Expelled! is a fun, almost murder mystery, game by inkle that also frustrates the player until they finally figure out how to complete a main task or one of the side quests.
The story is one that is convoluted and yet fascinating with how it is told. We start with the captain of the hockey team falling from a high tower and we quickly learn that we are the one to be blamed for the act. As we follow Verity, we learn that while everything Verity has done is to prove her innocence, you can’t be innocent without manipulating the situation. There are also a lot of subplots in Expelled!, such as her roommate being a Russian princess and the forbidden romance between a student and a worker on campus.
I truly enjoyed the gameplay mechanics of Expelled! You have one school day to save Verity from being expelled, and runs can be as short as 30 minutes long. There is a fast forward option for any conversations already experienced which I was very grateful for and most of the choices are all done through the dialogue boxes. I was very happy when something I hadn’t tried before, such as hiding the hockey stick behind the bookshelf and then going back and grabbing it to put it under Nettie’s bed, was hidden. There is also a naughty meter at the top left where Verity’s face shows how much good or evil you have done and a small inventory system where you can choose to pocket different items. The map allows you to see who is where at all times, which you can use to plan where to go next. For example, I was able to make sure that the matron was away from the sickroom so I could go in and talk to Sal while also going through her medicine cabinet and desk.
I will say that, while I enjoyed the story and its multiple endings, there were times when I got very frustrated with Expelled!, especially when I would make progress and the next run would completely mess up my actions. Or where I felt like I could not make any progress in any way, shape, or form. I felt this at the very beginning of the game, but once I started to find more information and became bolder in my actions, I was finally able to get to the assembly.
Expelled! does a great job of containing the story in a small map while also making enough changes that the story was still compelling throughout. One way the developers did this was with the underground catacombs. Once down there, you are able to find books, wine, the mysterious Chaplin, brick walls, and chairs. In one of the books, there is a weird symbol on one page called “the black dolphin” and with the chaplain, you are able to get information about the headmistress and why she hid him away.
At times I was able to find new information just by talking to people in the school: Mrs. Ire, the geometry teacher, had a late husband and is very protective of her things, Nettie is supposedly the princess Anastasia, and there is also a forbidden romance with a gardener and a student, though I’ll leave you to find out who!
The art style for Expelled! is a lot of fun. I really like the comic book, illustrated style and because of the unique art style, it sets the tone that even though there is a fun look to it, there are very dark themes in the game. This is especially shown with the content warning that is on the main menu. One of the main things that adds a darker, but interesting, tone is the witching subplot. There’s a girl in the sick bay who has a doll, which she uses to make the matron uncomfortable so she is able to get some alone time. She shows it to you but is very reluctant to give you the doll for your own uses.
I also really liked how the voice actor for Verity was used, though at times I thought she was underused. While around 90% of the game has no voiceover for Verity, there are parts of her dialogue that are voiced. I had no issue with this, but I do think that, since there was a voice actor, she should have been utilized a lot more than what she was.
Overall, Expelled! was a lot of fun. There were times when I got very frustrated because it felt like I was going in circles, but once I got a hang of what needed to be done, I really enjoyed the gameplay and there are a lot of fun and creative moments in the story.
Sara reviewed Expelled! on PC with a provided review copy.
