The Expanse: A Telltale Series

 PC
User Score
5.7

Mixed or average reviews- based on 42 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 17 out of 42
  2. Mixed: 10 out of 42
  3. Negative: 15 out of 42

Review this game

  1. Your Score
    0 out of 10
    Rate this:
    • 10
    • 9
    • 8
    • 7
    • 6
    • 5
    • 4
    • 3
    • 2
    • 1
    • 0
    • 0
  1. Submit
  2. Check Spelling
view
per page
  1. Souls2
    Jul 31, 2023
    5
    I'm glad Telltale returns, unfortunately it returns creating its worst game, boring, crude, poor decisions, etc.
  2. ebbest
    Jul 31, 2023
    5
    ep1 - boring, but with an interesting setting, but graphics and technical sector not up to par.
    the story has not caught me for now, I hope it improves with the next episodes
  3. Alex19xD
    Jul 30, 2023
    5
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I must say, as a telltale fan that's played every game from them I am very disappointed. This episode has a few good moments, like discovering gravity gameplay and perhaps the ending, but that's it. When you first encounter a feature in this game it feels good, but it gets boring really fast. I also got dizzy from the gravity mechanics after some time, I don't know if that's just me. The choices did not matter, I saw on YouTube that even if you're a jerk to everyone they still support you in the end, you just get an extra dialogue. That is very disappointing and they need phenomenal next episodes to recover from this. I sincerely hope The Wolf Among Us 2 won't have just 2 dialogue choices and aimless, way too much unnecessary exploration that's slow.… Expand
  4. Rincemac
    Jul 29, 2023
    6
    TL;DR: is it good? I’d say yes – but it depends if you like the series and want the backstory. If you expect “grandeur” action gameplay, this is going to disappoint you. It’s also too short by far - EP 1 takes about 1-2 hrs max. Mind you: We’ve only seen EP 1 so far - It might get much better during EP 2-5 and Bonus Ep in Deluxe Edition.

    Long: Get this if you enjoyed Camina Drummer's    TL;DR: is it good? I’d say yes – but it depends if you like the series and want the backstory. If you expect “grandeur” action gameplay, this is going to disappoint you. It’s also too short by far - EP 1 takes about 1-2 hrs max. Mind you: We’ve only seen EP 1 so far - It might get much better during EP 2-5 and Bonus Ep in Deluxe Edition.

    Long:
    Get this if you enjoyed Camina Drummer's Belter drawl and see where her fierceness comes from. You'll get a kick out of this telltale games ... Expanse of the Expanse's storyline (yes, I am proud of myself). If you are expecting a good old time "Walking Dead telltale", sadly it's not there and maybe never will since you know... they went bankrupt and just got "revived" by selling their tech.

    This new showing of grandeur past is initially gorgeous, with its 4K graphics shine on the next gen consoles and PC, the sound design is minimalist, which is apt for a “Sci-Fi” genre game – since no one can hear your Dolby Surround in Space. Music has been licensed from the series and the Acting is quite decent – if maybe a bit generic by some of the voices, but that is well based on the script and material of the Series as well as this storyline. It was on and off also in the “old” games mostly, if we’re being honest.

    And while we’re being honest, let’s talk about the actual gameplay: Since the revival would give the new telltale the true chance of redoing some of the core systems and improve on some QoL changes, sadly, in this regard they failed. The new game does work exactly in the same way as the old ones – if a bit flashier in execution - they still have the same “Quick Time” aka “press a button or fail” events – which to be fair now you can extend the time to “infinite” taking the pressure off a lot. The new studio has tried to mimic what made telltale games so good in the first place, namely the very narrative-driven, dramatic "choices" - which in the end, sadly, never made that much of a difference to tell you the truth. But they were excuted in a grand way that gave you satisfaction and a hell of a good story most of the time.

    Does "The Expanse" do the same? I think you can see the first inning of what could potentially be a very cool, albeit very short story in the "Expanse" universe just before the Amazon Series storyline picks up in full force.

