The Expanse: Unleashing a Dynamic Telltale Experience

The Expanse has been widely acclaimed for its stunning sci-fi visuals, complex characters, and intricate political plot, making it a natural fit for a video game adaptation. The recent announcement of The Expanse: A Telltale Series at The Game Awards 2021 was a surprise, but not entirely unexpected given the involvement of Telltale Games and Deck Nine, the developers behind Life is Strange. Fans can now look forward to the first episode of the series, set to release on July 27, which follows the backstory of Camina Drummer, played by Cara Gee, as she navigates life aboard The Artemis. As a prequel to the television show, the game promises to offer a unique and engaging experience for fans of The Expanse universe. Game Rant recently had the opportunity to play through the first episode, including exploring the impact of the final decision on the game's ending.

After a gripping and intense opening sequence, the narrative wastes no time in immersing fans into the intricacies of the world-building and character introductions before diving into the heart of the episode. Viewers are in for a surprise as they witness the brutality of the discoveries made and the tough decisions that need to be made. While The Expanse may not present choices as difficult as the one in The Walking Dead where Clem had to decide whether to shoot Lee or not, there are still some harsh choices that will test the characters' moral compass.

There are numerous smaller choices available in The Expanse that could potentially impact the player's experience down the line. However, it's difficult to determine the immediate impact of any decisions made in the first episode, including the ending choice. While it remains to be seen how these choices will affect future episodes, it's evident that the game does not rely on the illusion of choice.

Additionally, we learned during the event that it's possible for every character except one to die during gameplay. This constant danger adds to the tension of the story and reinforces the fact that the protagonist, Drummer, is safe due to the game's prequel nature. Despite the potential for dire consequences, the opening sequence of the game does an excellent job of building a connection between the player and the crew. Although the character development and storytelling are strong in this episode, the gameplay could be improved.

While The Expanse offers numerous opportunities for players to explore, it falls back on the formula of older Telltale games. Players can navigate through a limited number of areas, search for objects, interact with the environment, and find a few collectibles. However, the game's storytelling intensity doesn't match up with its gameplay. The exploration aspect isn't particularly captivating, and while the environment provides excellent world-building, the collectibles lack the uniqueness found in previous Telltale titles.

One aspect of gameplay that stands out and deserves recognition is the Zero-G exploration. Unlike previous games where players would simply walk from point A to point B, The Expanse allows fans to float freely through space. This unique feature adds a new dimension to the exploration aspect of the game, as players can walk up walls, activate their suits to float around, and navigate both horizontal and vertical spaces. If Deck Nine and Telltale continue to develop this feature in future episodes, it has the potential to be a truly exceptional addition to the game. However, it's difficult to determine its full potential based solely on the first episode.

While experiencing the Zero-G gameplay in The Expanse, we found ourselves floating through space, surrounded by debris shifting around us. The character Drummer would assist in pushing any obstacles out of the way if players found themselves in small areas. These peaceful moments in space truly showcased the game's beauty, particularly when gazing upon nearby planets in Zero-G mode. The game's art style is well-suited to hard sci-fi, evocative of the show The Expanse. It is best to take in the entirety of episode one, including its visuals, cinematic elements, and story, to fully appreciate its mechanics. It is important to note that we experienced some bugs while playing a pre-release build of the game, but the developers have acknowledged and addressed these issues for the official launch. Despite minor problems with clipping and difficulty entering certain rooms, our experience with The Expanse was technically sound and we eagerly anticipate the final release.

While there is certainly potential for The Expanse: A Telltale Series to grow and evolve beyond its first episode, the initial installment may not provide enough instant gratification for some fans. While it may appeal to die-hard Telltale aficionados and followers of The Expanse, it may not deliver the explosive return that many were anticipating. Nonetheless, the game is set to launch on July 27 for a variety of platforms including PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.