Originally unveiled during last year's Xbox Games Showcase. Sandfall Interactive brings us a release date and some more gameplay for Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 during today's Xbox Developer Direct.
The game looks absolutely beautiful.
Turn-Based Meets Real-Time Combat
From the first reveal, we saw how Expedition 33’s battles looked like a dance of commands and quick reactions. There’s turn-based strategy with a chance to dodge or parry in real time. One scenario the developers highlighted involved parrying at just the right moment to interrupt enemy attacks. They’ve also introduced a cast of heroes with unique skill trees and weapons, such as Lune, who collects “Stains” every time she casts a skill and can then use them to unleash stronger moves.
Pictos, Lumina, and Building Wild Combos
Before going into battle, you equip Pictos (gear modifiers). After four battles, these evolve into passive abilities called Lumina. The fun really starts when you stack Lumina to create overpowered builds. The developers joked that they can’t wait to see players “break the game” with inventive combos and I gotta say, I really love when developers hand you the tools and ask you to create chaos. Breaking games is a perfect reminder of all things good with Path of Exile, the namesake of Exilelike games, and how it makes players feel smart for defeating the game.
A Traveling Adventure Inspired by Art Deco
The entire setting is made to look different from typical sword-and-sorcery fantasies. Nicholas Maxson-Francombe, Art Director, pulled ideas from ceramic textures and a painterly style, giving each area a distinct glow. There’s also an explorable world map, which is something Guillaume Broche, CEO & Creative Director, insisted on from day one. It’s huge, packed with secrets, and brings back that feeling of going on a grand journey.
Deluxe Edition
The deluxe edition of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 includes a few digital goodies in addition to the base game.
- The “Flowers” Collection - Six outfits and hairstyles inspired by the Flowers of Lumière, along with six additional “Gommage” outfit variations. One for each playable character.
- “Clair” - A custom outfit for Maelle
- “Obscur” - A custom outfit for Gustave
Launch Day and What Comes Next
The release date is set for April 24, and it’ll be available right away on Game Pass, Steam, Xbox Series X|S, and PlayStation 5.
Sandfall Interactive mentioned a camping system and a mechanic where you challenge merchants to unlock better items, which we will get to hear about in the future. After seeing how much of a labor of love this game has been so far, it’s clear to me that anyone that is a fan of turn-based combat and deep customization might find exactly what they’re looking for in Expedition 33.
What are your thoughts on the game? Let me know in the comments below!
Comments
*excited squealing noises* I'm super fucking hyped for Clair Obscur! Should have no problem maintaining my hype for 3 months and a day - I could easily see Expedition 33 as my Game of the Year (and maybe the official one too?). And I can't believe this gorgeous game is only $50; that seems insane to me!
My only "problem" is how packed that one week in April appears to be: Mandragora on the 17th, Lunar Remastered Collection on the 18th, and now Clair Obscur on the 24th! I'm sure there are others I'm forgetting; watch Hollow Knight: Silksong drop that month too, because of course lol >_>