Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 first appeared with an intriguing trailer as a part of Microsoft’s summer time showcase, teasing a dream world the place squads of adventurers combat in a bid to defeat “The Paintress” who’s progressively shaving years off the utmost life that folks may dwell.
It’s a really JRPG-sounding premise. It’s the primary title from new French studio Sandfall Interactive, set in a bleak, ethereal world impressed by Belle Époque-era France (spot the twisted Eiffel Tower), including barely extra cause to battle this highly effective, mysterious Paintress. You’ll play a crew of Expeditioners, exploring fantastical landscapes and combating monsters to defeat the Paintress. It sounds obscure as a result of properly, I don’t fairly perceive what the hell is happening. I went again to the trailer – maybe that can assist make clear issues.
Clear as mud. However that’s high quality, it is a fantasy RPG — I did not anticipate to know the story from the outset. I lately watched some hands-off gameplay with Guillaume Broche, Artistic Director for Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, and the sport’s producer, François Meurisse.
We toured a handful of ranges and places, additionally introducing a handful of the social gathering characters. You’ll begin the sport with Gustave. Every social gathering member has their very own distinctive battle mechanic, which fees up throughout battles. You’ll be able to enhance the cost pace with even handed guarding, dodging and parrying. With Gustave’s robotic arm, for instance, he can construct up a shock assault that he can unleash early for further harm, or cost up additional for an additional aggressive strike.
Maelle, Gustave’s adoptive sister who goes lacking early within the sport, has a stance method that may increase her battle stats after an assault from her fencing saber. The sport is turn-based, with enemies and allies capable of assault (or get well) in a predetermined order. That is augmented with some motion RPG touches and QTEs (quick-time occasions) the place you’ll must defend with precision timing. Get sufficient parries in a row, and characters will harm the enemy closely. I obtained to see a boss monster strike my total social gathering — happily, you solely should nail the dodge as soon as for your complete crew to dam or parry. The fights themselves are harking back to Persona 5, with dramatic camera-angle shifts, inky, paint-themed particular results and a give attention to the gorgeous character (and monster) design. Particular assaults and spells use potential factors, that are additionally replenished from profitable guarding and QTE timing. In brief, you’ll nonetheless have to concentrate throughout battles. Sorry.
Alongside Maelle and Gustave, the social gathering within the demo was rounded out by Lune, apparently the crew’s mage. You’ll come throughout the remainder of your expeditionary social gathering through the journey, in typical JRPG type. Broche instructed me on the outset that Expedition 33 was a tribute to the traditional RPGs of the ‘90s, even if it looks nothing like them. Outside of pixelated Switch adventures, turn-based RPGs have long fallen out of favor, replaced by action RPGs, even for remade titles. This is Sandfall Interactive’s try and reinvigorate the turn-based RPG for 2024.
Every character has a devoted weapon sort that may be progressively enhanced and strengthened, including new skills because the character grows. I caught a glimpse of a sophisticated talent tree that gamers will get to chip away at. Elemental assaults will rely on the weapon your character is wielding, possible that means some cautious social gathering creation (or customization) shall be wanted later within the sport.
Past elemental weaknesses, some enemies can even have shielding that can defend them out of your assaults. As you progress, some can have seen weaknesses that gamers should shoot at – often with visible tells, just like the weak spots on early anchor enemies. This free-aim system can be used within the environments. I noticed a number of ‘shooting’ puzzles used to unlock treasure and different rewards. Expedition 33 shall be separated into completely different thematic areas, every providing different routes (some could supply further treasure or harder enemies) and visible landmarks that can supply extra perception into the world and lore. The builders stated that a lot of the story should be unearthed by gamers themselves, looking down collectible notes from the husks of failed expeditions of the previous.
The early environments I noticed of Expedition 33 have been attractive. One of many preliminary areas is constructed as should you’re strolling alongside the underside of the ocean, laced with plankton, coral and curtains of seaweed. The truth is, the gorgeous world is just outdone by the character fashions. The crew appears to have put a number of effort into making its heroes emote and react in a means you wouldn’t have seen in RPGs of outdated.
I’m cautious of how a lot of an RPG epic the Sandfall Interactive crew will have the ability to make, given its dimension. Whereas I did not get to play Expedition 33 at this level, I ponder how a lot exploration shall be attainable within the completed sport and whether or not it should reward gamers’ curiosity past plot lore and mournful letters from useless expeditions.
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 shall be launched in 2025 on PlayStation 5, Xbox Collection X and S and PC.
