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

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, an upcoming turn-based RPG from Sandfall Interactive, is generating significant excitement with its unique approach to the genre. Following a successful showcase, the game's director has offered further insights into its inspirations.

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33: A Fusion of Classic JRPGs, Final Fantasy, and Persona

A Blend of Turn-Based Strategy and Real-Time Action

Inspired by the Belle Époque era of France and classic JRPGs, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 innovatively blends turn-based mechanics with real-time elements. Heavily influenced by the iconic Final Fantasy and Persona series, the game aims to establish its own distinctive identity within the genre.

Following a well-received hands-off demo at SGF, creative director Guillaume Broche discussed the game's inspirations with Eurogamer. Expressing his passion for turn-based games, Broche explained his desire to create a high-fidelity title in this style. He cited Atlus' Persona and Square Enix's Octopath Traveler as stylish and nostalgic examples that shaped his vision, stating, "If nobody wants to do it, I will do it. That's how it started."

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33's turn-based combat incorporates real-time elements, centered around preventing the enigmatic Paintress from unleashing death once more. The game's environments, such as the gravity-defying Flying Waters, promise to be as unique as its narrative.

Combat demands quick reactions. Players issue commands in a turn-based system but must also react swiftly to enemy attacks. This approach draws comparisons to titles like Persona, Final Fantasy, and the critically acclaimed Sea of Stars.

Broche was surprised by the overwhelmingly positive reception. "It was very overwhelming," he commented. "I was expecting turn-based fans to say 'oh this looks cool', but 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, particularly the Final Fantasy VIII, IX, and X era, had a more profound impact. "I don’t hide my love for the Final Fantasy 8, 9, and 10 era. I think a lot of the core of the game definitely takes inspiration from that," he noted. However, he emphasized that it's not a direct imitation, but rather a reflection of his personal tastes cultivated through playing these classics.

"The game is more like what I grew up with, and kind of built my creative tastes on. So I would say we take a lot of influence from them but not directly trying to pick things from them." He added, "And on the Persona side, yeah, we definitely took a look at what they were doing in terms of the camera movements, and the menus, and how everything has been created dynamically, and trying to do something that really feels dynamic, but is also more like our own thing, in a way. Because, also, we have a very different art style. We just wanted to do it our own way."

In Clair Obscur: Expedition 33's open world, players have complete control over their characters, switching between party members seamlessly and utilizing unique traversal abilities to solve environmental puzzles. Broche expressed a desire for players to experiment with unconventional strategies, humorously stating to GamesRadar, "Our dream is to make a game that will profoundly touch players as much as the classics impacted our lives."

The development team, in a PlayStation Blog post, added, "And hey, even if we fail, we lay the trail for those who come after, right?"

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