The Expanse: A Telltale Seriesis anepisodicadventure gameco-developed byTelltale GamesandDeck Nine.Its current five episodes were released between July and September 2023 forPlayStation 4,PlayStation 5,Windows,Xbox OneandXbox Series X/S.It is a prequel toAlcon Entertainment's television seriesThe Expanse.
| The Expanse: A Telltale Series | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Developer(s) | |
| Publisher(s) | Telltale Games |
| Director(s) | Stephan Frost |
| Producer(s) |
|
| Designer(s) | Christopher Sica |
| Programmer(s) | Thomas Marnell |
| Artist(s) |
|
| Writer(s) | Jonathan Zimmerman |
| Engine | Unreal Engine 4 |
| Platform(s) | |
| Release | July 27–September 21, 2023 |
| Genre(s) | Adventure |
| Mode(s) | Single-player |
Gameplay
editThe game is played from athird-person view.The player can move around various environments, and usepoint and clickactions to interact with objects.Non-player characters(NPCs) can also be interacted with, triggeringdialogue choicesthat change the trajectory of story events and will affect how other character view the player, helping to determine the ending of the game.
The player controls Camina Drummer, theXOofArtemis,an independent salvage vessel traveling across theSolar Systembefore the events of the original series. The ship's crew scavenges abandonedstarshipsfor valuable parts and cargoes usingzero gravityequipment, with the main story revolving around a wrecked ship with a highly valuable cargo, and the consequences of their decision to take it.
Development and release
editOn December 9, 2021,the game was originally announced atThe Game Awards 2021.[1]On May 17, 2023, the first episode was announced for July 27, 2023, with four additional episodes to be released every two weeks thereafter.[2]On July 24, 2023, a bonus episode, "Archangel", featuringShohreh Aghdashloo's character.,[3]was announced atSan Diego Comic-Conand it was released on November 20, 2023.
| Episodes | Release date |
|---|---|
| Episode 1 - Archer's Paradox | July 27, 2023 |
| Episode 2 - Hunting Grounds | August 10, 2023 |
| Episode 3 - First Ones | August 24, 2023 |
| Episode 4 - Impossible Objects | September 7, 2023 |
| Episode 5 - Europa's Folly | September 21, 2023 |
| Bonus Episode - Archangel | November 20, 2023 |
Reception
edit| Aggregator | Score |
|---|---|
| Metacritic | (PC) 75/100[4] |
| Publication | Score |
|---|---|
| GameSpot | 9/10[6] |
| IGN | 7/10[8] |
| PCGamesN | 8/10[7] |
| VideoGamer | 8/10[9] |
| CGMagazine | 8/10[5] |
The Expanse: A Telltale Seriesreceived generally favourable reviews, according toMetacritic.[4]
GameSpotpraised the game's writing, narrative design,Cara Gee's performance as Drummer, character-driven gameplay, and visual animations, but criticised the zero-g movement and collectible mechanic.[6]Similarly,IGNalso lauded Gee's performance, writing, and visuals but opined that it "struggles to find engaging mechanics outside of its dialogue scenes, relying too heavily on quicktime events and mediocre movement challenges."[8]
References
edit- ^Clark, Nicole (December 9, 2021)."The Expanse: A Telltale Seriesis in development ".Polygon.Archivedfrom the original on January 14, 2022.RetrievedApril 1,2023.
- ^Ivan, Tom (May 17, 2023)."Telltale'sThe Expanseepisodic series launches in July ".Video Games Chronicle.Archivedfrom the original on May 17, 2023.RetrievedMay 24,2023.
- ^Kaan, Serin (July 24, 2023)."The Expanse: A Telltale Series'bonus episode brings back fan favourite Shohreh Aghdashloo ".Rock, Paper, Shotgun.RetrievedJuly 29,2023.
- ^ab"The Expanse: A Telltale Series".Metacritic.RetrievedOctober 15,2023.
- ^"The Expanse: A Telltale Series - Episode 1-3 (PC) Review - CGMagazine".CGMagazine.August 15, 2023.RetrievedAugust 26,2023.
- ^ab"The Expanse: A Telltale Series Review – Choices That Matter".GameSpot.RetrievedAugust 26,2023.
- ^"The Expanse: A Telltale Series review - in space, no-one can hear you cry".PCGamesN.July 25, 2023.RetrievedAugust 26,2023.
- ^abHandlen, Zack (August 4, 2023)."The Expanse: A Telltale Series Episodes 1-3 Review".IGN.RetrievedAugust 26,2023.
- ^"The Expanse: A Telltale Series review - to infinity and beyond".VideoGamer.July 25, 2023.RetrievedAugust 26,2023.
Bibliography
edit- Lewis, Claire (June 1, 2023)."The Expanse: A Telltale SeriesIs A Love Letter To Fans Of The Franchise ".GameSpot.Archivedfrom the original on June 1, 2023.RetrievedJune 16,2023.
