Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Wears Its FF and Persona Influences on Its Sleeves

Sandfall Interactive's upcoming turn-based RPG, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, is making waves with its unique blend of classic and modern RPG elements. Following a successful demo, the game's director has shed light on its key inspirations.

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 – A Fusion of Turn-Based and Real-Time Gameplay

Inspired by the Belle Epoque and classic JRPGs, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 innovatively merges turn-based strategy with real-time action. Heavily influenced by the Final Fantasy and Persona series, the game aims to establish its own distinctive identity within the genre.

Following a positive reception at SGF, creative director Guillaume Broche discussed the game's design philosophy with Eurogamer. Broche, a self-proclaimed fan of turn-based combat, explained his desire to create a high-fidelity title in this style, citing Persona (Atlus) and Octopath Traveler (Square Enix) as stylish examples that shaped his vision. "If nobody wants to do it, I will do it," he stated, highlighting his personal drive behind the project.

In Expedition 33, players prevent the enigmatic Paintress from unleashing death once more. The game features unique environments, such as the gravity-defying Flying Waters, promising a captivating narrative and world.

Combat blends turn-based commands with real-time reactions. While players input actions in a turn-based system, they must also react quickly to enemy attacks. This dynamic system has drawn comparisons to Persona, Final Fantasy, and Sea of Stars.

Broche expressed surprise at the overwhelmingly positive response, stating, "It was very overwhelming... I wasn't expecting this community to be that excited actually."

While acknowledging Persona's influence, Broche clarified to PC Gamer that the Final Fantasy series (specifically FFVIII, IX, and X) had a more profound impact on the game's development. He emphasized that the game is not a direct imitation but rather a reflection of his personal experiences with these classics. "The game is more like what I grew up with... So I would say we take a lot of influence from them but not directly trying to pick things from them." He also noted Persona's influence on camera movement, menus, and dynamic elements, but stressed their commitment to a unique art style and overall design.

The open world of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 offers full character control, allowing players to switch party members and utilize traversal abilities to solve environmental puzzles. Broche expressed a desire for players to experiment with diverse character builds, even stating his hope that players would "break the game with crazy builds."

The development team's PlayStation blog post summarizes their ambition: "Our dream is to make a game that will profoundly touch players as much as the classics impacted our lives."

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is slated for release on PC, PS5, and Xbox in 2025.