Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
MSRP $50.00
“Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is a stunning, ambitious first outing for Sandfall Interactive.”
Pros
Tells an emotional, relatable story
Shocking narrative twists
RPG gameplay is a good style homage
Stunning artwork course
Amazing performances
Cons
Constantly shifts narrative’s themes
Presentation clashes with parrying focus
Easy to get misplaced in ranges
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
We proceed
An RPG homage
The penalties of ambition
When it begins, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is an RPG about youthful adults preventing to provide themselves a future in a world managed by forces that appear hellbent on taking it from them. It’s unhappy how related that feels proper now.
Every day, get up and uncover some piece of reports that threatens to destroy me and the folks I really like. Politicians are decimating social applications, a world that after embraced globalization is splitting itself aside once more, and an older technology appears devoted to figuring out the way forward for those that come after for so long as they will. It can typically be exhausting to search out hope inside that, however Expedition 33 raises an necessary level: We can discover solace in working with like-minded folks to do no matter we will to assist combat again in opposition to these overwhelming forces. While a person won’t accomplish that a lot alone, we proceed.
In the moments the place Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 embraces that theme narratively and mechanically, it’s among the best video games of the 12 months. For a primary outing for developer Sandfall Interactive, it’s an astoundingly bold and spectacular RPG that many followers of the style will adore. That ambition does include some warts, however many of the dangers Expedition 33 takes repay and reinforce the theme that working collectively is important to create change and make a reputation for your self.
We proceed
In the world of Expedition 33, a being referred to as The Paintress paints a brand new quantity within the sky yearly. Everyone older than the quantity within the sky disappears in an occasion referred to as the Gommage. Expeditions of individuals set off to “The Continent” yearly to attempt to cease the Paintress, however none have been profitable. The story begins on a tragic word as we comply with a scientist named Gustave, who watches the love of his life disappear earlier than his eyes. He, alongside along with his adopted ward Maelle and a few of his mates, units off to The Continent as a part of the titular expedition.
Expedition 33 is definitely a thought-provoking recreation I can’t overlook anytime quickly.
You spend the primary hour or so of the sport getting aware of all of the totally different members of the Expedition, which makes it all of the extra stunning when Expedition 33 is attacked by an outdated man as quickly as they make landfall on the continent. Gustave survives and considers taking his personal life, however is discovered by Lune, one in every of his mates, earlier than he can try this, and is inspired to search out Maelle and proceed. It’s one of the vital emotional and charming begins to any recreation I’ve performed in latest reminiscence, and it units the stage for a relatable, but fantastical journey.
While there’s lots I can’t discuss as a result of it treads into spoiler territory, every social gathering member options a variety of hidden depth, and there are plot twists that may give video games like Final Fantasy VII a run for his or her cash. Expedition 33 joins a pantheon of video games like The Last of Us Part II, Nier, and Final Fantasy VII Remake that aren’t afraid to narratively and thematically problem gamers. All of that is backed up by excellent performances from the likes of Daredevil: Born Again’s Charlie Cox, Final Fantasy XVI’s Ben Starr, and Baldur’s Gate 3’s Jennifer English.
Sandfall Interactive
That willingness to problem the participant will make some features of its narrative divisive, although, and I discovered the story extra poignant within the first half than within the second. Thematically, Expedition 33 shifts with every act break for higher and worse. I liked the story when it was centered on discovering the need to stay, preventing again, and persevering with on within the first act. Eventually, it shifts to change into extra about how we course of grief, whether or not that be via motion or artwork.
While all of these ideas are thought-provoking, the latter hours of the story had me craving for the extra impactful feelings I felt in that first hour. Still, I respect that Expedition 33 will not be afraid to problem me as a participant, throw me right into a particular universe with stunning lore, and ship an unpredictable story that I may nonetheless relate to. While I won’t click on with each selection made, Expedition 33 is definitely a thought-provoking recreation I can’t overlook anytime quickly.
An RPG homage
Expedition 33 is kind of authentic from a storytelling standpoint, however its gameplay is an apparent tribute to Japanese-developed RPGs. It options turn-based battle, a world map, a number of means and ability depth, and the entire different options you’d discover in a Final Fantasy, Persona, or related RPGs. It’s entertaining to see all these design philosophies reinterpreted by a European studio making its first recreation, leading to a powerful gameplay loop — albeit with room for enchancment.
If you’ve performed a turn-based RPG earlier than, you’ll perceive the fundamentals on the core of Expedition 33’s fight. You combat enemies to construct up AP, which can be utilized on talents that finally let you deal large injury and win the combat. Each social gathering member has an unlimited ability tree, permitting gamers to form their playstyles. Where the sport will get extra fascinating is in all the things it layers on prime of that.
