The Expanse: ATTS Ep 1 Review

Initial Release Date: 2023

Platforms: PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Xbox Series X and Series S, Microsoft Windows

Developers: Telltale Games, Deck Nine

Genre: Graphic Adventure Game

Publisher: Telltale Games

Mode: Single-player video game

Engine: Telltale Tool

SPOILERS THROUGHOUT!

Introduction

I was a fan of The Expanse. I followed the show closely on Sci-Fi before it being picked up by Prime in which I followed it to it’s ending over there. Coming in I know Telltale Games from playing through their Walking Dead games years ago. If you want to watch gameplay check out The Expanse Episode 1 Video Playlist.

Telltale Games been a real rollercoaster of sorts over the years making GOTY contenders to being out of business to it’s current revival. The Expanse: A Telltale Series Episode 1 Archer’s Paradox is sparingly good. It reminds me of how good TellTale Games were and are still.

On the flipside, the game’s length is super short. You can complete Episode 1 Archer’s Paradox in under two hours easy. Despite it’s short length this video game was entertaining in regards to dialogue choices and zero-g gameplay.

Presentation

The Expanse: A Telltale Series Episode 1 Archer’s Paradox’s overall presentation was rough. From it’s long ass load times, to odd stutter framing during it’s Zero-G gameplay sequence and last but not least it’s super short game-length duration.

Granted, you can play through the episode again to make different choices giving you a different ending. I would say the loading screens were very annoying ranging from two minutes wait times on my Xbox Series X. It was weird to watch the black loading screen for that long on the Xbox Series X.

I was about to restart the game because I thought it froze on the loading screen. The frame stuttering was annoying as well often literally stopping my playable character mid animation for two up three seconds. So yeah, entertaining yet short game but plagued with technical issues on the Xbox Series X.

Story

The story of he Expanse: A Telltale Series Episode 1 Archer’s Paradox centers around Camina Drummer and her rise of being captain of the “Artemis” a salvage Belter ship. To make a long story short Camina Drummer is betrayed by Artemis’s original Captain Cox for a MK Core Drummer scavenged off a frigate.

Cox sets up Camina Drummer to be incinerated by the Artemis’s thrusters but she escapes which culminates in a major episode ending choice. Do you Space Cox or not? I spaced him! Dialogue sequences were presented in a well written entertaining way. NPCs were decently written with good exposition as well.

Gameplay

Gameplay is narritive choice driven involving interacting with NPCs and or environments. With that said, there were major gameplay sequences involving exploring a frigate in zero-g which was done really well. Controls felt good and zero-g wasn’t disorienting.

Taking off and landing Camina Drummer was seamless and fun while in zero-g. There were no real combat sequences other then some friendly NPC encounters if you count those. There was a QTE action set-piece sequence involving climbing a latter avoiding space thrusters.

As for major story choices I say maybe three tops I counted. With that said you do make many choices involving NPCs relationships which carry episode to episode I assume. If you like and understand Telltale Games video games there is a chance you will like this game.

If you’re a fan of The Expanse (like moi) it’s practically a lock you will enjoy the gameplay. There were plenty of fan service just in this first episode from characters from The Expanse show in the form of audio log collectibles. Overall, I thought the gameplay was balanced and entertaining.

Visuals/Graphics

Visuals and graphics are nothing special here. Playing on my Xbox Series X I’d say the overall package from a visual standpoint looked last gen. Art direction is good in my opinion especially while using zero-g in space with a view of IO and the frigate. So bad technical visuals but good art direction. Understood?

Sound/Music

All of the main musical themes from The Expanse are in this video game along with the show’s voice actors and or actresses’ tied to their characters. I was impressed with the sound design overall. Sound design out in space stood out.

Final Verdict

Great, entertaining gameplay pacing. Impactful smart dialogue choices that change the story dynamically in a meaningful way. Main negatives are it’s length maybe lasting two hours of two playthroughs.

There were also long loading times on the Xbox Series X and frame stutters during animations. I would have gave this game an 8/10 if it wasn’t for the technical issues. With that said, if you are a fan of The Expanse and always enjoyed Telltale Games style of video games buy it!