Review: Expelled! (Nintendo Switch)
Expelled! is a visual novel game developed and published by inkle. I enjoy games with a robust story, and this title does not disappoint. There’s a lot to love with its twisty narrative branches, colorful characters, and high replayability. Given the nature of this game and its short run throughs, this review may seem vague to avoid spoilers. So, you’ll just have to play the game yourself to see what I mean.
The premise of Expelled is simple; you play as Verity Armstrong, attending Miss Mulligatawney’s School for Promising Girls in 1922. The prefect has been attacked, and now you’re being expelled for attempted murder. Only you can clear your name and find the real culprit. Sounds easy enough, right?
Luckily, you have until the end of the day to pack your things before leaving. Except, you don’t have to pack up. This is an opportunity to explore the grounds, chat with other characters, and learn what really happened to the prefect. However, you only have a certain amount of time.
Each playthrough is timed and, once the clock reaches the end of the in-game day, it’s time to face your fate. In real life, every run through will equal about 30 to 45 minutes. The more you learn, the more different the following playthrough will be. The game gets progressively longer as you slowly learn who to talk to and when, piecing together what happened.
The navigation is one of the best features of Expelled. When moving from one area to the next, the map will show the entire school and various places Verity can go. For example, you can choose the chapel, the grounds, the library, the school’s hospital wing, your dorm, and more. It’s not large, per se, but it’s big enough to keep your attention as you traverse through the school, trying to decide where to go next.
NPCs will be in different spots, too, depending on the time of day. In the morning, most of the girls are in the chapel for morning prayer. In between classes, they may be outside. During the school day, some girls may be in math class while others are at the library. You’ll need to figure out who’s where and when to ensure you speak to certain characters at the right moment to get any information.
Expelled was a pleasure to play through. Every character is unique, and you never quite know who to trust. As soon as you’ve figured something out or you know where you need to go next, the school day ends and you have to start over. But it’s a good feeling, knowing what route you need (or want) to take during your next playthrough to make the most out of each day.
This game will work your brain and is heavy on the story, given its genre. The characters are great supporters for the narrative, and the setting is unique enough to want to explore every nook and cranny. Expelled is a game where your choices matter and will change the outcome, sometimes not always in your favor. Each time you play, it’ll be a quick run through. But if you want to get through the entire game, you’ll put in a lot of hours. Don’t worry, though; it’s fun and worth it.
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