Review : Clair Obscur Expedition 33 : Tomorrow Comes

Once in a while, there comes a game that, at its synergetic apotheosis of its many different elements, just leaves you awestruck. The kind of game that reminds you of the power of this medium to touch and inspire you in many different ways. A reminder that passion, above all, is what should carry us all. These are my feelings as I wrapped my time with Clair Obscur: Expedition 33.

Developed by first-time team Sandfall Interactive, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 feels like an impossible game. An homage to classic high-fidelity Japanese turn-based games, Sandfall Interactive understood the very simple assignment of filling the gap of a very particular kind of turn-based game in a market that’s been relatively healthy as of late (let’s not forget the deluge of quality turn-based RPGs just last year alone).

While separate conversations can be had at how insane it is that Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 was made by a core team of 33 people at a modest budget and at a $50 price tag, it shouldn’t, umm, obscure the core conversation about the actual game. It’s a game where, despite some slight flaws here and there, comes out as a fantastic first-time effort, with a synthesis of story, visuals, and music that’s close to a work of art.

The Definition Of A Fool’s Quest

Set in a dark fantasy setting inspired by France’s “Belle Epoque” era, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 puts you in the shoes of resourceful engineer, Gustave, as he’s gearing up alongside a doomed crew of expeditioners to go on an impossible mission to take down “The Paintress,” who is a god-like being who has ravaged Gustave’s society by killing people of a certain age based on a painted number every year. Gustave and his crew know it’s a one-way trip for this crusade to stop this god-like being, all in the name of creating a future for those who come after.

While “grander-than-life adventure to stop a god-like being” is a common setup for many JRPG’s of yore, what sets Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 apart from this tried and true concept is the artful way it presents its story around the theme of grief. Any grandiosity is all set dressing for what’s actually a more introspective analysis for the ways grief envelopes us and the things we do and use to deal with it. And how the game uses its different elements, from its visual design and its “out of this world” soundtrack to convey the use of art as an expression of said feelings is absolutely remarkable. Grief in storytelling is not new in any medium, but the way Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 conveys it is in a league of its own. 

With that said, the actual story sometimes tries to bite a little more than it can chew. While it does a masterful job of conveying its theme really well, it’s at its least confident when it sometimes lays the theme of it all really thick and when it’s time to try to deliver some substantive answers to some of the mysteries that carry it. The emotional resonance of every moment can sometimes obfuscate some of the logic regarding why some things happen the way they do, all in service to make sure the emotional gut punch still lands. While there are some questions left about the “how” by the time credits rolled (and some are briefly explained in some of the late-game side content, which, mind you, can be VERY difficult), for me, some slightly clunky logic didn’t deter from the ultimate point, which left a profound impact by the time credits rolled on its different endings. 

When One Falls, We Continue

For fans of turn-based role-playing games, a quick glimpse at the gameplay shows developer Sandfall Interactive has taken inspiration from some of the genre’s absolute greats. If you have played games like Persona, Lost Odyssey, Super Mario RPG and Sea of Stars, you have an idea of what butters the bread for Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. Where the game is able to carve an identity all its own is in the synthesis of a turn-based system so malleable by its build crafting that synergizes with a very active dodge/parry mechanic, making every encounter quite thrilling and engrossing. And, yes, there is a slight air to From Software’s Dark Souls series when it comes to some of the rhythm & enemy readability for when you have to do said dodging and parrying, although it feels more like an evolution to what was seen from a Super Mario RPG and Sea of Stars.

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 definitely takes advantage of a small but varied cast of 5 separate characters that all control very differently but are so well kitted to fit anyone’s preference. While you can have 3 active ones in battle, you can relegate the rest of the unused party members to a “second chance” style final stand that can be helpful in some of the harder battles of the game. Even with the uniqueness of each character having their strengths and weaknesses, the build diversity you can get out of the game’s different Lumina/Picto system, which can give each member specific buffs to base attacks and parry/dodge moves to more elemental effectiveness, can yield some incredible results on the field (the team’s sword fencer, Maelle, can borderline trivialize/break the game with some builds, including a “Nuke” build that just got patched by the time this review went live). 

While the very active nature of the turn-based combat gives it its unique flavor, I can also foresee how it can be overly difficult for players who prefer more traditional turn-based fare in the vein of traditional Final Fantasy and Dragon Quest. There are some enemies that come at you with long combo attacks, requiring you to at least master dodging to succeed. If you have a hard time coordinating specific timing windows, I can see you having a hard time with a few encounters in the game, especially when other kinds of dodging/parry variations enter the fray close to halfway through the game. Consequently, the effectiveness of the dodging and parrying system in this game is such that, if for some reason you find an enemy that’s more than your current level can handle, if you master the dodging/parry rhythm, you can find ways to succeed at any point, which can help alleviate some of the genre’s momentum-stopping grinding requirement.

