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0 Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is a narrative-driven JRPG by Sandfall Interactive, an indie development team from France. The game is a solo adventure with publishing by Kepler Interactive (Windblown, Pacific Drive). It is available now on Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, and PC via Steam or Epic. For this review I’m taking a look at the PC version.
Embark on an Expedition into a Vibrant, Deadly World
Oh hey look a game that isn’t a roguelite! There has seemingly been a lot of hype leading up to the release of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. I’m not sure if it was word of mouth or simply good advertising that caught my eye. But I’m taking the plunge into a genre nearly wholly unfamiliar to me, so bear with me. Honestly the most prominent recollection I have of playing anything even similar is of Pokémon. Anyhow, check out my initial impressions below.
Gameplay
The primary objective in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is clear – reach the Paintress to stop the cycle of death. Surviving the journey is the biggest challenge. When every expedition prior to yours has met with failure, it’s a hard sell that yours will achieve what others have not. Clues and notes left along the way may paint their own picture among the remnants of those who have fallen. The mysterious path forward is riddled with danger. Nevrons, enemies of different shapes, sizes, and abilities lie between home and the monolith.
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 falls into the JRPG category due to it’s turn-based combat style. The game also throws in some real-time/quick-time events for more engaging combat. With these you can parry, dodge, or jump from an attack. You can also press a button or series of buttons when using a skill to potentially enhance it’s power. Timing is key in both cases for the best outcome. I personally have been having a difficult time with timing out my parries. However, I also chose to first take on the game in Story mode, so I am fairy certain that the damage I’m taking from misses is minimal. I can’t say the game is less forgiving on a harder difficulty but one would assume. A more in-depth explanation of how the different stats work and why they have a letter rating would be nice as well.
Exploring the World of Lumière
Exploration is encouraged in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. You are free to explore not only the more in-depth zones (within the set boundaries) but also around the world map. The world map has your characters moving around like oversized pawns while between zones. This also means that you can encounter enemies and secrets on the world map as well. Exploring new areas sometimes also leads to docile Nevrons. These also have their own secrets to share if you can follow the clues to unlock them.
I am either just getting old or get turned around way too easy these days. Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is another of those games I get lost in. There is no mini-map to speak of (at least that I’ve seen thus far). There’s also little way at times for me to easily distinguish between where I came from and which direction I need to continue on in. The zones are truly beautiful to explore, but I don’t want to be lost in the same one forever!
Graphics & Audio
I’m playing Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 with default settings at native 4k resolution. The game is absolutely stunning in both visual quality and detail in the environment. For example the first screenshot in this review is from a zone called “Flowing Waters”. The amount of detail put into this area to make you feel like you’re in this pseudo-underwater setting is awe-inspiring. I wish more developers took such astounding grasp of Unreal Engine 5 as Sandfall Interactive has.
I’m not sure how much JRPG style games normally revolve around cutscenes, but Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 sure does. The game transitions remarkably well between the in-game engine and cutscenes. The only snag to this is when running into an area that triggers a cutscene. You kind of slow down as the camera narrows and there’s a brief odd limbo moment.
Music in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is as remarkable as the visuals. The amazing soundtrack composed by Lorien Testard is available to listen to on Spotify. I highly encourage you to listen yourself to understand its beauty.
Longevity
If you were to focus on the main story, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is estimated to take around 25 hours (per HowLongToBeat). For a completionist it is a bit over double that. However, the game also includes the more modern New Game+ feature. So really, you can spend as much time as you want with the game while continually increasing the power and equipment of the main character. I’m sure there’s a cap at some point, but by then you’d have gotten far beyond your money’s worth.
Final Thoughts
I find myself really enjoying Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. I’m looking forward to finishing the main story and seeing what a run through with a little more challenge is like. Despite being my first real game of this format and style, I found it to be fairly easy to pick up on for the most part.
With it’s breathtaking visuals, engaging combat, and unique narrative arc, I couldn’t see giving Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 anything less than the Thumb Culture Platinum Award.
Disclaimer: A code was received in order to write this review.
If you enjoy this review, be sure to check out my other reviews here.
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