Developer Inkle has unveiled its next game, a follow-up to Overboard!.
Titled Expelled!, the visual novel – described as a "mystery with a wicked twist" – is in the same style as the 2021 indie hit, but has a completely different story and all-new characters.
Instead of taking place on a large ship in 1935, Expelled! follows a student named Verity Amersham at an English boarding school in 1922.
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When a school prefect is pushed out a window, Verity (voiced by Baldur's Gate 3 narrator Amelia Tyler) becomes the main suspect. Facing expulsion from Miss Mulligatawney's School for Promising Girls, she must clear her name in one day.
Expelled! is a game designed to be "massively replayable", with a single run lasting between 30 and 45 minutes and multiple endings to uncover.
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The player is open to explore the school, interact with a variety of NPCs hiding their own agendas, and make choices that can unlock new leads and influence the direction of the playthrough.
Verity tries her best to be a good student, but faced with the prospect of being expelled, she can make 'naughty' decisions in a bid to save herself. If she's unable to find the culprit, it's hinted that she can even find someone else to take the blame to save herself.
"Avoiding expulsion is just the start. Can you rise to the position of Head Girl?" the game's description further teases.
Inkle has also confirmed that the game will launch on PC and Mac (via Steam), Nintendo Switch, and iOS on March 12.
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Inkle has an excellent track record, with Overboard! and Heaven's Vault previously making Digital Spy's end-of-year lists for 2021 and 2019 respectively.
Other notable games by the developer include A Highland Song, Pendragon, and 80 Days.
In December, Inkle hinted at a sequel to Heaven's Vault for 2025, posting on Bluesky a text in the game's fictional hieroglyphic language.
