Info about Expelled!:

Official game description:
1922\. Miss Mulligatawney's School for Promising Girls is one of the best boarding schools in England. You are Verity Amersham, here on a scholarship - and today you're going to be expelled for attempted murder.
From the creators of Overboard! and A Highland Song comes a highly replayable detective game with a wicked twist. Can you escape expulsion through fair means - or foul? Can you find the culprit - or someone else to take the blame?
Starring Amelia Tyler (Baldur's Gate 3) as Verity.
GAMEPLAY
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Gossip, lie, steal, manipulate - but don't get caught!
*   Navigate the school day, talk to other characters, sneak around - and try not to get expelled!
*   Your actions will affect other characters, who remember everything they see and hear.
*   Everyone here has secrets - students and teachers alike. Remember, knowledge is power.
*   Unique morality system: the more EVIL you are, the more choices you'll have...
DYNAMIC NARRATIVE CLOCKWORK
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*   Next-gen visual novel: go where you want, when you want, and say what you want.
*   Simulated story-world: other characters move and act independently, remembering everything they see and hear - and everything you do.
*   Every minute counts: you have one school day to escape punishment. The clock is always ticking!
*   Who can you trust? Some characters are friendly and some are out to get you. Who will you befriend? Who will you betray?
HIGHLY REPLAYABLE
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*   Every run is different, with new leads and new opportunities for mayhem.
*   Avoiding expulsion is just the start. Can you rise to the position of Head Girl?
*   Mysteries abound. Why is the cellar locked? What is your best friend's dark secret?
One play-through lasts about 30 - 45 minutes, but achieving that perfect run will take a lot longer...
With music by jazz legends George Gershwin, Paul Whiteman, Louis Armstrong, Bessie Smith and more!
SOMEONE HAS TO TAKE THE FALL
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Release date: Mar 12, 2025

Categories: Interactive Fiction, Choice-based Narrative, Dialogue-based Puzzle Solving, Non-linear Narrative, Moral Decision-Making, Replayable, Detective Gameplay, Visual Novel


- Hardware Profile: No data
Feature extractions:
- Community Price: No data
- Playtime Metrics: No data
- Time-to-fun: No data
- Player Archetypes: No data


Below are summaries of things people say about the game per category.
Each point is assigned a weight that represents how often it is mentioned across all reviews.
What players like:
- Exceptional interactive storytelling (weight 0.97): The game excels in interactive fiction, offering a non-linear, choice-driven narrative with meaningful impacts on story outcomes. Its 'choose-your-own-adventure' structure is praised for depth and player agency.
- High replayability core design (weight 0.91): The game is intentionally designed for replayability, with multiple endings, secrets, and branching narratives that change based on player actions. Features like fast-forward/rewind options and bonus objectives enhance this experience.
- Time-loop mechanics with knowledge retention (weight 0.53): The time-loop system (e.g., *Book of Dirt*) allows players to carry over information between runs, adding depth to exploration and strategy. This mechanic is praised for its clever integration into the narrative.
- Unreliable narrator adds depth (weight 0.41): The protagonist, Verity, serves as an unreliable narrator, creating a layered narrative that unfolds with twists and moral ambiguity. This framing device strengthens the overarching plot and replayability.
- Distinct characters with schedules (weight 0.41): Characters are memorable, with unique roles, schedules, and reactions to player actions. Their depth and charm contribute significantly to the game’s immersive world.
- Sharp, witty writing and humor (weight 0.41): The writing is consistently highlighted for its wit, charm, and dark humor, with laugh-out-loud moments and quirky character dialogue. This tone elevates the narrative and gameplay experience.
- Engaging detective puzzles (weight 0.4): Puzzle elements are fair, logical, and intellectually stimulating, with high player agency in solving mysteries. The detective gameplay loop is both accessible and rewarding.
- Improved successor to Overboard! (weight 0.39): The game builds on its predecessor with refined mechanics, deeper characters, and a more complex narrative. It stands alone but rewards fans of *Overboard!* with callbacks and expanded content.
- Dynamic dialogue and NPC interactions (weight 0.35): Dialogue options and NPC behaviors vary based on timing and player choices, creating a reactive and immersive world. This dynamism encourages experimentation and replayability.
- High-quality art and voice acting (weight 0.17): The game’s visual style, voice acting, and soundtrack are consistently praised for their quality and synergy with the narrative, enhancing the overall atmosphere.
- Achievements add challenge (weight 0.1): Achievements provide additional replayability by requiring skill and exploration to unlock, offering a satisfying sense of accomplishment for dedicated players.

