The Expanse Review (PS5, PS4, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, & PC)

Choices over time shape who we are. They shape our character, for better or worse. Gaming understands this concept and, as a result, continues to impress with choice-driven narratives that make you think twice. It’s no secret that Telltale Games is the cream of the crop when it comes to choice-driven narratives. The studio is responsible for some of the most thought-provoking story-driven games, including The Walking Dead, Game of Thrones, Batman, and Guardians of the Galaxy video game adaptations. Unfortunately, Telltale Games had to close its doors and sell its assets in 2018. But, thankfully, LCG Entertainment stepped in and saved the day in 2019, acquiring many of its assets while keeping its previous licenses.

Since Telltale Games opened its doors, The Expanse: A Telltale Series is the first video game they are putting out there. In true Telltale Games fashion, The Expanse will be a five-episode entry set to release between July and September. The first episode, Archer’s Paradox, already launched on July 27, 2023. The second, Hunting Grounds, will launch on August 10, 2023, and so forth until the last one airs in September. It’s easy to assume the game won’t completely suck. After all, Telltale Games has had a pretty good track record developing hit episodic adventure video game adaptations. But you can never be quite sure whether the game is worth buying. So, from the gameplay to the story and everything in between, here’s our The Expanse review for your reading pleasure.

The Hook

I’ve always had a love-hate relationship with games that start with a compelling scene only to cut it short and take us back in time. “8 HOURS EARLIER.” Those words come up on the screen after the crew aboard The Artemis haul their captain into an airlock. He must have done something distasteful to inspire a coup. But before we can find out, The Expanse flashes us back – eight hours earlier.

Fans of the TV show, or the novel series, may know Camina Drummer. She didn’t play a pivotal role in the novels, always in the background. She doesn’t take center stage either in the TV series. However, The Expanse: A Telltale Series chooses to focus on Camina Drummer, specifically several years before the TV series events.

Camina Drummer is an executive officer of a scavenging crew. Their captain, Captain Cox, isn’t the most friendly toward Drummer. In fact, not everyone on the crew is an ally. There are some people you can trust. Others, though, are sheep in wolf clothing. You’ll need to push forward into the story to discern who is who. 

The hook is mesmerizing and all. And its cinematic quality makes it all the more like an episode of The Expanse TV show itself. However, it didn’t take as long as I would have liked to acclimate and put the pieces together. Once I discerned that the crew isn’t generally Drummer’s biggest fans, the hook just kind of loses its touch.

Time for a Little Chat

The Expanse’s three main gameplay elements are the story, exploration, and some light puzzles. Stories unravel via conversations with the crew. And to engage in those, you’ll need to explore Artemis’ various floors and find your shipmates. 

Often, conversations will have two alternate choices to pick from. Some may pose immediate consequences. Others take a little bit of time to unfold. While some literally warn you that the person you’re talking to will take note of what you’ve said. Either way, your decision will affect how the crew thinks of you and, in turn, influence the plot's trajectory. 

I must admit, despite the hook losing its touch, the story quickly grabbed my attention, and surprisingly, too. I found myself curious to know more. It’s easy to dislike most of the crew, but as the story unfolds, it digs deeper into each character’s mood and personality. I was hooked, for real.

Once you’ve made a few rounds on The Artemis, it’s time to explore the outside world. 

The Belters

For context, the crew aboard The Artemis are scavengers in the Belt. So, they make the rounds around The Belt's dangerous, uncharted edges, searching for useful items they can loot. Most of the crew are Belters themselves, who are a splinter civilization growing up in colonies within the confines of an asteroid belt. 

Meanwhile, with the human race having colonized Mars, the powers on Earth and Mars go to war over control of the Solar System, which includes the “outer-systems” where the Belters live. As higher powers, both Earth and Mars exploit and abuse the Belters, leaving them to scavenge for supplies for survival.

Zero Gravity

While scavenging, you spot ship debris and draw closer to investigate. Thanks to The Expanse’s new “spacewalking in zero gravity,” you can explore the depths of space as you like. It’s not the most groundbreaking traversal mechanic, with a slow, clunky control system that can get frustrating pretty fast.

It would have been awesome to have a “speed” feature that allows you to speed through bleak areas. After all, there are only so many starry nights you can gaze into before getting bored. Thankfully, The Expanse adds additional cool features that spice up zero-gravity exploration.

Gamers can use thrusters to lift off the ground. Plus, they can use “mag boots” to walk on walls and the roof. However, while exciting, the overall zero gravity mechanic doesn’t catch on as fast as I’d have liked. It can get awkward and, in small, cramped spaces, feel alienating to explore. 

Zero gravity just isn’t natural. But even so, a little patience renders the experience much better. And with practice, too. At times, I would tumble around a cramped space before finding my way again. Yet even after taking the time to get used to zero gravity, it still never quite reached the level of “groundbreaking” I was hoping for.

Free Form

Previous Telltale Games may have posed restrictions in exploration. And instead, focused solely on the story. But The Expanse opens up the universe some more, with no limitations on the way forward. Essentially, you can decide to follow the beaten path or wander about exploring random areas; it’s up to you.

When you steer away from the main path, you can find areas that open up more conversations. Or items that open up more paths. It’s a great way to incentivize exploration and multiple playthroughs.

Most of all, the decisions you make are the centerpiece of The Expanse, just like in the previous Telltale Games. The studio has mastered the art of pushing the right impulses at the perfect moments. It gets even worse – but in a good way – when you could have avoided certain “bad” outcomes had you chosen a different path. 

Additionally, quick-time events and decision-making moments are in full swing. Also, plot twists aren’t just from the developer’s influence but yours too. And the cherry on top is it’s only the first episode, with four more interconnected ones to come.

Look and Feel

Visually, The Expanse represents Telltale Games at its finest. Frame rates are stable for most of the game. And only during immersion do some segments occasionally drop in quality. But these are minuscule and barely game-breaking on the whole.

Verdict

Above all, The Expanse is a well-defined narrative that piques your interest from start to finish. It’s a difficult thing to do. However, Telltale Games has proven to have experience tugging at the heartstrings. So, it comes as no surprise that The Expanse is gunning for the same effect.

The Expanse sticks its landing way more than other story-driven adventures, thanks to believable and genuine interactions between the characters. Right off the bat, I was glued to the screen with an enticing hook. And when the hook started to wear off its charm, the story snuck up on me and clutch its straws through to the end.

What’s more? You’ll need to make at least two massive decisions in the first episode that’ll seep through to the remaining four episodes. Besides questioning your morals and state of mind, they’ll change how the characters think of you and pose huge implications that you’ll have to face over the coming weeks.

Visually, character animations and environments have never looked or sounded better than any Telltale game before it. Cutscenes are mistakeable for a blockbuster film, while the environs feel like immersive areas for space walkthrough. 

The most anticipated feature, zero gravity, does its job, though not as well as I had hoped. When you're upside down and get stuck in broken gates, it's clumsy and awkward to “unstuck” yourself. Or when you can't move quickly through desolate areas of space. On that front, I feel Telltale Games could have done a better job breaking new ground.