Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is an "homage" to the RPGs of old, and its director wants players to "break the game with crazy builds"

GamesRPGClair Obscur: Expedition 33Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is an “homage” to the RPGs of old, and its director wants players to “break the game with crazy builds"When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works. GamesRPGClair Obscur: Expedition 33Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is an “homage” to the RPGs of old, and its director wants players to “break the game with crazy builds"When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works. (Image credit: Sandfall Interactive) A month removed from its reveal, and Expedition 33 still looks the part in a new gameplay presentation from Sandfall CEO and creative director Guillaume Broche, along with COO and producer Francois Meurisse. It’s still early on in Clair Obscur when Broche picks up the controller - playing only the second level of the game - and introduces chief protagonist and resourceful engineer Gustave, who’s on a mission with scholar Lune to find Maelle, youngest member of the expedition’s roster and Gustave’s foster sister. What immediately jumps out to me is just how good Clair Obscur’s character models look. Not just the models themselves, but the faces in particular - which Broche reveals is thanks in no small part to Epic’s Metahuman tech. The creative director adamantly asserts that no AI whatsoever was used in the game, but the Metahuman tech lets Sandfall extract facial models and customize them however they want – even using performance capture technology in tandem with the impressive facial models they’ve extrapolated. Turn-based tactics (Image credit: Sandfall Interactive) Back to the future(Image credit: Sandfall Interactive)Ubisoft veterans behind stylish turn-based RPG Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 “all have a love” for JRPG classics like Final Fantasy, “but also want to see something fresh done with the genre” Back to the future (Image credit: Sandfall Interactive)Ubisoft veterans behind stylish turn-based RPG Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 “all have a love” for JRPG classics like Final Fantasy, “but also want to see something fresh done with the genre” (Image credit: Sandfall Interactive) Ubisoft veterans behind stylish turn-based RPG Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 “all have a love” for JRPG classics like Final Fantasy, “but also want to see something fresh done with the genre” Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 might play as a turn-based RPG, but out in the open world you have full control of Gustave. In fact, you can switch on the fly to control any one of your current party members, and take advantage of their unique traversal abilities, like an air dash-type move for Lune, for example. This helps you solve environmental puzzles, of which there are many in Expedition 33, like finding and shooting three targets in a vicinity to unlock a resource deposit. The aforementioned turn-based combat feels like something Sandfall is really proud of, and for good reason. Every attack in Expedition 33 prompts you to input a series of QTE-based button prompts to deal bonus damage - a cursor might travel clockwise around a square while you attack, for example, and you need to press A right as the cursor moves over the final side of the square in order to bag the bonus. It’s a little bit reminiscent of Yakuza’s now-turn-based RPG combat, or even the older Paper Mario combat system, but not to the point where it feels like Expedition 33 isn’t bringing anything new to the table. You can freely aim a firearm with any playable character when it’s their turn, and target an enemy’s weak spot to deal bonus damage. One enemy has two glowing orbs floating above them – a telltale ‘weak spot’ sign – which Gustave shoots to decimate their health pool. (Image credit: Sandfall Interactive) Even on an enemy’s turn, Clair Obscur still gives you tricks for bonus damage. When an enemy targets Gustave, Lune, Maelle, or all three at once with an attack, Broche presses a button perfectly in time with the attack to have all three party members deftly dodge out of the way, entirely negating all incoming damage. It’s possible, Broche teases, to get through Expedition 33 without taking a single point of damage – but no one at Sandfall has managed this feat at the time of writing. Sign up to the GamesRadar+ Newsletter Weekly digests, tales from the communities you love, and more For those who feel like really testing themselves after hours in Expedition 33’s world, there’s also parrying. Upon a slight visual cue, you can press one button to have Gustav, Lune, Maelle, or all party members at once parry an attack. Here’s where things get interesting: parrying also negates damage like dodging, but it crucially restores your mana points, which all Expedition 33 characters use to pull off abilities in combat. Additionally, if you can parry every hit in a chain attack, you can actually strike back at the enemy with a huge, flourishing attack of your own. Speaking of mana, though, or AP points as Expedition 33 dubs them, you’re going to need to manage them tactically . Every character has their own AP pool, and not only do they fuel abilities, but firearm shots also use AP. Utilizing an enemy’s elemental weakness against them is paramount in just about every RPG - Expedition 33 being no exception - and so battles become more refined and stylish if you’re able to accurately deduce an enemy’s weakness and take advantage of it with your AP stock. 