If anything, if what you want to do is simply experience the game’s relatively tight 25-30 hour main story, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 feels like one of the cleanest mainline runs of a turn-based RPG in recent memory where, up to maybe its final act push, it never felt like I needed to level up just for basic progress. Perhaps my eventual mastery of the dodging and parry system helped alleviate that, but having experienced recent JRPG’s that still operate on the “gotta grind up before you cross that bridge” mentality, I found it less of an issue for Expedition 33, which works to the game’s favor of being one of these games that’s able to get to the point without much fluff. But the kind of leveling requirement to overcome a big challenge is definitely present in the side activities, with some of the end-game ones being so exponentially difficult in spots that it almost necessitates some broken builds to succeed with the over-sponginess of enemies.

Rounding out the JRPG inspirations also comes the inclusion of an overworld in the style of traditional Final Fantasy and Dragon Quest, down to presenting the big world in a miniaturized way that works in the game’s high-fidelity artstyle. I appreciate how the game definitely keeps minimalism to an extent to not feel like you have to complete places via a checklist when you go through the overworld, and for those that need it, I like that it always marks the place to go next while you are there, which gave me the freedom to veer to the sides on my own volition. And, similar to old-school Final Fantasy, the way you traverse these maps evolves the more you play, and I’m glad Expedition 33 captured the “evolution” of how you travel these worlds to a tee from those old school JRPG’s.

While not too big of a deal, I do have some gameplay complaints for Expedition 33. While I appreciate the minimalism present in the overworld to explore, I definitely have more issues inside the actual “levels,” where the art style of the levels sometimes can feel a little too overly detailed; it can obfuscate the logical progression of “where do I need to go,” and you’ll sometimes find yourself turned around more often than not. The lack of any sort of minimap, which I understand is trying to keep some sort of old-school feeling to exploring these levels, definitely makes exploration slightly more aggravating because I don’t feel the levels are as properly sign-posted as needed to let the design speak for itself without guidance. And the times the game engages on platforming, it doesn’t feel good to do. While I appreciate things like shortcuts that can give a better sense of place to the level, I couldn’t get over a nagging sense that the level design could have provided a few more pointers without diluting the desire to encourage exploration without guidance. This is definitely one of the more obvious “first time devs” issues of the game, and I hope Sandfall iterates this for next time.

Pictoresque

Powered by Unreal Engine 5, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is an absolute throw back to the high-fidelity era of the turn-based genre that has more-or-less been abandoned as it’s embraced more cartoony, anime-style art in recent years (like last year’s critical darling Metaphor Refantazio). Combined with the game’s Belle Epoque aesthetic, Expedition 33 is an absolute visual marvel, with some of the most unique, highly detailed artistry that’s unlike anything I’ve seen in quite a while for this kind of game. While some of that artistry got in the way of the level design, from a sheer eye candy standpoint, I never stopped gawking at the beauty. It’s such a gorgeous, uniquely evocative world, that’s so intrinsically beautiful, it helped me sand over some visual issues like slight framerate drops in cutscenes, some rough lip syncing and slight “Unreal Engine” style texture pop-in out in the open world.

But if the visuals are a feast for the eyes, wait until you get to witness this beauty with Expedition 33’s out-of-this-world soundtrack. The music composition by first time composer Lorien Testard may lowkey be the absolute secret sauce that elevates the entire package to a new level. The music perfectly conveys the solemn tone that carries the game’s story, and the way music synergizes with the visuals, like in a middle game boss fight, is euphoric to the highest levels. The game could even become a silent French film, relying on its music, and it would perfectly convey the euphoric emotions that makes the game so ultimately impactful. In his first go, Lorien Testard has risen at the top of the pack for best music in a video game. For a genre that’s been defined precisely by this element, that’s absolutely no small feat.

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For Those Who Come After

There’s so much that can be said about how special Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is, from its evocative exploration of grief, its incredible combat system, its artistic presentation, and its emotionally stirring soundtrack. But, ultimately, it is such an artful experience that is worth experiencing on your own, even if you haven’t been a fan of turn-based RPGs in the past. 

Sandfall Entertainment proves that, in an industry currently plagued by expensive, derivative trend chasing, passion projects done smartly can still exist and be as good and unique as this one. Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is an absolute love letter for one of gaming’s most long-running and deeply beloved genres. 

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