Expelled! Review – Reversing the Status Quo of Private School Social Hierarchies in Gaming
In the UK, societal divisions often revolve around class, and this becomes a pivotal theme in the story of Verity Amersham, a scholarship student attending Miss Mulligatawney’s School for Promising Girls. Verity finds herself in a dire situation when she is wrongly accused of pushing the school’s hockey captain out of a window. Despite the lack of strong evidence against her, the formidable headmistress, Miss Mulligatawney, is intent on expelling Verity, believing that her background as a northern student from working-class parents means she doesn’t fit the elite image of the school.
This sense of injustice drives a passionate response to prevent Verity’s expulsion, reminiscent of Matilda’s battle against the tyrannical Miss Trunchbull in Roald Dahl’s classic tale. The game, developed by Inkle and titled “Overboard!”, immerses players in a time-sensitive environment where quick thinking and strategy are essential. Players explore different locations such as the library and the infirmary, each filled with characters to interact with and items to discover. The gameplay adheres to a strict timetable, mirroring the school’s schedule, which influences the strategy players must adopt.
For example, players might need to sneak into the infirmary while the matron is occupied elsewhere, allowing them to search her locked cabinet for clues. Each discovery leads to new dialogue options and further secrets to unearth, all aimed at helping Verity avoid expulsion and clear her name.
The game encourages repeated playthroughs; players will not be able to solve the mystery in just one attempt. Each thirty-minute session reveals more about the characters’ motivations and the overarching narrative. The story unfolds in an unexpected manner, exploring themes such as the impact of empire, the consequences of World War I, and, importantly, the entrenched class system of the early 1920s. Throughout her journey, Verity learns that to combat this unequal system, she may need to resort to unscrupulous tactics.
Witty or sharp exchanges open up additional dialogue paths, allowing players to guide Verity not just towards avoiding expulsion, but also towards her ambition of becoming head girl. As the story progresses, it becomes apparent that Verity may not always be a reliable narrator, as her retellings of events change slightly with each play. This element adds interest and complexity to her character.
However, players should be prepared for some repetition due to the game’s structure, which requires performing similar actions multiple times over. To keep everything organized, an in-game note-taking feature would enhance the experience, making it easier to track clues and character interactions. Nevertheless, persevering through these loops of gameplay is rewarding, as it reveals the school’s intricate secrets along with the brilliant writing from narrative director Jon Ingold.
Within a few gaming sessions, players can uncover the full arc of Verity’s story—from a victim facing adversity to a cunning strategist who navigates the cutthroat environment of her school. The public school system depicted in the game primarily serves to reinforce inequality, foster bullying, and reward ruthlessness. Within such a flawed system, players can’t help but wonder what other options Verity has but to outsmart her oppressors.
