"Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Blends Sekiro, Belle Époque, and JRPG Styles"

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is a highly anticipated game that draws inspiration from various sources, notably JRPGs. Dive deeper to uncover the game's influences and get a glimpse of its first character trailer.

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33: A Journey Towards Release

Embracing JRPG Legacy

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is an upcoming turn-based RPG with innovative real-time mechanics designed to enhance player immersion and interaction. The game echoes the essence of classic JRPGs, especially the Final Fantasy series, due to its mechanics and thematic inspirations. During the 2025 Game Developers Conference, François Meurisse, the producer of Expedition 33, shared insights into the game's inspirations with GamesRadar+.

Meurisse highlighted that Final Fantasy 10 and earlier PlayStation titles like Final Fantasy 7, 8, and 9 significantly influenced Expedition 33. "These are monumental childhood games for Guillaume [Broche], our game director," he noted. "He aimed to capture the essence he felt would have persisted in modern Final Fantasy games if they had continued with turn-based mechanics. Yet, he blended in a variety of other inspirations. Final Fantasy and JRPGs are undoubtedly the cornerstone of our gameplay heritage."

While the gameplay heavily leans on JRPGs, Meurisse emphasized the team's desire to craft a unique game with distinct art inspirations. "For the art style, we steered away from mimicking Japanese games with their manga or anime-like graphics," he explained. "Instead, we opted for an art direction rooted in our own influences, leading us to the early 20th century Belle Époque aesthetic mixed with art deco and high fantasy elements. We went through several iterations to carve out our unique artistic identity, which has significantly contributed to distinguishing our game."

Diverse Inspirations

Beyond JRPGs, Expedition 33 also draws from souls-like games, specifically Sekiro, for its defense mechanics. Meurisse explained, "The defense system is inspired by Sekiro and From Software's games, incorporating a rhythmic element and a more real-time component, making it more skill-based."

Additionally, the game integrates mechanics from deckbuilding games into its battle sequences. "For instance, the concept of using action points for skills in battles is more aligned with deckbuilding games than the traditional magic points or mana systems found in RPGs," Meurisse added.

Unveiling the First Character Trailer

As Expedition 33 approaches its release, the game will introduce its characters weekly. On March 13, the official Twitter (X) account of Expedition 33 released a trailer featuring Gustave, the resourceful and dedicated engineer from Lumière. Gustave appears poised to lead Expedition 33 in their quest to defeat the Paintress, preventing her from painting death once more.

The trailer showcases Gustave wielding a sword and pistol as his primary combat tools. In the overworld, he is seen navigating and leaping across various terrains. Combat footage reveals Gustave's ability to inflict significant damage on enemies and his diverse skill set. However, details about character roles and related mechanics remain undisclosed by the developers.

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is slated for release on April 24, 2025, across PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC. Stay updated with the latest news on the game by clicking on the article below!