The Expanse: A Telltale Series

Last updated

The Expanse: A Telltale Series
The Expanse Telltale 2022.jpg
Developer(s)
Publisher(s) Telltale Games
Director(s) Stephan Frost
Producer(s)
  • CK Kindregan
  • Jessica Valdez
  • Sarah Kent
Designer(s) Christopher Sica
Programmer(s) Thomas Marnell
Artist(s)
  • Emerson Oaks
  • Anthony Jones
Writer(s) Jonathan Zimmerman
Engine Unreal Engine 4
Platform(s)
ReleaseJuly 27–September 21, 2023
Genre(s) Adventure
Mode(s) Single-player

The Expanse: A Telltale Series is an episodic adventure game co-developed by Telltale Games and Deck Nine. Its current five episodes were released between July and September 2023 for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Windows, Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S. It is a prequel to Alcon Entertainment's television series The Expanse .

Contents

Gameplay

The game is played from a third-person view. The player can move around various environments, and use point and click actions to interact with objects. Non-player characters (NPCs) can also be interacted with, triggering dialogue choices that change the trajectory of story events and will affect how other character view the player, helping to determine the ending of the game.

The player controls Camina Drummer, the XO of Artemis, an independent salvage vessel traveling across the Solar System before the events of the original series. The ship's crew scavenges abandoned starships for valuable parts and cargoes using zero gravity equipment, with the main story revolving around a wrecked ship with a highly valuable cargo, and the consequences of their decision to take it.

Development and release

On December 9, 2021, the game was originally announced at The Game Awards 2021. [1] On May 17, 2023, the first episode was announced for July 27, 2023, with four additional episodes to be released every two weeks thereafter. [2] On July 24, 2023, a bonus episode, "Archangel", featuring Shohreh Aghdashloo's character. [3] , was announced at San Diego Comic-Con and it was released on November 20, 2023.

EpisodesRelease date
Episode 1 - Archer's ParadoxJuly 27, 2023
Episode 2 - Hunting GroundsAugust 10, 2023
Episode 3 - First OnesAugust 24, 2023
Episode 4 - Impossible ObjectsSeptember 7, 2023
Episode 5 - Europa's FollySeptember 21, 2023
Bonus Episode - ArchangelNovember 20, 2023

Reception

The Expanse: A Telltale Series received generally favourable reviews, according to Metacritic. [4]

GameSpot praised the game's writing, narrative design, Cara Gee's performance as Drummer, character-driven gameplay, and visual animations, but criticised the zero-g movement and collectible mechanic. [5] Similarly, IGN also lauded Gee's performance, writing, and visuals but opined that it "struggles to find engaging mechanics outside of its dialogue scenes, relying too heavily on quicktime events and mediocre movement challenges." [6]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shohreh Aghdashloo</span> Iranian actress (born 1952)

Shohreh Aghdashloo is an Iranian and American actress. She has received various accolades, including a Primetime Emmy Award and a Satellite Award, in addition to a nomination for an Academy Award.

<i>Sam & Max Save the World</i> 2006-2007 episodic video game

Sam & Max Save the World is a graphic adventure video game developed by Telltale Games. The game was originally released as Sam & Max: Season One before being renamed in early 2009. Save the World was developed in an episodic fashion, comprising six episodes that were released for Microsoft Windows over the course of late 2006 and early 2007. The episodes were initially distributed online by GameTap and Telltale Games themselves, although the later retail releases of the game were published by The Adventure Company. A Wii port of the game was published in late 2008, and an Xbox Live Arcade version was released in mid-2009. A remaster of the game by Skunkape Games was released in December 2020 for Nintendo Switch and Microsoft Windows, in August 2021 for Xbox One, and in September 2022 for PlayStation 4.

<i>Strong Bads Cool Game for Attractive People</i> 2008 video game

Strong Bad's Cool Game for Attractive People is an episodic graphic adventure developed by Telltale Games and based on the Homestar Runner web cartoon, with Strong Bad as the lead character. A total of five episodes were released for Microsoft Windows and WiiWare between August 11, 2008, and December 15, 2008. It was released on the PlayStation 3 in North America on December 21, 2010, and in other regions at a later time. There is also an OS X version.

<i>Back to the Future: The Game</i> 2010 video game

Back to the Future: The Game is an episodic graphic adventure video game based on the Back to the Future film franchise. The game was developed and published by Telltale Games as part of a licensing deal with Universal Pictures. Bob Gale, the co-creator, co-writer, and co-producer of the film trilogy, assisted Telltale in writing the game's story. Original actors Michael J. Fox and Christopher Lloyd allowed the developers to use their likenesses in the game for the lead characters Marty McFly and Doc Brown, respectively. Although Lloyd reprises his role as Doc, A.J. LoCascio plays the role of Marty, while Fox later appeared to voice two cameo roles in the final episode, reprising his role as future versions of Marty McFly in addition to playing his forefather William.

