Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 review

I love the Final Fantasy series, but one thing that has disappointed me about it in recent years is its move away from turn-based battles. But worry not, French studio Sandfall Interactive is here to put things right. With just over 30 team members, it’s created Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, a JRPG that rivals games made by teams of hundreds. It also features one of the most thrilling turn-based battle systems ever devised.

An emotionally-charged adventure, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 welcomes players to a world inspired by Belle Époque France, but it’s not all happiness and smiles. Far from it, in fact. You see, this is a world in which a mysterious figure known as the Paintress wakes up once a year and paints a number on a monolith, and anyone whose age matches the number will simply disappear into thin air as a result. The game picks up just as 33 is about to be written, which not only results in everyone aged 33 being wiped from the face of the earth, but also sets in motion the departure of Expedition 33, a team of volunteers heading out to try and put an end to the Paintress once and for all.

To say anymore about the story of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 would be to rob you of its magic, but it’s safe to say that things get off to a bad start. What begins as a sizeable expedition is soon dramatically reduced in numbers, to the point where one of the primary protagonists here, a gent known as Gustave, wonders if there’s any point in continuing. But as he’s reunited with more surviving members, a glimmer of hope remains.

Getting down to the gameplay, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 feels like a wonderful mix of the old and the new. Taking direct control of one party member (you can easily switch between them with the press of a button), you explore stunning fantasy environments, moving ever closer to your target, the Paintress. And while these locations are hardly labyrinthine, they do frequently offer an opportunity to go off the beaten path, whether it’s to find valuable items such as currency and upgrade materials, equippable weapons and Pictos, or even maybe a side-quest.

Weapons and Pictos are perhaps more important here than in other JRPGS, due to how much they drive your development. Both boost your stats in numerous ways, obviously, but weapons, for example, also have proficiencies that will determine where you place your stat points when levelling up. Pictos, on the other hand, confer perks called Lumina to the character on which they’re equipped. Better yet, these Lumina can be learned and then still used when the corresponding Picto is unequipped. And so, over time you can build out a large number of perks such as having a higher critical hit chance against burning enemies or automatically casting a defensive spell when your health drops low. You only have a limited amount of Lumina Points, however, so you’ll have to choose which ones are most beneficial to each character.

Now, combat. Rather than just throwing you into random battles, your enemies here are visible as you explore, and you can start combat with an advantage if you land an attack to initiate proceedings. As already mentioned, like JRPGs of old, the combat here is turn-based, with characters taking turns according to their speed. But thanks to the impressive visuals of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, as well as numerous real-time combat mechanics blended into the system, it feels utterly refreshing and unique.

On any character’s turn, you’re free to perform one or more actions depending on the Action Points available. Skills, for example, typically use multiple Action Points but cause more damage or inflict enemies with useful debuffs, while simply attacking does a small amount of damage but doesn’t use any Action Points at all. There’s often a reward for using a mix of Skills as well. Lune, a spellcaster, can inflict Stains with certain spells, for example. Follow up an ice spell that’s left a Stain with a fire spell, and it will do extra damage that can make a difference.

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What’s worth pondering at the start of a battle, however, is whether it’s worth making use of your gun to target enemy weak points. Each shot uses a single Action Point, but you can freely aim, allowing you to target weakspots for considerable damage. Flying enemies are also best tackled by firearms, and there are many perks available that can also make using firearms more lucrative.

Pivotal to your continued success and survival in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is mastering the art of dodging and parrying incoming enemy attacks. Both are performed by correctly-timed button presses, and are obviously beneficial as they allow you to avoid taking damage. Parries have the additional benefit of allowing you to retaliate and cause significant damage, but are harder to pull off on the whole. Other real-time mechanics include button presses during certain skills to increase their potency, and the ability to jump over and counter some attacks performed by enemies.

It all makes for a combat system that keeps you on your toes. Victory relies on not only thoughtful tactics but also your reflexes, and you’ll be at a significant disadvantage if you’re unable to mitigate enemy attacks on a regular basis. Thankfully, there are difficulty levels for those who might find themselves struggling with the real-time aspects of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 and want to focus on the story. Many might want to, as the story here truly is captivating, bolstered by well-directed scenes and excellent voice acting.

I do feel like there is perhaps a little too much emphasis on parrying and dodging attacks in combat, however. And while the difficulty options do help, they could be better. Don’t be surprised if you occasionally get one-hit killed on the standard Expeditioner difficulty, for example, while on the next difficulty down (Story), things become mostly a cakewalk. An Easy difficulty level that sits between the two would perhaps be welcome.

Still, in the grand scheme of things, it doesn’t matter too much; you’ll either strive to master the timings, or simply put the difficulty down to Story to enjoy the narrative with little to no frustration along the way. In any case, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 remains rather special, especially for fans of JRPGs with turn-based combat systems and emotionally-charged stories. It’s a visual spectacle with an earworm of a soundtrack, a narrative that keeps you on your toes, and one of the most engaging and rewarding combat systems ever made. What more could a JRPG fan want? Considering this is the first title from Sandfall Interactive, and launching at a reasonable price, this very much deserves your attention.