Visual novels offer players an interesting way of experiencing something that doesn’t happen in your everyday life, and if you are hoping to see what life was like at a boarding school back in 1992, we have something just for you. Expelled! is an inspired whodunit mystery visual novel and the latest release from Overboard! developer inkle.
Being a visual novel, the game is entirely centered around the narrative, which takes place at a top boarding school in 1992 England. The plot follows Verity Amersham, voiced by Amelia Tyler, who was also the narrator in Baldur’s Gate 3, on a journey to clear her name after she’s falsely blamed for the attempted murder of another student
From there, Amersham will need to search for evidence to prove her innocence and clues leading to who framed her in the first place. Every single line of dialogue from Verity is decided by the player, enabling a strong sense of immersion that encourages further investment in the narrative.
As the plot unfolds, the player must make a myriad of important decisions, such as dealing with evidence, gossiping, manipulating NPCs, and exploring various locations around the campus. These decisions must be approached with caution, as Expelled! features a morality system reminiscent of titles like Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic and Mass Effect, where Verity’s actions will affect her morality and the gameplay.
For example, if Verity commits more dubious actions, she will have more dialogue trees and actions available, but her character will also be corrupted, which will affect the ending. The game also significantly focuses on time management, as Verity is given only a single day to clear her name. Additionally, NPCs move around campus independently and even change their behaviors based on actions and dialogue they’ve witnessed.
No playthrough is intended to be the same, and with each run being around 30-45 minutes long, players are encouraged to start over and over again to not only uncover every secret but also to get the best ending.
Expelled! is available now on PC and Nintendo Switch.
