As far as episodic adventures go, The Expanse: A Telltale Series has been a mediocre affair to date. Telltale Games and Deck Nine have struggled to deliver a solid narrative, relying mainly on the zero-g exploration to occupy the majority of the goings on. With the final episode now here though, one hopes it ends spectacularly to ensure something memorable can be taken away from the experience.
Who am I kidding? The Expanse: A Telltale Series Episode five, “Europa’s Folly”, is yet another flawed and underwhelming outing; albeit for different reasons than before.
*Warning – spoilers ahead for previous episodes*
Previously on The Expanse: A Telltale Series, Camina Drummer found herself suffering delusions due to her dwindling oxygen supply. It did provide insight into a past incident involving Anderson Dawes, but aside from that it felt like a long and drawn out walking sim. In the latter stages however, seeing Drummer finally coming face to face with the ruthless Tor and the rather fascinating Captain Toussaint really made things interesting. And then, just when the storytelling quality started to shine, it ended.
That kind of works in favour of episode five though, allowing it to begin on a high and get straight into the action. Drummer is reluctantly heading back to the Artemis ship alongside Tor, tasked by Toussaint with retrieving the MK Core and disposing of the remaining crewmates. It all kicks off though, leading to fights against those whom Drummer once trusted, as well as the pirates.
For the numerous tussles there are multiple QTE sequences included, and you need to correctly follow the on-screen commands. Anything involving a gun is tiresome as you rinse and repeat the same two button inputs. The hand-to-hand combat isn’t much better, although the mag boots do enable the choreography to get a little creative on occasion. That said, it doesn’t come close to the exciting and original fisticuffs found in the likes of Batman: The Telltale Series.
In regards to the dangerous conflict going on, I think it’s hard to really become invested and be gripped by it all. The problem is that the main protagonist is a character featured prominently in the TV series later on in The Expanse timeline, so no matter what happens, you don’t fear for Drummer’s safety. Only her comrades are in real peril, which is less of a worry because the narrative efforts prior to this have been below par and, on the whole, failed to build those all-important relationships.
Even the conversations and tense moments in the finale are done to a standard that’s nowhere near the levels expected from a Telltale associated series. Everything seems rushed, with a fleeting scene for each of the Artemis crew that remains alive. Their destinies are shaped by the choices you made during the entire adventure so far, which is surprising considering how few decision making opportunities there have actually been.
At least this fifth episode contains a lot more choice-driven sections than any of the previous ones, and to its credit, there’s a big one that’s bound to have you pondering. Another of them is pretty senseless though, offering two similar options which failed to suit the tone of how the dialogue was playing out. So, it’s a mixed bag, but the quantity is appreciated more than anything else.
Much like the mentioning of Anderson Dawes and Camina Drummer’s past with the OPA in Episode 4, there are character appearances and references here that fans of the TV series will recognise. Thus, they will probably garner a bit more enjoyment from the final episode than others would. Everyone should appreciate the voiceovers by Cara Gee (Drummer) and Ghandia O. Johnson (Toussaint) however, who both do a grand job with what they are given.
And that’s a wrap for the season. Episode five of The Expanse: A Telltale Series is fast and furious, but not in a good way. Every moment seems hurried, seeing you having rushed conversations with character after character until you’ve ticked them all off. While there’s plenty of action, it’s very hit and miss, which is a similar issue where the decision making is concerned.
The Expanse: A Telltale Series – Episode 5 doesn’t change the fact that, as a whole, it’s a mediocre episodic adventure. If you’re massively into The Expanse universe, then maybe consider it in the sale at push. But otherwise I wouldn’t bother.
