The Expanse: A Telltale Series is a phenomenal addition to a wonderful franchise. This episodic affair is captivating, dramatic, and beautifully acted. Furthermore, it works for fans of the Amazon Prime TV series and those who are blissfully unaware. Consequently, if you love science fiction, this is one dramatic tale that you won’t want to miss.
This story-rich adventure was developed by Deck Nine and published by Telltale. Moreover, besides the incredible storytelling, there are smatterings of QTEs and plenty of game-changing decisions to make. Consequently, you are in charge of your fate, and that makes every moment brilliantly suspenseful.
The Expanse: A Telltale Series delivers a brilliantly paced plot.
This Telltale affair has been split into 5 exceptional chapters. Each dramatic slice is delivered to your PC or console once a fortnight. Therefore, there is enough of a wait to generate impatience without dragging things out for too long. The story follows the action from Amazon Prime’s TV series. Subsequently, there are some familiar characters and locations to interact with and explore.
The Expanse: A Telltale Series follows the adventures of Camina Drummer. This badass explorer is a lead officer on The Artemis. Consequently, she is free to do as she wishes, as long as she doesn’t upset her boss, Captain Cox. The story revolves around the scavengers’ adventures and their subsequent experiences. Additionally, it takes some exceptional twists and turns and there are some stomach-churning decisions to be made.
A great setting with familiar mechanics.
I adored the science fiction setting. Floating around in space whilst completing tasks never gets old. What’s more, the relationship between the crew twists and turns depending on the choices you make. Furthermore, exploring derelict ships whilst fighting for your life was a thrilling experience.
If you’ve played a narrative-driven or FMV game, you’ll love the familiar mechanics. The Expanse: A Telltale Series balances its cinematic QTEs, dialogue choices, and exploration perfectly. Accordingly, you never tire of each element and this was great. Additionally, the enchanting lore and grim setting draw you into this horrifically oppressive universe. Consequently, every dig and backhanded compliment makes sense as the crews’ relationships hang in the balance.
Shorter episodes than expected.
Each of the 4 currently released episodes comprises an array of tasks to complete. Furthermore, there are plenty of dialogue choices that alter the course of the story. On top of this, if you so wish, you can explore every location to find hidden collectables to gift your crewmates. This element of the game is optional, but it does open up otherwise unobtainable snippets of each character’s background.
What may disappoint Telltale fans is the surprisingly short episodes. Though I appreciated the breath-taking atmosphere and the perfectly timed events, I could have happily endured more of the same. Thankfully, though, as I have the Deluxe edition, I can enjoy an additional chapter that will be missed by “Standard Edition” owners. Accordingly, I strongly recommend investing in the Deluxe version.
The Expanse: A Telltale Series looks great.
Everyone is space-mad at the moment. Starfield has generated hype on top of hype. Consequently, The Expanse: A Telltale Series has hit the market at the right time. This semi-open world title allows you to roam each small area to your heart’s content. Whilst doing this, you must use your jetpack to leap chasms and traverse shafts. This animation is wonderfully smooth and the ability to rotate is exceptionally well done. On top of this, the environment feels vast, even though the locations are claustrophobic and small.
Alongside this, the cinematic is fantastic. Amusingly, though, the lip-syncing is occasionally off, but it’s mostly a success. What’s more, the QTEs are well-considered, and I enjoyed the breakaway from the slower-paced dialogue.
Talking of dialogue, the acting is spectacular! An FMV/narrative game lives or dies by its audio. Thankfully, The Expanse: A Telltale Series has a wonderful cast of actors that deliver every piece of cinematic to a high standard. Additionally, the excellent sound effects enhance the sci-fi theme without ruining the oppressive and dramatic undertones.
Responsive controls.
The controls are the least of your worries. However, whenever you experience one of the QTEs, you want responsive inputs and easy-to-follow markers. Luckily, this is exactly what you get thanks to the simple labels. Accordingly, you needn’t focus on the control layout and this allows you to concentrate on the excellent plot.
One of the fantastic elements of this series is the ability to complete it as quickly or as slowly as you wish. If you want, you can push to each objective whilst ignoring your surroundings. Alternatively, you can look over every square inch to discover every data log and all the collectable items. Additionally, there are those game-changing dialogue choices to consider. As such, this has longevity and replay value.
The Expanse: A Telltale Series is a must-play game.
The Expanse: A Telltale Series is a must-play game. Consequently, I cannot wait for Chapter 5 and the special bonus content. What’s more, I will enjoy revisiting every key moment. Thanks to its wonderful acting and incredible level design, I fell in love with this franchise all over again. However, I was frustrated by how short each chapter was. Yet, this is a minor detail and it shouldn’t detract from this amazing experience. Subsequently, I adored it and I recommend that you buy it here! Enjoy the twists and turns of this exceptional science-fiction adventure.
