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

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is a fascinating blend of influences, paying homage to JRPGs while introducing fresh elements. Dive in to discover the game's inspirations and get a glimpse of its first character trailer.

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Ramping Up Towards Its Release

Building the Heritage of JRPGs

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is an eagerly anticipated turn-based RPG that incorporates unique real-time mechanics, promising to enhance player immersion and interaction. At its heart, the game echoes the classic JRPGs, particularly the Final Fantasy series, due to its mechanics and thematic inspirations. During the 2025 Game Developers Conference, GamesRadar+ had the opportunity to speak with Expedition 33's Producer, François Meurisse, who shared insights into the game's inspirations.

Meurisse revealed that Final Fantasy 10 and earlier PlayStation titles like Final Fantasy 7, 8, and 9 significantly influenced Expedition 33. "These are monumental childhood games for Guillaume [Broche], our game director," he stated. "He envisioned capturing the essence that would have evolved in modern Final Fantasy games had they continued the turn-based tradition. But he also mixed in numerous other inspirations. Undoubtedly, Final Fantasy and JRPGs are the core gameplay heritage we embrace."

While the gameplay draws heavily from JRPGs, Meurisse stressed their desire to forge a unique game with distinct artistic influences. "In terms of art style, we didn't want to simply replicate Japanese games with manga or anime-like graphics," he explained. "We aimed to craft an art direction rooted in our own inspirations. That's how we arrived at the early 20th-century Belle Époque style, infused with art deco and high fantasy elements. We iterated multiple times to carve out our own unique aesthetic, which truly helped us stand out."

Other Inspirations

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

Additionally, the game integrates mechanics from deckbuilding games into its battle sequences. Meurisse elaborated, "For instance, the concept of using action points for skills in battles is more influenced by deckbuilding games than the traditional magic points or mana systems in RPGs."

First Character Trailer

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

The trailer shows Gustave wielding a sword and pistol as his primary combat weapons. In the overworld, he navigates and jumps across various points. Combat footage reveals Gustave dealing substantial damage to enemies with a variety of skills at his disposal. However, the developers have yet to confirm specific details about character roles and related mechanics in the game.

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