “Goldilocks zone” with regards to comedian aid. Moments of levity are there when applicable, however intense scenes are given time to breathe–as are tender moments between Drummer and her love curiosity.The chemistry between Drummer and Martian ship mechanic Maya Castillo is palpable from the second they meet. Ultimately, it is as much as you to resolve whether or not Drummer will pursue her romantically, and given the truth that Maya’s the one romanceable NPC within the recreation, pursuing her looks as if a forgone conclusion. In most RPGs, romance and survival aren’t inherently tied collectively. In The Expanse, romance is an ethical conundrum from the second it presents itself. The Artemis is a small ship–people are certain to search out out, and crew members will typically allude to the concept one individual or one other is being proven favoritism even earlier than you will have the chance to pursue Maya. Other life like dilemmas additionally outcome from this potential romance. If you do not reply to Maya’s romantic overtures, will the provide be gone for good, or will Drummer get one other probability to make a transfer? The recreation offers itself room to evoke these questions of morality and logistics by specializing in a single relationship. One would suppose that Maya’s presence alone means it is meant to be. Perhaps it’s, however the recreation’s ambiance continually communicates reminders that each transfer Drummer makes has a butterfly impact on the remainder of the sport. The largest romantic dilemma most RPG protagonists sometimes face is selecting which NPC to woo. But The Expanse forces you to reply higher, extra fascinating questions. Not simply, “Am I interested in her?” however “Is this a good idea right now? Is it a good idea at all?”Telltale’s Expanse is a masterclass in narrative design, and subsequent playthroughs will reveal that, in contrast to a number of the studio’s earlier choices, nearly each single alternative the participant makes does have a novel end result. The Expanse would not current you with the phantasm of alternative, the place you are continually making choices, however only some of them truly matter. It cleverly makes use of environmental clues, refined facial animations, and different non-verbal hints to will let you discover solutions to your questions, quite than spoon-feeding you expositional dialogue. Whether your purpose is studying extra about Virgil, the ship’s secretive medic, or just determining who stole Khan’s BBQ sauce, Telltale’s Expanse leaves no stone unturned, and no unfastened finish untied.Gallery More than that, The Expanse has what I’ve been looking for in Telltale video games since The Walking Dead Season 1: soul. Characters do not feel disposable, demise would not really feel inevitable, and happiness would not appear as hopelessly out-of-reach because it does in Game of Thrones or The Walking Dead, which makes for a refreshing change. The Expanse isn’t populated with throwaway characters who already really feel doomed to be a sufferer for the sake of drama, or soulless zombies who could be killed and not using a second thought. If you hearth a weapon in The Expanse, you’re altering the lifetime of an actual human being, and the sport makes certain you recognize it. Because each NPC companion could be saved, being unable to save lots of considered one of them (or having to make the painful alternative to not) hits onerous, even when that character poses a major danger to Drummer or the remainder of the crew.In a world of huge RPGs with seemingly infinite aspect quests and large maps, The Expanse: A Telltale Series is a refreshing change of tempo, and proves that typically, much less is extra. An important RPG would not essentially must be a 60-hour journey; it simply must convincingly drop you into one other individual’s magboots. The Expanse does that after which some, forcing you to make tough choices that can hang-out you lengthy after you’ve got completed taking part in.