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It has been around four or five years since I ragequit my first and favourite turn-based RPG Persona 5 Royal (not my proudest moment), and with a bruised ego I avoided turn-based games ever since. However, after seeing Sandfall Interactive’s debut game Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, a blend of beautiful scenery, challenging gameplay and a soundtrack to die for, I had no choice but to let bygones be bygones and embark on an expedition into this Belle Époque world.
Turn-based games aren’t for everyone, that’s for sure, I haven’t been a fan of them myself because they seemed slow and unable to hold my attention, however Clair Obscur will have no problems keeping you glued to your screen, murmuring to yourself “just a little bit longer, just one more enemy, just until I reach the next checkpoint.” Curiosity didn’t kill the cat, but it perhaps made it stay up until 3 AM on a workday searching for answers.
Story
Your journey begins in Lumière, an isolated French town which embodies the era it is set in. It is beautiful, vibrant, but also filled with melancholy, sadness and inevitable misery, as if everyone is just waiting for their end to come. And it will come, the moment the Paintress, a mysterious entity, paints their number on the monolith in the distance.
Each year, it counts down by one, which starts a ritual called Gommage, where everyone of that age will just disappear. For 67 years, the settlers of Lumière have been going on Expeditions in order to stop this, and failing every time. Which sounds bad, but remember, it can always get worse. This year, the number goes down to 33, which means that Sophie, the main protagonist Gustave's beloved, will disappear.
After losing Sophie, and with only one year left to live, he embarks on the Expedition to put an end to the Paintress’ reign. Shortly after setting sail, Gustave and his companions, Lune, a scholar and sorcerer, Sciel, a warrior, and Maelle, his foster sister, get ambushed by Renoir (fun fact: voiced by Andy Serkis), a mysterious and shadowy figure who adds yet another layer of mystery into account.
Who is he? Why did he attack them? How is he even alive? That encounter, as well as the continent itself, does seem a bit bleak, but not everyone is out there to get you. During your journey, you will meet characters who are there to help Gustave and the gang, obviously with some strings attached, such as Esquie, who helps you if you find his rock. Yes, a rock.
After that confusing and unexpected encounter, you are thrown into an even more confusing world. Even though the previous expeditioners have left their mark and some clues, there is still so much left for the player to discover. Every single part of the world you go through gives you a new piece of the puzzle, every log from the previous expeditions gives you an insight into their experience and every new character you meet, be it a boss, a new member of the crew or a Gestral who might be a merchant or just eager to fight you, gives you a little glimpse into the inhabitants of this intricate world.
Gameplay
Clair Obscur is a turn-based RPG with some soulslike elements such as dodging and parrying but unlike other soulslikes, you are allowed to set the difficulty, which is accommodating for everyone whether you enjoy a challenge or just want to experience the story. As a true RPG, throughout the game you will develop your characters with new skills, abilities, as well as use “Pictos” and “Luminas” to customise both the party members and your playstyle.
The combat is a bit different because of the parry and dodge elements, which, alongside the few QTEs you have add an interesting twist and might silence those who believe that turn-based combat is basically just waiting for your turn and pressing buttons (I was one of those, but I repented). It’s flashy, it’s snappy, and when doing everything right feels extremely rewarding, especially the parrying mechanic.
Every encounter offers something new, with one or two different enemies, each of them having their own weaknesses and strengths. The same applies to the characters, switching up between different party members as well as different abilities and weapons guarantees diversity in playstyle.
There are obviously a few cons; not everything is perfect. The combat system might be overwhelming at the start, deciding which skill to use when, which party member does what, and whether to go with parrying or simply dodging. Some characters are easy to pick up, such as Gustave or Lune, but later on when you encounter Sciel, just reading her abilities once isn’t enough. Lastly, and this might just be a pet peeve of mine, but I have to mention the fact that the voice acting, although done very well by names such as Charlie Cox, Andy Serkis and Jennifer English, most of the time is not synced with the animations.
Graphics, sounds and performance
I read a comment on Reddit by someone saying, “Why is everyone in this game so beautiful?”, and that is just spot on. Right from the start, you’re met with a beautiful world which makes playing this game on high-end PCs or current-gen consoles a whole new experience. The world is rich with details in both the environments and the characters, which is to be expected from the time period it is set in.
Every new section of the game brings a new musical track, which deepens the experience and gives a glimpse into what you might expect to find in that part of the world, whimsical, such as the Gestral Village or perhaps a bit more sinister like the Lantern Halls. As a longtime fan of French gaming soundtracks (Plague Tale main themes will never leave my playlist), the soundtrack of Clair Obscur blew me away.
Throughout my journey on the continent, I haven’t noticed many performance issues, if any at all. Playing on the PlayStation 5, you have the option to decide between quality of visuals and performance; however even with quality, besides a few weird texture glitches in one or two cutscenes and weird low brightness during one bossfight, there were no other issues for me performance wise. Current-gen consoles as well as higher-end PCs should not have any issues, but older hardware might experience some.
Conclusion
All in all, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is a stunning turn-based RPG which brings together a beautifully crafted world, an intriguing narrative and snappy combat. Compelling characters and a mysterious storyline will send you on your own expedition, in search of answers to all the questions the game throws your way. It might be a bit overwhelming at the start, but persisting will pay off in the long run. Whether you’re a fan of RPGs, turn-based games or you simply enjoy a beautiful world accompanied by a soundtrack that amplifies every scene, this game is a must-add to your list.
The Good
Stunning visuals, art design and music- Compelling narrative
- Snappy combat
- Strong RPG elements
The Bad
Occasional technical issues- Initial confusion and a sense of being overwhelmed