30 was once considered young (Image credit: Sandfall Interactive) Gustave is just the latest in a very long line of attempts to kill the Painter. Your party can find other expedition markers while they’re out roaming the world, which act as little reminders of those that came before - and ultimately failed in their quest. At these points you can rest up, heal your party, and also level up characters using acquired XP. The expedition markers act as a checkpoint system that slot seamlessly into Expedition 33’s overarching story. There will even be some social elements in Expedition 33 at these checkpoints. Broche is keeping this card close to his chest, refusing to say anything about Clair Obscur’s social aspects aside from the fact that there will be some sort of system present in the final game. This is undoubtedly an influence from the Persona series, which Broche has previously spoken about growing up loving. An homage, not a replication (Image credit: Sandfall Interactive) If you think back to the turn-based games of old, like Final Fantasy, you can probably recall some pretty ‘broken’ builds which just tore the game’s combat system wide open. Take, for example, the devastating ‘Gem Box’ and ‘Economiser’ combination from Final Fantasy 6 - a moveset that reduces all magical abilities to costing merely 1 MP, while letting you cast two spells per turn, and if one of them so happens to be ‘Quick,’ you bag two additional turns straight away. (Image credit: Sandfall Interactive) “Sandfall’s debut game looks incredibly impressive, bringing unique and novel ideas to an extremely storied RPG genre” “Sandfall’s debut game looks incredibly impressive, bringing unique and novel ideas to an extremely storied RPG genre” It might also surprise you to know that Expedition 33 went into ‘full production’ when Sandfall was founded just three-odd years ago. Yes, that was during the height of COVID-19’s, which you’d think would be a devastating time to start a new studio, but Broche believes this is what’s kept Sandfall going despite thousands of layoffs around the gaming industry over the last year or so. The creative director says that because Sandfall was started on a “high” in the pandemic when investment in games was rife, the studio is still riding this ‘high’ with a deal to fully finance Clair Obscur until release, guaranteeing financial security. Based on what I’ve seen so far, Sandfall’s debut game looks incredibly impressive, bringing unique and novel ideas to an extremely storied RPG genre, and carving itself out a space alongside major genre releases like Dragon Quest, Metaphor: ReFantazio, Greedfall 2, and many more. Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 arrives at some point next year in 2025 across PC,PS5, andXbox Series X/S. 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brutal dark adventure"4Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review: “The best adventure Indy has embarked on in over 30 years"5Marvel Rivals review: “So preoccupied with trying to be like Overwatch that it forgets to play to its own strengths"1Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show"2Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie"3Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action"4The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien"5Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite"1Doctor Who 2024 Christmas special review: “Ncuti Gatwa is as magnetic as ever in this delightful festive treat"2Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the 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1Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension” 1 Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension” 2Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package” 2Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package” 2 Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package” 3Path of Exile 2 review: “A stellar start to a thrilling and brutal dark adventure” 3Path of Exile 2 review: “A stellar start to a thrilling and brutal dark adventure” 3 Path of Exile 2 review: “A stellar start to a thrilling and brutal dark adventure” 4Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review: “The best adventure Indy has embarked on in over 30 years” 4Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review: “The best adventure Indy has embarked on in over 30 years” 4 Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review: “The best adventure Indy has embarked on in over 30 years” 5Marvel Rivals review: “So preoccupied with trying to be like Overwatch that it forgets to play to its own strengths” 5Marvel Rivals review: “So preoccupied with trying to be like Overwatch that it forgets to play to its own strengths” 5 Marvel Rivals review: “So preoccupied with trying to be like Overwatch that it forgets to play to its own strengths” 1Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show” 1Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show” 1 Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show” 2Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie” 2Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie” 2 Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie” 3Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action” 3Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action” 3 Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action” 4The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien” 4The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien” 4 The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien” 5Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite” 5Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite” 5 Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite” 1Doctor Who 2024 Christmas special review: “Ncuti Gatwa is as magnetic as ever in this delightful festive treat” 1Doctor Who 2024 Christmas special review: “Ncuti Gatwa is as magnetic as ever in this delightful festive treat” 1 Doctor Who 2024 Christmas special review: “Ncuti Gatwa is as magnetic as ever in this delightful festive treat” 2Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses” 2Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses” 2 Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses” 3Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist” 3Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist” 3 Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist” 4Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands” 4Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands” 4 Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands” 5Cobra Kai season 6, part 2 review: “Returns to the sort of hard-hitting form that made it such a fan favorite in the first place” 5Cobra Kai season 6, part 2 review: “Returns to the sort of hard-hitting form that made it such a fan favorite in the first place” 5 Cobra Kai season 6, part 2 review: “Returns to the sort of hard-hitting form that made it such a fan favorite in the first place”