Highly recommend it.

If you felt like it wasn't "clicking" for you, that's normal. You're basically in a giant escape room, so it's possible to wander around for a while and just see a bunch of disconnected details, and feel like you don't get what's going on. But I promise, if you stick with it, you'll eventually learn something, and the game will click, and details will connect.

There's just one rule for this game: Don't ever look anything up. If you think you're stuck check the rumor map in your ship.

That's a shame, I really loved the expansion. I agree that it felt more...focused? Since it was so contained to one area. Whereas the base game let's you wander around aimlessly much more.

But I felt the base story wasn't complete without the expansion's extra details. Without spoiling anything for other readers, I can't help but think about this story any time I think about a new technology that people are afraid of (lately, mostly AI). This game is a celebration of exploration and learning for its own sake, and I love it.

Sorry the expansion didn't find the mark for you. I found the expansion just as engrossing. Reminded me of the first time I read Rendezvous with Rama.