Common complaints:
- Unclear progression and hints (weight 0.25): Players frequently report frustration due to vague or missing hints, unclear conditions for choices, and difficulty progressing without external guides. This affects the game's accessibility and enjoyment, especially after prolonged play.
- Technical bugs and glitches (weight 0.24): Numerous bugs affect gameplay, including character reactions, game state inconsistencies, and achievement-breaking glitches. These issues often require workarounds like save file resets.
- Repetitive gameplay and dialogues (weight 0.21): The game becomes repetitive, particularly in its dialogue system and late-game content. While some players note this as part of its charm, others find it tedious and disengaging.
- Poorly explained mechanics (weight 0.17): The morality system and other mechanics are poorly explained, leaving players confused about their impact on gameplay. This contributes to frustration and a lack of engagement.
- Comparisons to predecessor (weight 0.15): Players frequently compare the game unfavorably to its predecessor, *Overboard*, citing lower stakes, less excitement, and fewer outrageous moments. Some also note it feels harder without added depth.
- Tedious and frustrating mechanics (weight 0.14): Timing-based actions, forced brute-forcing, and inconsistent dialogue options create frustration. Players report feeling stuck or forced into unintended solutions.
- Lazy or inconsistent design (weight 0.06): Minor but noticeable design flaws, such as character sprites with flipped badges, suggest rushed or careless development. This undermines immersion and polish.

Gameplay feedback:
- Branching narrative replayability (weight 0.99): The game offers high replayability through branching storylines, multiple endings, and dialogue choices that significantly alter character interactions and outcomes. Players are encouraged to replay to uncover secrets, new options, and dramatically different experiences.
- Moral choice and alignment system (weight 0.65): Players can take morally ambiguous paths, with choices impacting dialogue options, endings, and gameplay. An 'evil-meter' or goodness rating system unlocks new interactions and alters the narrative based on player decisions.
- Interactive detective fiction mechanics (weight 0.3): The game blends interactive fiction with detective-style gameplay, where players solve mysteries through conversation-based mechanics, NPC routines, and investigative actions. The focus is on uncovering secrets and piecing together narratives.
- Secrets and exploration-driven gameplay (weight 0.27): The game emphasizes exploration and discovery, with hidden secrets, lore, and optional objectives that unlock new narrative paths or gameplay options. Players are incentivized to uncover every detail through replayability.
- Short but dense gameplay loops (weight 0.16): Each playthrough is relatively short (30-45 minutes), but the game compensates with dense narrative loops, replayability, and fast-forward mechanics to improve efficiency in subsequent runs.
- Trial-and-error problem-solving (weight 0.15): Players must experiment with different choices and actions to discover outcomes, often relying on trial-and-error mechanics to solve puzzles or uncover hidden paths. This encourages exploration and creativity.
- 1922 girls' boarding school setting (weight 0.08): The game is set in an all-girls boarding school in 1922, providing a unique historical and atmospheric backdrop for the narrative. The setting influences character interactions, secrets, and the overall mystery theme.

Performance notes:
- Strong Steam Deck support (weight 0.07): Players report the game runs smoothly on Steam Deck without requiring manual adjustments, indicating robust compatibility with the handheld device.
- Minimal gameplay bugs (weight 0.06): Most players encountered no gameplay bugs, though a few noted issues requiring save file clearing, suggesting overall stability with isolated exceptions.

Recommendations:
- Ideal for narrative-driven game fans (weight 0.51): The game is highly recommended for players who enjoy interactive fiction, branching stories, detective narratives, and visual novels. It appeals to fans of titles like *Overboard!* and *80 Days*, emphasizing its strong narrative design and replayability.
- Strong recommendation for replay value (weight 0.24): Players praise the game’s ingenious system that encourages replaying, particularly for those who enjoy reanalyzing content. It is described as a stellar addition to Inkle’s portfolio, offering hours of engagement.
- Overboard! fans will love this (weight 0.22): The game is frequently compared to *Overboard!*, with many reviewers suggesting it improves upon or complements the experience. It is recommended to play *Overboard!* first for better enjoyment.
- Innovative for narrative text games (weight 0.11): The game is praised for expanding the possibilities of narrative-driven text games, positioning itself as top of its class in the genre. It is seen as a worthy addition to innovative indie gaming.
- Worth playing with minor caveats (weight 0.08): While the game receives overwhelming praise, some reviewers recommend it only at a discounted price or with reservations about voice-acting. It is still considered a must-play for its genre.
- Support for indie developers (weight 0.02): Some feedback highlights the game as a way to support small, innovative British indie studios, though this is more of a secondary note compared to gameplay-focused praise.

