Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Explores History and Innovation

Sandfall Interactive's founder and creative director, Guillaume Broche, recently shed light on the fascinating details behind Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. Dive in to explore the game's historical inspirations and innovative gameplay elements.

Real-world Influences and Gameplay Innovation

Inspiration Behind the Name and Narrative

The second part of the title, "Expedition 33," refers to the protagonist Gustave's mission to destroy the Paintress. Each year, a new expedition is launched to stop her from erasing everyone by painting a number on her monolith, a process Broche calls "the Gommage." The reveal trailer poignantly illustrated this with the protagonist's partner dying as the Paintress painted the number 33, signifying her age.

Broche also cited La Horde du Contrevent, a fantasy novel about explorers traversing the world, as a major narrative influence. He expressed a deep appreciation for stories that delve into venturing into the unknown, drawing parallels with popular series like the anime/manga Attack on Titan.

Innovating Classic Turn-based RPG

Broche emphasized the importance of graphics in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, noting a gap in the market for turn-based RPGs with high-fidelity graphics. "There hasn’t really been any attempt at making a turn-based RPG with high-fidelity graphics for a good while," he stated. "That left a deep hole in my gamer heart. We took it upon ourselves to make something to fill that void."

While previous games like Valkyria Chronicles and Project X Zone have featured real-time elements in turn-based systems, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 introduces a reactive turn-based battle system. Players can strategize during their turns, but must react in real-time to enemy moves during the enemy’s turn, dodging, jumping, or parrying to execute powerful counterattacks. Broche's vision was inspired by action games such as the Souls series, Devil May Cry, and NieR, aiming to bring their rewarding gameplay mechanics into a turn-based setting.

Looking Forward

Broche's revelations about Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 highlight a rich tapestry of lore and narrative drawn from real-world influences. The game's high-fidelity graphics and innovative reactive battle system promise a fresh take on turn-based RPG combat, blending strategic planning with real-time reactions.

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is slated for release on PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC in 2025. Although the launch is still on the horizon, Broche shared an encouraging message with eager fans: "We’re glad to see so many fans are excited for the world of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33! As our first title, we’re thrilled with the reception we’ve seen so far, and we can’t wait to show more in the lead-up to launch next year."