<i>The Walking Dead</i> (video game) 2012 episodic graphic adventure video game

The Walking Dead is a 2012 episodic graphic adventure video game developed and published by Telltale Games. Set in the same universe as the comic book series of the same name by Robert Kirkman, it is the first installment in Telltale's The Walking Dead video game series. The game follows Lee Everett, a convicted criminal who becomes the guardian of a young girl named Clementine amidst the onset of a zombie apocalypse in Georgia. Player decisions, such as dialogue choices and actions, influence the story’s direction, with the consequences of these choices carrying over across the game’s episodes.

<i>Law & Order: Legacies</i> Episodic graphic adventure video game

Law & Order: Legacies is an episodic graphic adventure video game based on the Law & Order franchise. It was developed by Telltale Games and was originally announced as Law & Order: Los Angeles, but it was changed to include fan favorite characters from the entire run of the Law & Order franchise. Among them are Rey Curtis, Lennie Briscoe, Anita Van Buren, Abbie Carmichael, Jack McCoy, Mike Logan, Michael Cutter, and Adam Schiff from Law & Order, and Olivia Benson from Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.

<i>The Wolf Among Us</i> 2013 video game

The Wolf Among Us is an episodic graphic mystery adventure game developed by Telltale Games, based on Bill Willingham's Fables comic book series, to which it serves as a prequel. The game consists of five episodes that were released throughout 2013 and 2014. Retail versions for the PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, PlayStation Vita, Xbox 360, and Xbox One consoles were made available in November 2014. In the game, the player controls Bigby Wolf, the sheriff of Fabletown – a clandestine community within 1980s New York City consisting of various fantastical characters from fairy tales and folklore – and must investigate a series of mysterious murders, the first ones to occur in Fabletown in a long time.

<i>The Walking Dead: Season Two</i> 2013 episodic graphic adventure video game

The Walking Dead: Season Two is a 2013 episodic graphic adventure video game developed by Telltale Games based on the comic book series of the same name. It is the sequel to The Walking Dead, with the episodes released between December 2013 and August 2014. A retail collector's disc edition was released after the conclusion of the season. The game employs the same narrative structure as the first season, where player choice in one episode will have a permanent impact on future story elements. The player choices recorded in save files from the first season and the additional episode 400 Days carry over into the second season. Clementine, who was the player's main companion during the first season, returns as the main protagonist of Season Two.

<i>Tales from the Borderlands</i> Episodic video game

Tales from the Borderlands is an episodic interactive comedy graphic adventure sci-fi video game based on the Borderlands series. It was developed by Telltale Games under license from Gearbox Software, the developer of the Borderlands series, and 2K, its publisher. The game was released in November 2014 for Android, iOS, Microsoft Windows, OS X, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360, Xbox One, and in 2021 for Nintendo Switch.

<i>Game of Thrones</i> (2014 video game) 2014 video game by Telltale

Game of Thrones, also known as Game of Thrones: A Telltale Games Series, is an episodic graphic adventure game developed and published by Telltale Games for Android, iOS, Microsoft Windows, OS X, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360, and Xbox One. It is based on the television series of the same name.

<i>The Walking Dead: A New Frontier</i> 2016 episodic graphic adventure video game

The Walking Dead: A New Frontier is a 2016 episodic graphic adventure video game based on the comic book series of the same name developed by Telltale Games. It is the sequel to The Walking Dead: Season Two, and the third game in The Walking Dead video game series. The first two episodes were released on December 20, 2016, while a retail season pass disc edition was released on February 7, 2017. The game employs the same narrative structure as the past seasons, where player choice in one episode will have a permanent impact on future story elements. The player choices recorded in save files from the first two seasons and the additional episode 400 Days carry over into the third season.

<i>The Walking Dead</i> (video game series) Episodic graphic adventure video game series

The Walking Dead is an episodic graphic adventure game series developed and published by Telltale Games and Skybound Games, based on the comic book series of the same name by Robert Kirkman, Tony Moore, and Charlie Adlard. First released in April 2012, the series currently spans four main five-episode seasons, an additional episode as downloadable content, and a mini three-episode season, with the fourth and final season being released in 2018 and ended in 2019. The games have been released to personal computers, game consoles, and mobile devices and have had both digital and physical releases.

The Expanse is an American science fiction television series developed by Mark Fergus and Hawk Ostby for the Syfy network and is based on the series of novels of the same name by James S. A. Corey. Set in a future where humanity has colonized the Solar System, it follows a disparate band of protagonists – United Nations Security Council member Chrisjen Avasarala, cynical detective Josephus Miller, and ship's officer James Holden and his crew – as they unwittingly unravel and place themselves at the center of a conspiracy that threatens the system's fragile peace, while dealing with existential crises brought forth by newly discovered alien technology.