Kepler Interactive
Sandfall Interactive did an ideal job of constructing every social gathering member really feel distinct. For instance, Maelle switches between three totally different stances — Offensive, Defensive, and Virtuose — relying on the power gamers use. Each comes with its benefits and downsides, so utilizing Maelle requires mastering stance switching and understanding when to make use of every ability successfully. Meanwhile, mage character Lune builds up “Stains” with every of her talents, and people are used to reinforce her talents additional. Like all the perfect party-driven RPGs, the best way you consider taking part in adjustments relying on which character you’re controlling.
While battles are turn-based, Expedition 33 does require real-time consideration throughout fight. Each assault requires the completion of a fast time occasion to maximise its impact, whereas all enemy assaults could be parried or dodged. Parrying is the primary solution to construct up AP, so it’s critically necessary to grasp this if you wish to efficiently play Expedition 33, even on its best mode. This can get tiring because the fights get longer within the late recreation, so for those who wrestle to be taught timing in video video games, know that parrying is a serious element of success. It would go a great distance in the direction of accessibility if Sandfall may add the power to regulate parry and dodge window timings in a future replace.
There’s much more gameplay techniques to think about, just like the Lumina system. Players can equip three Lumina on every social gathering member at any time to grant that character particular buffs. These vary from gaining AP when dodging to outright reviving the primary time the participant dies. After finishing 4 battles with that character, the Lumina is “mastered” and all characters can equip that buff if they’ve sufficient factors to spend on it. This is the place the acute character construct depth of Expedition 33 is available in, though the menu for it’s fairly daunting.
Sandfall Interactive
The Japanese RPG inspiration may also be seen exterior of battle. There’s a world map that gamers discover, and it’s surprisingly large and filled with hidden bosses, gadgets, and Lumina to find. At any time on the world map, gamers can enter camp and converse to their fellow social gathering members. These conversations unlock particular talents for every character and likewise add a ton of depth and context to the backgrounds of social gathering members like Sciel and Monoco. Individual ranges are considerably linear, however succeed at providing worthwhile environmental storytelling because it’s potential to come back throughout audio logs from earlier explorers and checkpoints are all at flags laid down by these expeditions. This outside-of-battle presentation is harking back to PS2-era Final Fantasy, in a great way.
Expedition 33 is a real homage to RPG historical past, made for individuals who love the style. In a time the place trendy RPGs like Final Fantasy XVI look like they’re borrowing a ton from western video games in an try to remain related, it’s good to see Expedition 33 go the opposite approach as a western recreation paying tribute to Japanese greats.
The penalties of ambition
Another space the place Expedition 33 attracts inspiration from Japanese-developed video games is in its presentation fashion. The UI is flashy, and assaults are all framed in cinematic digital camera angles, much like Persona 5. Generally, Expedition 33 is a beautiful, colourful recreation with character designs which might be equal components outlandish and lovable. In a 12 months already filled with video games with nice artwork course, like Avowed and South of Midnight, Expedition 33 nonetheless stands as one of many best-looking. It additionally options an incredible soundtrack that I’ll be including to my Spotify rotation as quickly because it’s obtainable publicly.
Unfortunately, the emphasis on fashion can typically harm the substance. In specific, some cinematic digital camera angles and overly intricate enemy animations make parrying fairly troublesome. It was all the time exhausting for me to nail the timing of a parry after I was dealing with a brand new enemy for the primary time, and the digital camera was pulled again far-off from the motion that was truly occurring.
Sandfall Interactive was not afraid to consistently strive new issues all through Expedition 33’s complete journey.
It’s in moments like that the place this younger workforce’s ambitions for this huge RPG, and Expedition 33 being a mid-budget recreation, come into play. For instance, the dearth of maps for explorable areas makes it simple to get misplaced, particularly in a number of the bigger, extra visually dense spots. Each new enemy is experimental and challenges earlier enemy designs, whereas the story consistently shifts to discover a brand new theme or concept.
Sandfall Interactive was not afraid to consistently strive new issues all through Expedition 33’s complete journey. That strategy creates some issues, but it surely’s additionally the sport’s largest energy. From presentation to gameplay to narrative, Expedition 33 is continually punching above its weight. It takes well-trodden RPG concepts cast by Japanese builders, however isn’t afraid to place its personal spin on these mechanics and their presentation to create one thing particular.
Sandfall Interactive
And narratively, Expedition 33 presents a narrative that feels related to our present time, even when it’s entrenched in a fantastical world of painters, lumina, and wacky creatures just like the dwelling, blimp-like airship Esquie. While taking part in Expedition 33 jogged my memory of all the problems plaguing our trendy world, it’s additionally inspiring. Just as this recreation picks up the torch left behind by traditional RPGs to forge a brand new path ahead for the style, I’m impressed to not really feel put down by all of the forces that appear to be conspiring in opposition to our technology.
Great artwork evokes, and a playthrough of Expedition 33 made me need to proceed and combat on.
Digital Trends reviewed Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 on PS5 with code supplied by the writer.