The Expanse: A Telltale Collection is a constructive step in the correct course for the newly reconsecrated developer, capturing the essence of what made its preliminary efforts so profitable within the first place. It is sharp, well-paced interactive media that delivers on the anticipated premise, telling an unique story set in a longtime universe in that signature Telltale fashion.
Partnering with Deck 9 (Life Is Unusual: True Colors) for this five-episode sci-fi adaptation, the story strikes at a gradual clip, and it is filled with the type of twists, gut-wrenching selections, and instant regrets you’d anticipate. In comparison with the comparatively stiff The Strolling Useless: The Last Season, the shift to a full third-person perspective appears like an enormous improve, and the intensive and detailed environments really really feel like (and are) areas value exploring.
When you do not essentially must be a fan of the unique James S.A. Corey novel sequence or the favored Syfy TV adaptation, it could actually improve the expertise. Telltale’s sport is a prequel that includes a self-contained origin story for Camina Drummer, portrayed by Cara Gee in each the TV and Telltale iterations. Within the latter’s earlier timeline, Drummer is XO aboard the starship Artemis, second-in-command of a crew that makes a dwelling scavenging wrecked ships within the uncharted edges of The Belt, the expansive asteroid discipline between Mars and Jupiter.
This necessitates zero-g exploration within the laborious vacuum of area, the place a shocking quantity of the participant’s time shall be spent, together with the anticipated interactive cutscenes. These sections really feel good to poke round in, listening to the banter between the varied oddballs who make up The Artemis’ complement. There may be some gentle puzzle-solving available, however nothing that bogs down the expertise. Interacting with objects rewards gamers with expanded lore by recordings, propaganda, and in-universe texts.
A lot of the strain in The Expanse comes from the financial disparity within the yr 2347, exacerbated by humanity’s first tentative steps to colonise our native Photo voltaic System. Inners, or “Inyas” (residents of the Interior System settlements of Earth, Mars and Luna), dominate space-born residents of The Belt, or “Belters”, an oppressed class and supply of low cost labour for the various and harmful duties concerned in area journey.
It is a narratively wealthy universe, and the state of affairs aboard The Artemis is explosive proper from the outset, with issues rapidly turning catastrophic from the primary episode alone. The Expanse is filled with vibrant Belter slang, and the laborious sci-fi nature of the setting combines to make the topic universe a plausible one. Throughout the 5 hours it will take to see Drummer’s grim origin story by to the bitter finish, she’ll face bloody mutiny, ruthless pirates, and the big risks of interstellar journey, from the profound to the mundane.
A Telltale title lives and dies by its solid of characters, and the crew of the Artemis are an eclectic bunch. As the bulk will reside or die relying on the actions taken throughout particular segments, these moments really feel appropriately impactful, and a few real gut-punches await the unwary. A lot has been written in regards to the phantasm of alternative in Telltale’s earlier outings, and that adage stays true right here; occasions could be modified, even altered radically, however primarily attain the identical anticipated endpoint, however that by no means stops the marquee moments themselves from being impactful.
The lazy, alcoholic captain of The Artemis, Cox, drives the preliminary battle aboard the ship, capably piloted by the cantankerous Khan Tran, whose gruff exterior belies a coronary heart of gold. Maya Costilla is a former Martian marine who revels within the freedom discovered exterior the aggressive tradition of her residence world, which she often nonetheless will get homesick for. Virgil is the ship’s medic; mild-mannered and well-educated, his origin is comparatively obscure. Lastly, twin brothers and the one Belters onboard (apart from Drummer), Arlen and Rayel, are likeable goofballs who harbour some simmering societal resentments.
What was presupposed to be a easy job turns into more and more complicated as an opportunity discovery attracts overwhelming consideration from numerous factions with competing pursuits. We performed by the whole factor in two breezy sittings, helped significantly by the upgraded animations and character manoeuvrability, which is one thing the sequence has been screaming out for. The presentation is persistently wonderful, a lot in order that we’re cautiously getting our hopes up for Telltale’s subsequent, The Wolf Amongst Us 2.
The place The Expanse falls a little bit flat, then, is extra by format than fault. Telltale’s The Strolling Useless was launched in 2012, and even again then, quick-time occasions and binary dialogue decisions had been beginning to wear down their welcome (Heavy Rain was launched in 2010, for context). Whereas a enjoyable strategy to expertise a narrative, there simply is not a lot right here, mechanically, you have not seen earlier than. The added exploratory components are welcome, however the sequence’ attraction has at all times been its interactive cutscenes and the phantasm of influencing grander occasions. It is sensible for the setting, however we hope an enlargement of the narrative side of those video games shall be explored sooner or later.
Some genuinely gripping sections, starting from up-close-and-personal physique horror to ship-to-ship fight sequences, put strain on the participant and drive a response. The results are predictably dramatic within the second however finally boil all the way down to pushing well-signalled buttons when prompted inside a beneficiant response window. Your mileage might fluctuate concerning that gameplay fashion, however for followers of The Expanse or the glory days of Telltale Video games, buckle in for a hell of a journey.
Conclusion
The Expanse: A Telltale Collection retains what made the sooner video games so successful, for higher or worse, and smuggles in upgraded visuals and a decent, well-told story. It is nonetheless traditional Telltale at its core, however in case you weren’t a fan of these earlier video games, this daring new course is not more likely to make you a believer.