<i>Minecraft: Story Mode</i> 2015 video game

Minecraft: Story Mode is an episodic point-and-click video game developed and published by Telltale Games, based on Mojang Studios' sandbox video game Minecraft. The first five episodes were released between October 2015 through March 2016 and an additional three episodes were released as downloadable content (DLC) in mid-2016. A second season consisting of five episodes was released in 2017.

<i>The Walking Dead: Michonne</i> 2016 episodic graphic adventure video game

The Walking Dead: Michonne is a 2016 episodic graphic adventure video game by Telltale Games, based on The Walking Dead comic book series. Taking place between issues 126 and 139 of the comic series, the game shows events of what Michonne was up to during her temporary departure from the group of survivors led by Rick Grimes in the midst of a zombie apocalypse. Samira Wiley voiced Michonne in the game. The three-episode series was released between February and April 2016 for Windows personal computers, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360 and Xbox One consoles, and mobile devices.

<i>Batman: The Telltale Series</i> 2016 video game

Batman: The Telltale Series is a 2016 episodic point-and-click graphic adventure video game developed and published by Telltale Games and distributed by Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment under its DC Entertainment label. The game is based on the DC Comics character Batman, created by Bob Kane and Bill Finger, though not tied to any previous adaptation of the work in film or other media. Upon release, it received a mixed reception, with praised given for its the atmosphere, action sequences, and faithfulness to the Batman mythos, but criticized it for technical issues and plot. A second season, titled Batman: The Enemy Within, was released in 2017, and was viewed as an improvement over the original.

<i>Guardians of the Galaxy: The Telltale Series</i> 2017 episodic graphic adventure video game

Guardians of the Galaxy: The Telltale Series is an episodic graphic adventure video game series developed and published by Telltale Games. Based on Marvel Comics' Guardians of the Galaxy comic book series, the game's first episode was released on April 18, 2017.

<i>The Walking Dead: The Final Season</i> 2018 episodic graphic adventure video game

The Walking Dead: The Final Season is a 2018 episodic graphic adventure video game developed by Telltale Games and later Skybound Games, and the fourth and final main game in The Walking Dead video game series, based on the comic book series of the same name. Taking place some years after The Walking Dead: A New Frontier, the game focuses on Clementine's efforts to raise young Alvin Jr. (AJ), in the post-apocalyptic world, coming to join with a group of troubled teenagers surviving out of their former boarding school. Their path leads them to encounter a hostile group of raiders led by a figure from Clementine's past.

Life Is Strange is a series of adventure games published by Square Enix's External Studios. Created by Dontnod Entertainment, the series debuted with the eponymous first installment, which was released in five episodes throughout 2015. It was followed by a prequel, Life Is Strange: Before the Storm, which was developed by Deck Nine and released in three episodes throughout 2017, with a downloadable content (DLC) bonus episode released in early 2018. The sequel Life Is Strange 2 and its spin-off The Awesome Adventures of Captain Spirit were developed by Dontnod and released between 2018 and 2019. A third main installment, Life Is Strange: True Colors, was released in its entirety on 10 September 2021. A fourth installment, Life is Strange: Double Exposure, was announced on June 9, 2024, set to be released on October 29, 2024. Additionally, a remastered collection of the original game and its prequel was released in February 2022.

References

  1. Clark, Nicole (December 9, 2021). "The Expanse: A Telltale Series is in development". Polygon . Archived from the original on January 14, 2022. Retrieved April 1, 2023.
  2. Ivan, Tom (May 17, 2023). "Telltale's The Expanse episodic series launches in July". Video Games Chronicle . Archived from the original on May 17, 2023. Retrieved May 24, 2023.
  3. Kaan, Serin (July 24, 2023). "The Expanse: A Telltale Series' bonus episode brings back fan favourite Shohreh Aghdashloo". Rock, Paper, Shotgun . Retrieved July 29, 2023.
  4. 1 2 "The Expanse: A Telltale Series". Metacritic. Retrieved October 15, 2023.
  5. 1 2 "The Expanse: A Telltale Series Review – Choices That Matter". GameSpot. Retrieved August 26, 2023.
  6. 1 2 Handlen, Zack (August 4, 2023). "The Expanse: A Telltale Series Episodes 1-3 Review". IGN. Retrieved August 26, 2023.
  7. "The Expanse: A Telltale Series review - in space, no-one can hear you cry". PCGamesN. July 25, 2023. Retrieved August 26, 2023.
  8. "The Expanse: A Telltale Series review - to infinity and beyond". VideoGamer.com. July 25, 2023. Retrieved August 26, 2023.
  9. "The Expanse: A Telltale Series - Episode 1-3 (PC) Review - CGMagazine". CGMagazine. August 15, 2023. Retrieved August 26, 2023.

Bibliography