Other player notes:
- Encourage experimental gameplay (weight 0.04): Players suggest trying drastically different approaches in each playthrough to gather more information and improve outcomes. This feedback highlights a desire for mechanics that reward experimentation and discovery.
- Notable stuffed toy inclusion (weight 0.04): A specific stuffed toy is mentioned as a memorable or noteworthy element in the game. This could indicate a unique aesthetic or narrative detail that resonates with players.
- Playtester transparency concerns (weight 0.03): Feedback references the disclosure of playtesters, which may imply questions about the development process or the authenticity of testing phases. This is a niche but potentially constructive observation.

Emotions:
- Excitement (weight 0.12): Players feel excitement due to the game's deep replayability, hidden secrets, and narrative twists. The discovery of new gameplay mechanics (e.g., filth book, evil points) and uncovering layered story elements in each playthrough drive this emotion. The anticipation for future installments in the series also amplifies the thrill.
- Frustration (weight 0.12): Frustration stems from unclear progression mechanics, vague hints, and technical issues like glitches or save corruption. Players struggle with inconsistent voice acting, repetitive dialog systems, and the lack of tracking tools to monitor game state. Specific puzzles requiring brute-force or unintuitive solutions further exacerbate this emotion.
- Enjoyment (weight 0.11): Players enjoy the game's immersive storytelling, detective-style puzzles, and humorous tone. The flexibility in progression, variety of events, and replayability—especially through branching narratives and hidden content—contribute to a fun and engaging experience. The ability to play as a morally ambiguous character also enhances enjoyment.
- Satisfaction (weight 0.09): Satisfaction arises from completing the game's dense and intricate challenges, such as solving puzzles or achieving unexpected outcomes. The fast-forward mode and well-crafted writing improve replay efficiency, while the intellectual stimulation of planning and uncovering new details in each playthrough delivers a fulfilling experience.
- Amusement (weight 0.09): The game's sharp, witty writing and humorous scenarios (e.g., licking powder from an owl, absurd dialogue choices) elicit amusement. Players appreciate the comedic timing, unique edge cases, and the game's ability to subvert expectations in a lighthearted manner, such as the credits playing during a character's fall.
- Appreciation (weight 0.06): Players appreciate the game's innovative narrative structure, high-quality writing, and clever puzzles. The branching storylines, well-designed interactive fiction mechanics, and strong voice acting (e.g., Amelia Tyler) are frequently praised. The relaxed pacing and attention to detail in character design also garner admiration.
- Admiration (weight 0.06): Admiration is directed toward the game's depth of narrative, character development, and innovative storytelling techniques. Players highlight the refined mechanics, feminist themes, and Inkle's consistent excellence in the CYOA genre. The game's ability to challenge and expand players' perspectives is particularly noteworthy.
- Disappointment (weight 0.06): Disappointment stems from unmet expectations, such as lazy design choices (e.g., character sprites), underwhelming endings, or a lack of expansion on the original game's mechanics. Some players feel the voice acting is limited despite its advertised importance, while others criticize repetitive gameplay or illogical story elements.
- Engagement (weight 0.03): The game's complex narrative, addictive mystery-solving loops, and replayability keep players deeply engaged. The thrill of uncovering secrets and the variety of events sustain interest, making it difficult to put down.
- Curiosity (weight 0.03): Players are driven by curiosity to explore every hidden detail, uncover dark secrets, and experiment with different paths. The game's layered storytelling and branching possibilities encourage multiple playthroughs to discover all possible outcomes.
- Delight (weight 0.02): Delight comes from successfully solving puzzles, experiencing the game's unique interactive fiction elements, and enjoying the quirky credits. The satisfaction of piecing together a working plan or uncovering hidden revelations adds to the joy.
- Anticipation (weight 0.02): Players anticipate replaying the game to explore different choices or outcomes, such as proving innocence through alternate paths. Expectations for future games in the series, like *Expelled*, also build anticipation based on positive experiences with the current title.
- Joy (weight 0.02): Joy is derived from the liberating sense of accomplishment after overcoming challenges, as well as the fun of sharing the experience with others. Discovering new content and enjoying the game's humor and narrative contribute to this positive emotion.
- Hope (weight 0.01): Players express hope for future games in the series, anticipating more developed mechanics and innovative storytelling. The desire for additional titles using the same engine reflects optimism about the franchise's potential.
- Nostalgia (weight 0.01): The game's setting in early 20th-century England and its references to historical events evoke nostalgia for players with personal connections to the era or those who appreciate its aesthetic and thematic elements.}