Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is set to be released in spring 2025 for Steam, Epic Games Store, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S. This promising role-playing game draws upon many elements that have also worked well in other genre representatives and aims to expand upon them.
What kind of game is Clair Obscur: Expedition 33? The game is a role-playing game featuring a turn-based combat system with action elements. It is the debut work of the game studio Sandfall Interactive. You find yourself in a world inspired by France during the so-called “Belle Époque” (in German: “Beautiful Era”), where the population is gradually declining.
The so-called “Painter” records a number on her monolith every year, thereby erasing all people of that age. With each occasion, the number gets smaller – from the older to the younger.
You take on the roles of the characters from Expedition 33, who embark on a journey to prevent their own deaths. To confront the Painter, you have exactly one year. For this, you will walk the paths of past expeditions.
A reactive turn-based combat system
What does the game want to do differently? In an interview with the PlayStation Blog, game director Guillaume Broche revealed what makes the game different from similar genre representatives. He also refers to the games that served as inspiration for Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, naming typical titles like the games from Final Fantasy, the Tales series, Lost Odyssey, and the Persona franchise.
But series like Dark Souls, NieR, and Devil May Cry were also driving forces for some decisions.
These inspirations are also clearly recognizable, yet according to Broche, some new elements have also been introduced. Perhaps the most significant feature that distinctly sets the game apart from its counterparts is the combat system. Real-time elements have been added to the classic turn-based combat system, making it a bit more action-packed. The team refers to it as a kind of “reactive turn-based combat system”.
Players can take their time to consider their next move without being pressed for time, while also being able to respond directly to incoming enemy actions. Thus, it should be possible to evade or block enemy attacks with the right timing. Strong counters should also be achievable this way. However, you need to be quick with these reactions; otherwise, your chance will be lost.
There are also so-called “attack rhythms” that can increase the effectiveness of your attacks. By combining these elements, the turn-based battles are supposed to be more innovative and provide more action, even to appeal to those who are not fans of turn-based gameplay.
Great emphasis has also been placed on finding perfectly suited voices that align with the style of the game, representing the most important characters. After all, these will accompany players throughout their entire gaming experience. So, you might encounter familiar voices audibly: In a new role-playing game on Steam and PS5, you fight alongside stars from Gollum and Daredevil against a deadly Painter.
