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

Discover the rich tapestry of inspirations behind Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, an exciting blend of JRPGs, souls-like games, and deckbuilding mechanics. Dive in to see the first character trailer and learn more about this eagerly anticipated game.

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Ramping Up Towards Its Release

Building the Heritage of JRPGs

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, a forthcoming turn-based RPG, introduces unique real-time mechanics to enhance player immersion and interaction. This game echoes the legacy of classic JRPGs, particularly the beloved Final Fantasy series. At the 2025 Game Developers Conference, François Meurisse, the producer of Expedition 33, shared insights into the game's inspirations.

Meurisse highlighted the influence of Final Fantasy 10 and earlier PlayStation titles like Final Fantasy 7, 8, and 9 on Expedition 33. "These were pivotal games for our game director, Guillaume Broche, during his childhood," Meurisse explained. "He envisioned capturing the essence of turn-based Final Fantasy games in a modern context. However, he also incorporated diverse inspirations to create something unique. JRPGs and Final Fantasy are undoubtedly the cornerstone of our gameplay heritage."

While the gameplay is deeply rooted in JRPGs, Meurisse stressed the team's desire to forge their own path with distinct artistic influences. "For the art style, we steered away from mimicking Japanese manga or anime graphics," he said. "Instead, we drew from the early 20th century Belle Époque era, integrating art deco elements with high fantasy. This approach allowed us to carve out our unique visual identity through several iterations."

Other Inspirations

Beyond JRPGs, Expedition 33 also takes cues from souls-like games, notably Sekiro, in its defense mechanics. "The defense system mirrors the rhythm and real-time elements of Sekiro and other From Software titles, emphasizing skill-based gameplay," Meurisse noted.

Additionally, the game integrates elements from deckbuilding games into its battle sequences. "We've adopted the concept of action points for skills, inspired by deckbuilding games, rather than traditional magic or mana systems found in RPGs," Meurisse added.

First Character Trailer

As anticipation builds for its release, Expedition 33 is set to unveil characters weekly. On March 13, the game's official Twitter (X) account released a trailer introducing Gustave, a resourceful and dedicated engineer from Lumière. Gustave appears poised to lead Expedition 33 in their mission to defeat the Paintress and prevent her from painting death again.

The trailer showcases Gustave wielding a sword and pistol as his primary combat weapons. In the overworld, he navigates and leaps between points with agility. Combat footage reveals Gustave delivering significant damage to enemies with a range of skills at his disposal. While the developers have yet to detail character roles and mechanics fully, Gustave's introduction promises exciting gameplay.

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is scheduled for release on April 24, 2025, on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC. Stay updated with the latest news by following our coverage below!