    You'll follow the life of Carmina Drummer, a hard-ass "Belter" who's been around the deck as they say - and who is a member of the so-called "OPA" - something that gets hinted on bascially immediately - which basically is a terrorist faction within that Sci-Fi Universe that made it a point of hating "Earthers".

    The rest of the game”play” consists of a Space Walking/flying simulator with banter in-between the main characters, of course the usual twists and betrayals plus the “choice” making which consists of the occasional banter in-between characters with good to OK acting by the cast – Carmina Drummer stands out, as well as the Captain and the Ship’s Medic, the two goofy sidekick “Belters” are just like in the series – hard-ass but not smart-ass loose gun types, a job well done in scripting and acting. All of these characters have their “motivations”, although you’ll only know if you pick your choices and see the usual “XYZ will remember that” when speaking to them or interacting with things happening as they unfold, taking some tough choices along the way. Whatever it means when you see “they’ll remember that” stays shrouded in mystery as per the telltale formula. To be very honest, I actually think most of these have, if at all, only minor implications outside of a few changed voice lines likely. And that is the core of the main flaw, one the new telltale kept from the “old telltale”: what these games are usually good at is giving you the momentary illusion of making a huge choice – but when you dare to replay to see the “other side” of that outcome, it usually disappoints by showing you it’s ending (almost) the same way, no matter what. You might kill off one of the others, but guess what, it barely mattered outside of a few standout changes in TwD series games. I’m not spoiling anything here, but be prepared that choices seem “bigger than they are”, just like in your rear view mirror.

    Since the story has just started it's unsure if her OPA past is coming to hunt her, but it certainly looks like exactly that is going to happen in the 5 Episodes and the Bonus Episode for you Deluxe Edition buyers.

    I went Deluxe, because I could not stop myself wondering if telltale legacy can be revived and I’ll stand by to make my final calling after all Episodes are out sometime in September likely – they are saying a new Ep every two weeks – which would probably be the most dramatic change from the “old telltale” which had issues releasing Episodes in a timely manner. Which is what ultimately killed them.    … Expand
  5. PhoneTheo
    Aug 16, 2023
    5
    Boring compared to other telltale games.
  6. Diabellus
    Aug 27, 2023
    6
    Not great, not terrible. One episode is one hour - and this is very sad for this game. The story is rather boring and doesn't bring anything new for The Expanse fans. Buy only on promo.

Awards & Rankings

41
#41 Most Discussed PC Game of 2023

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
75

Generally favorable reviews - based on 25 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 14 out of 25
  2. Mixed: 11 out of 25
  3. Negative: 0 out of 25
  1. Eurogamer Germany
    Jan 8, 2024
    60
    The fact that you can't skip a single cutscene and that some save points are far apart are also relics of previous Telltale adventures that I'm not particularly stoked about. You could therefore say that the new old studio is still very much the old one, despite the closure, takeover and new start. Which also means, maybe most importantly, that it captures the essence of the source material very skillfully, which is why I can recommend The Expanse: A Telltale Series to fans of the series despite the criticisms.
    Read full review
  2. CD-Action
    Nov 13, 2023
    70
    The Expanse: A Telltale Series works well as a tie-in, because it recreates the atmosphere of the series and explores the past of a loved character (Cara Gee as Drummer is amazing as always!). However, as a whole, it is a middling game that ends before it really gets going. I also regret that the developers missed the opportunity to delve deeper into The Expanse’s universe, as this setting has a lot to offer.
    Read full review
  3. Shacknews
    Oct 3, 2023
    70
    The Expanse: A Telltale Series is a return to form, though that form is almost out of style. Each of the five episodes takes an average of about two hours to complete if you’re hunting for all of the collectibles, so the amount of content is on the shorter end. But if you’re looking for solid writing and characters that fit well within The Expanse universe, this adventure is another chance to revisit the series and see Camina Drummer be a badass all over again. However, the dated mechanics and the game’s choice to be a prequel impair the effort.
    Read full review
See all critic reviews »