"Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Blends Sekiro, Belle Époque, and JRPG Elements"

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is inspired by different titles, particularly paying homage to JRPGs. Read on to learn more about the game's inspirations and its first character trailer reveal.

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Ramping Up Towards Its Release

Building the Heritage of JRPGs

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is an upcoming turn-based RPG that introduces unique real-time mechanics, promising to enhance player immersion and interaction. At its heart, the game echoes the spirit of classic JRPGs, drawing significant inspiration from the Final Fantasy series, particularly Final Fantasy 10 and earlier PlayStation titles like Final Fantasy 7, 8, and 9. During the 2025 Game Developers Conference, GamesRadar+ had the opportunity to speak with Expedition 33 Producer François Meurisse about the game's inspirations.

Meurisse shared that the Final Fantasy series played a crucial role in shaping Expedition 33. "Those are big childhood games for Guillaume [Broche], our game director," he explained. "He wanted to capture the essence that he imagined would have persisted in modern Final Fantasy-like games if they had continued with turn-based mechanics. But he also mixed in a lot of different inspirations. Definitely, Final Fantasy and JRPGs are the preeminent gameplay heritage we have."

While the gameplay is heavily influenced by JRPGs, Meurisse emphasized the team's desire to create a distinct game with its own artistic flair. "On the art style in particular, we didn't want to mimic Japanese games, creating more stylized manga-like or anime-like graphics," he said. "We wanted to develop an art direction based on our own influences. That's how we arrived at this early 20th-century Belle Époque inspiration, blending art deco elements with high fantasy. We went through several iterations to find our unique artistic identity, which really helped us stand out."

Other Inspirations

Beyond JRPGs, Expedition 33 also draws inspiration from souls-like games, specifically Sekiro, for its defense mechanics. Meurisse noted, "The defense system is more inspired by Sekiro and From Software games. It incorporates a rhythmic element and a more real-time component, making it more skill-based."

Additionally, the game incorporates mechanics from deckbuilding games into its battle sequences. Meurisse elaborated, "For example, the idea of using action points for skills in battles is more inspired by deckbuilding games than the traditional magic points or mana systems found in RPGs."

First Character Trailer

As the game approaches its release, Expedition 33 will introduce characters weekly. On March 13, the official Twitter (X) account of Expedition 33 released a trailer featuring Gustave, the resourceful and dedicated engineer from Lumière. Gustave appears poised to lead Expedition 33 in their mission to stop the Paintress from painting death again.

The trailer showcases Gustave wielding a sword and pistol as his primary combat weapons. In the overworld, he is seen navigating and jumping between points. Combat clips reveal Gustave dealing significant damage to enemies and utilizing a variety of skills. However, the developers have yet to confirm details regarding character roles and related mechanics in the game.

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is set to release on April 24, 2025, on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC. To stay updated with the latest information about the game, click on our article below!