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 preview, the game's director has shed light on its key inspirations.

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

Set against the backdrop of Belle Epoque France, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 masterfully combines turn-based strategy with real-time action. Drawing heavily from the legacy of Final Fantasy and Persona, the game aims to establish its own distinctive identity within the genre.

Following a well-received demo at SGF, creative director Guillaume Broche discussed the game's design influences with Eurogamer. Broche's passion for turn-based combat fueled his desire to create a high-fidelity title in this style, citing Atlus' Persona and Square Enix's Octopath Traveler as stylish and nostalgic inspirations. He explained, "If nobody wants to do it, I will do it. That's how it started."

Expedition 33's narrative revolves around preventing the mysterious Paintress from unleashing death once more. The game boasts visually stunning environments, such as the gravity-defying Flying Waters, mirroring the uniqueness of its story.

Combat demands quick reflexes. While actions are input in a turn-based manner, players must react swiftly to enemy attacks to defend effectively. This system has drawn comparisons to titles like Persona, Final Fantasy, and Sea of Stars.

Broche was surprised by the overwhelmingly positive reception. He commented, "It was very overwhelming... I wasn't expecting this community to be that excited."

While acknowledging Persona's influence, Broche clarified to PC Gamer that the Final Fantasy series, specifically the FF VIII, IX, and X era, played a more significant role in shaping the game's development. He stated, "I don’t hide my love for the Final Fantasy 8, 9, and 10 era. The core of the game definitely takes inspiration from that." However, he emphasized that it's not a direct clone, but rather a reflection of his personal gaming history.

"The game is more like what I grew up with... So we take a lot of influence but not directly trying to pick things from them," Broche explained. Regarding Persona, he added, "We definitely took a look at their camera movements, menus... and tried to do something dynamic, but also our own thing... because we have a very different art style."

The open world of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 offers complete character control. Players can seamlessly switch between party members and utilize unique traversal abilities to solve environmental puzzles. Broche playfully told GamesRadar that he hopes players will "break the game with crazy builds."

The development team expressed their ambition on the PlayStation Blog: "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.