The Expanse: A Telltale Series
Give it 5 hours
What the data shows
- In the first 2 hours 1 in 2 reviews are negative (54%); after 7h it's 1 in 6 (16%).
- Fully opens up by hour 7.
- The opening is criticised more than in 83% of games we track.
- 57% of players who start reach the ending.
- The biggest drop-off is between “Captain Drummer” (Complete Episode 1 of The Expanse) and “Celebrations are in Order” (Complete Episode 2 of The Expanse): from 100% to 74% of starters.
- Only 68% of owners have even the first achievement — the rest barely played.
When it gets good
Share of positive reviews by how many hours the reviewer had played when writing the review.
before it gets good opening up fully opened up
Based on all 2,987 Steam reviews in every language. Median playtime in a sample of 300 reviews: 6.7h for positive, 5.6h for negative. Almost every game is rated lower in the first 2–3 hours: that window includes refunds and quick first impressions. What matters is how deep the dip is and how fast the game recovers.
Where players quit
Share of players who started the game and reached each story milestone. 100% is the most common achievement (67.5% of owners), so people who bought the game and never launched it don't count.
- Started playing 100%
- Captain Drummer Complete Episode 1 of The Expanse 100%
- Celebrations are in Order Complete Episode 2 of The Expanse Most players quit here 74% −26
- Impossible Objects Complete Episode 3 of The Expanse 65% −9
- The Pit and the Pirates Complete Episode 4 of The Expanse 59% −6
- Bosmang Complete all Episodes of The Expanse 57% −2
story milestone ending biggest drop-off
Story milestones were labeled by AI from achievement names and descriptions; mistakes are possible.
All achievements (35)
story milestone ending side
- Captain Drummer Complete Episode 1 of The Expanse 100%
- Celebrations are in Order Complete Episode 2 of The Expanse 74%
- Martian Music Listen to Maya’s Music 69%
- Impossible Objects Complete Episode 3 of The Expanse 65%
- Spore Taste Give Vigil the Mushroom Powder 61%
- The Pit and the Pirates Complete Episode 4 of The Expanse 59%
- Stogie for Fogey Give Khan a Gift 58%
- Oyedang, Kopengs Complete Episode 5 of The Expanse 57%
- Bosmang Complete all Episodes of The Expanse 57%
- Drone Dodger Made it past the Drones in the Mines without being caught 56%
- Call it Even Keep Cox alive 41%
- Doctor Approved Found a Laser Crystal for Virgil 41%
- Thorston Mayer Discover the truth about Vigil's past 40%
- Heal Thy Medic Help Virgil overcome his panic attack 37%
- Bottoms up! Give Cox the Bottle of Scotch 35%
- Data Archivist Complete Episode 5 with all Data Logs 34%
- Khan’s Revenge Keep Khan alive 32%
- Data Logger Find all Data Logs in Episode 1 30%
- Drug Gifter Give the Twins some Medicine 27%
- Zen Master Practice meditation at the Buddha statue 25%
- Safe Cracker Open the Secretary-General's safe 24%
- Madame Undersecretary Complete the Archangel story 23%
- Miraculous Maya Keep Maya alive 21%
- Keep Arjun in Check Play three chess moves against Arjun 20%
- Data Master Complete Episode 2 with all Data Logs 20%
- Master Negotiator Get the votes to oppose Mendez’s motion on the first try 17%
- Debris Spree Complete Episode 2 with all Scavenge Items 14%
- No Belter Left Behind Keep All Possible Crewmates Alive 13%
- Brother’s Reaper Rayen kills Arlen 13%
- Data Recoverer Complete Episode 3 with all Data Logs 12%
- Urshanabi Hoarder Found all Scavenge Items in Episode 1 11%
- Grave Robber Complete Episode 3 with all Scavenge Items 7.1%
- Data Miner Complete Episode 4 with all Data Logs 6.1%
- Scavenger Star Find all the Scavenge Items in the game 4.7%
- Data Collector Find all Data Logs in all Episodes 4.1%