The Expanse: A Riveting Sequel Unveiled – Episode 2 Unforgettable Review!

Last month, Telltale and developer Deck Nine Games, known for their work on the Life is Strange franchise, released the first installment of The Expanse: A Telltale Series called Archer's Paradox. This initial episode not only captivated fans with its familiar elements but also impressed them with significant advancements in gameplay and storytelling. Building upon this success, The Expanse: A Telltale Series - Episode 2, titled Hunting Grounds, continues to deliver a satisfying gaming experience. However, what truly sets Episode 2 apart is its exceptional focus on developing relationships. While Archer's Paradox demonstrated that players' choices impact the story, Episode 2 takes this idea further by showing that nearly every decision made truly matters.

In The Expanse: A Telltale Series, players assume the role of Camina Drummer, voiced by actress Cara Gee, in a story that takes place long before the events of the television series. Episode 2 thrusts Drummer into the position of Captain, as it is revealed that the previous Captain, Garrison Cox, attempted to kill her in Episode 1 after she discovered a data drive containing the coordinates to a mysterious treasure. At the conclusion of the first episode, Drummer and her crew were being pursued by pirates, led by the formidable Captain Toussaint, who also desired to find the treasure. The Expanse: A Telltale Series - Episode 2 begins where Archer's Paradox left off, with the crew seeking refuge from Toussaint's crew in a ship graveyard.

The studio’s signature visuals are once again pushed to new limits in The Expanse: A Telltale Series - Episode 2. Similar to Episode 1, players guide Drummer through the vast expanse of space and the cramped interiors of The Artemis and its surrounding wreckage. These settings showcase an astounding level of intricacy, as Deck Nine Games' rich color palettes and meticulously crafted environments enhance Telltale's distinct cartoonish style and deliver a stunning and imposing portrayal of The Expanse universe. Nevertheless, a significant portion of The Expanse: A Telltale Series - Episode 2 takes place indoors, allowing Deck Nine Games to showcase their mastery in visual enhancements, particularly with facial animations that once again steal the show.

The Expanse continues to impress with its core mechanics, offering seamless transitions and smooth controls for both free-floating and close-quarters exploration. Drummer's unique abilities add urgency to the gameplay, allowing players to boost while floating and sprint on foot. In Episode 2, these mechanics are put to the test in a lengthy stealth segment where players must search for salvage while avoiding detection from enemies and drones. The combination of on-foot and floating traversal adds an exciting mix-up to the formula established in Episode 1.

Although the introduction of stealth brings a nice change of pace, the gameplay in the early parts of Episode 2 feels almost identical to that of Episode 1. Players must once again explore wreckage to find salvage and progress the story. Optional salvage can be discovered at the player's own pace, but its significance and quantity are not revealed. This repetition makes the first act of Hunting Grounds feel too familiar. However, as the episode progresses, players spend time aboard the Artemis, allowing the focus to shift back to the development of character relationships. Building these relationships becomes critical to the success and survival of the crew, with the player's actions during the exploration segments playing a crucial role.

In The Expanse: A Telltale Series - Episode 2, it becomes clear that every salvage item holds significant importance in shaping the relationships throughout the series. As early as the first five minutes of Hunting Grounds, Drummer is presented with the opportunity to bestow a distinctive piece of salvage, a cigar discovered in Episode 1, onto a fellow crew member. Unveiling the cigar immediately impacts the events in Archer's Paradox, while gifting it during the initial interaction in Hunting Grounds sets the stage for Drummer to forge a connection with her most opposing crew mate. In this heartfelt conversation, Drummer delves into the crew member's defining moment and discovers a secret codeword to use in the event of a pirate boarding the ship.

One of the primary goals in The Expanse: A Telltale Series - Episode 2 is to engage in conversation with each member of the crew, a task that takes up a significant portion of the Hunting Grounds gameplay. Throughout these interactions, the optional salvage items obtained in either Episode 1 or Episode 2 play a crucial role in building stronger connections between Drummer and the crew. However, a particular interaction stands out where players deviate from the main objective of "Speaking with Maya" and instead utilize optional salvage to initiate a second conversation with a crew member. By using the data hacking cube obtained in Episode 1, Drummer uncovers evidence of this individual hiding something during their mandatory "check-in". Instead of following the current objective, Drummer confronts the crew member with this information, resulting in a deeper bond and relationship development beyond what was possible in their initial, obligatory conversation.

The Expanse: A Telltale Series - Episode 2 surpasses previous Telltale titles by elevating the significance of players' investment in the game's environments and characters. Unlike its predecessors which centered on a few crucial "life or death" choices, The Expanse goes beyond the narrative to offer players real consequences for their decisions. This achievement is truly worth celebrating as it fulfills the promise of choice-driven experiences that few, if any, can deliver. However, it may split opinions among players as the importance of exploration is only revealed in Episode 2.

The results page of The Expanse: A Telltale Series - Episode 2 reveals a major problem with its decision-making system. In previous Telltale titles, the results screens showed the percentage of players who chose each option during important decisions. However, Episode 2 of The Expanse solely focuses on players' use of salvage to build relationships, mainly items obtained in Episode 1. This leaves players who rushed through the first episode unable to fully experience the significant moments in Episode 2. Although Episode 2 does present a crucial decision regarding intimacy with a crew member, its impact is relatively unknown.

The Expanse: A Telltale Series - Episode 2 is a compelling continuation of the outstanding Episode 1, solidifying Telltale's position in modern gaming. Hunting Grounds emphasizes that player choices hold a greater significance than ever before. Even the smallest decisions, such as exploring optional rooms, can have a profound influence on future episodes. However, the lack of guidance concerning The Expanse's optional salvage is starting to have a negative effect on some players, potentially leading to significant consequences in the future.

The Expanse: Episode 2 captivates with a captivating backstory for Camina Drummer and an impressive comeback for Telltale Games. With its immersive gameplay, breathtaking visuals, and exceptional character development, Telltale and Deck Nine have skillfully crafted a game in which players’ choices hold genuine significance. Hunting Grounds marks the beginning of these decisions shaping the overarching narrative of the series. Currently, The Expanse: A Telltale Series seems poised to deliver one of Telltale’s most groundbreaking titles.

Amazon Prime's sci-fi show, based on James S. A. Corey's novel series, The Expanse, has a prequel in the form of a video game called The Expanse: A Telltale Series. This game focuses on the adventures of a young Camina Drummer as she navigates the treacherous Belt. With a total of five episodes, this Telltale game aims to be enjoyable for both fans and newcomers to The Expanse.

Episode 2 of The Expanse: A Telltale Series is now available on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X. Game Rant received a PS5 code for this review.