Underrail: Expedition is a slog of an expansion only partially redeemed by the interesting mechanics it brings to the table.
It's a shame, because the production values have clearly improved and the premise is downright intriguing. The humanoid enemies, too, are a joy to fight: the serpentborn are armed with a wide variety of weapons, psi-abilities, and feats, and fights against them in their villages (as opposed to on their constant, repetitive raids) are hectic and dynamic.
Otherwise, though, you're in for a slog. Between fighting anywhere from 16-24 poisonous locusts (normal, water, and small) while you attempt to punch their hive to death with your psionically empowered fists (you can blow it up with TNT if you have insane stealth, a lot of charons, and about as much time), trying to punch one of three varieties of poisonous snake (tanky, very poisonous, and degrades-mechanical-equipment) from the back of a jetski, trying to punch through the armor of one of three flavors of giant crab (giant, colossal, and psi), trying to punch polite, homicidal statues, and so on, you soon become impatient.
The expac also includes a rudimentary base-management minigame, where you're in a race against time to solve the main quest before your camp is overrun (you can still solve the quest afterwards, but it's much less engaging). You have to constantly return to base to fend off another native attack OR risk shortening that timer ever further. While you can upgrade your base defenses, many options are simply off the table if your Electronics skill isn't high enough. Unless your character is built just right, you can say hello to yet more tedious busywork.
Even exploration, the bread-and-butter of Underrail, is a PITA here. Jetskis, your main way of getting around the Black Sea, are more frustrating than they are useful. You have to maintain another health bar, constantly charge them, and forgo stealth entirely while you're riding one. Does it make sense that you can't sneak on a jetski? Sure. Does that logical concession justify removing access to an essential skill your character is built around? When it forces you to wade through a slew of repetitive combat encounters just to get from point A to point B, I'm left skeptical. It doesn't help that the jetski nearly halves your accuracy *with* special training.
Does it get better? Maybe. Would I have had more fun with a different build? Perhaps (though my build was plenty viable in the base game, even on hard). What little of Expedition I was exposed to, however, completely ruined my appetite for more. It makes Deep Caverns look downright delectable.
Still, the shotguns, spears, swords, and time powers are cool, and the new sidequest that unlocks fast travel is good fun (until it gets terribly sexist towards the end). Ultimately, Expedition's main quest is optional; hardly the game's main course.
Underrail: Expedition — Cool Silverware and Rotten Meat
Underrail: Expedition is a slog of an expansion only partially redeemed by the interesting mechanics it brings to the table.
It's a shame, because the production values have clearly improved and the premise is downright intriguing. The humanoid enemies, too, are a joy to fight: the serpentborn are armed with a wide variety of weapons, psi-abilities, and feats, and fights against them in their villages (as opposed to on their constant, repetitive raids) are hectic and dynamic.
Otherwise, though, you're in for a slog. Between fighting anywhere from 16-24 poisonous locusts (normal, water, and small) while you attempt to punch their hive to death with your psionically empowered fists (you can blow it up with TNT if you have insane stealth, a lot of charons, and about as much time), trying to punch one of three varieties of poisonous snake (tanky, very poisonous, and degrades-mechanical-equipment) from the back of a jetski, trying to punch through the armor of one of three flavors of giant crab (giant, colossal, and psi), trying to punch polite, homicidal statues, and so on, you soon become impatient.
The expac also includes a rudimentary base-management minigame, where you're in a race against time to solve the main quest before your camp is overrun (you can still solve the quest afterwards, but it's much less engaging). You have to constantly return to base to fend off another native attack OR risk shortening that timer ever further. While you can upgrade your base defenses, many options are simply off the table if your Electronics skill isn't high enough. Unless your character is built just right, you can say hello to yet more tedious busywork.
Even exploration, the bread-and-butter of Underrail, is a PITA here. Jetskis, your main way of getting around the Black Sea, are more frustrating than they are useful. You have to maintain another health bar, constantly charge them, and forgo stealth entirely while you're riding one. Does it make sense that you can't sneak on a jetski? Sure. Does that logical concession justify removing access to an essential skill your character is built around? When it forces you to wade through a slew of repetitive combat encounters just to get from point A to point B, I'm left skeptical. It doesn't help that the jetski nearly halves your accuracy *with* special training.
Does it get better? Maybe. Would I have had more fun with a different build? Perhaps (though my build was plenty viable in the base game, even on hard). What little of Expedition I was exposed to, however, completely ruined my appetite for more. It makes Deep Caverns look downright delectable.
Still, the shotguns, spears, swords, and time powers are cool, and the new sidequest that unlocks fast travel is good fun (until it gets terribly sexist towards the end). Ultimately, Expedition's main quest is optional; hardly the game's main course.