From the very first time we were introduced to Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 at last June’s Xbox Games Showcase, it was clear we were witnessing something special. And, every time this incredible-looking game’s debut developer, Sandfall Interactive, has dropped tantalizing glimpses of its debut game since then, hype levels among RPG enjoyers only continue to rise.

Which brings us to today’s Developer_Direct, where we traveled to Montpellier, France to meet the minds behind one of the most exciting new RPGs in years, and learn more than ever before. After establishing that this surprisingly small team of creators works out of a French manor(!), the development team peeled back even more layers of their finely crafted mille feuille of an RPG, revealing delicious details on the game’s emotional story, original world, how its gameplay innovates on classics of the genre. They also shared its April 24 release date; you can pre-order here and play it day one with Game Pass!

Recently I caught up with a couple members of the Expedition 33 team for a recording of the Official Xbox Podcast – airing soon – where they kindly shared even more details on what we’ve just seen.

From that first reveal, the depth of Expedition 33’s turn-based combat proved immediately arresting; the implementation of real-time elements (like dodging or parrying), the variety of moves at players’ disposal, and the stylish visual flourishes that accompany it all. As nice as it shows up on screen, the team wanted to ensure that the gameplay had the depth to back up its showstopping looks.

“We didn’t want the game to just be a pretty face”, Guillaume Broche, CEO & Creative Director, told us. “We wanted it to be like a game that feels like a real game. So every character has their own playstyle and you can really play them in a lot of different ways – but they also feel very different from each other, and they all have their unique mechanics and their unique skill tree. “

During Developer_Direct, Sandfall explained another aspect of Expedition 33’s deep customization of characters and playstyle, which you set up before you enter battle. The game’s innovative Pictos, modifiers tied to gear, evolve into passive abilities referred to as Lumina after four battles.

For example, one character, Lune has a mechanic whereby every time she casts a skill, she will generate a “Stain,” up to four at a time. She can then consume these Stains across the battle, amplifying her abilities in various ways; the (pardon the pun) magic is in finding the right combination for your playstyle. Each character boasts their own unique mechanic, from Gustave’s Overcharged arm to Sciel’s use of Sun and Moon-based “Foretell” charges.

“So what’s very cool is that, when you play through the game, you will change your equipment a lot and you will get more and more Lumina and at the end of the game you have a full list of passives that you can either activate or deactivate, and this allows some crazy build opportunities,” Broche explained. “This is where we really make some crazy combos, and this is where we expect players to really break the game – and we hope they break the game, because it’s made for that!”

For all the strategic options on offer, it’s the visceral, real-time elements of the turn-based battle system that leap front and center in every bit of gameplay we’ve seen. While this is a crucial part of gameplay, and will certainly appeal to those looking for an experience which challenges both mind and reflexes, Broche assures those of us lacking, shall we say, Sekiro-caliber timing will have options:

“So you’re not supposed to parry everything, of course, that would be far too hard. So we have difficulty options in the game, and depending on the difficulty options the parry window and dodge window will be bigger or smaller… if you are playing in Hard mode, and you don’t dodge at least 50% of the attacks, you will have some trouble. If you are in Normal, it’s a bit more [forgiving] than that, and if you are in Easy… if you build your characters correctly, at least, you will go by without having to be a master dodger.”

All this strategic depth comes to life through dynamic camerawork and the alien beauty of the world of Expedition 33, inspired by the Art Deco style of France’s Belle Epoque era. Art Director Nicholas Maxson-Francombe explains that he wanted to avoid replicating things he’s already experienced across a lifetime of playing games:

“I just wanted to get out of the stuff that we’ve just seen a million times, – science fiction, to space, or zombies, all that kind of stuff. I just wanted to get my head out of there and see what I can try to come up with that was original for me personally.

“Most of the research [I did was into] ceramic textures actually… there are some very original shapes that I saw. Those shapes really inspired me to come up with the enemies that we see today in the game. Also, it helps for the environments as well. It was a [painterly] vibe mixed with ceramics and going with crazy colors all over the place. It does help that there’s an amazing story behind it!”

These inspirations really come together on the navigable world map, another Developer_Direct reveal. This is, yet again, inspired by JRPGs of the past, modernized, and planned by Broche from the start.

“Since the day I started working on this project in Unreal engine, I wanted a world map,” he said. “I feel like it’s such a cool thing that has almost completely disappeared from the face of the gaming industry. Like, nobody does that anymore, and for me it was such a crucial and important part of what made the old-school JRPGs unique. It’s this sense of travelling and [indicating that] we are an expedition… and we wanted the player to feel like they’re going on a grand journey.”

This is when the size of Expedition 33’s world really comes into focus. Broche elaborates: “In the beginning, it seems extremely, extremely big. And it is very big. There are a lot of levels to find… hidden bosses to find also on this world map; there are tons of secrets. And that’s also what makes a world map super cool, because it’s just like it feels like a completely different exploration game… and really makes you understand how much you’re travelling.”

As much as we’ve seen, there’s still plenty more that Expedition 33 has waiting for us, including a camping system and a mechanic where you battle merchants to unlock more of their wares. It’s all very ambitious for a relatively small team – but once again, every time this team peels back a layer, we can’t help but be impressed with what they’re building. Expedition 33 might be standing on the shoulders of giants, but it’s beginning to look like it could become an RPG touchpoint all of its own.

That isn’t all we have for you on Clair Obscur: Expedition 33; in an upcoming episode of The Official Xbox Podcast, the team at Sandfall Interactive shares additional behind-the-scenes insights into the development of the game, including a new gameplay video. Pre-order today and look out for it on Xbox Wire, YouTube, and Official Xbox Podcast feeds next week!

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33

Kepler Interactive

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

$49.99

Pre-order

“Year by year, She erases us.” Once a year, the Paintress wakes and paints upon her monolith. Paints her cursed number. And everyone of that age turns to smoke and fades away. Year by year, that number ticks down and more of us are erased. Tomorrow she’ll wake and paint “33.” And tomorrow we depart on our final mission – Destroy the Paintress, so she can never paint death again. We are Expedition 33. Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is a ground-breaking turn-based RPG with unique real-time mechanics, making battles more immersive and addictive than ever. Explore a fantasy world inspired by Belle Époque France in which you battle devastating enemies. Reactive Turn-based Combat In this evolution of JRPGs, real-time actions enhance the heart of turn-based combat. Craft unique builds for your Expeditioners that fit your playstyle via gear, stats, skills, and character synergies. Open an active dimension in combat – dodge, parry, and counter in real time, chain combos by mastering attack rhythms, and target enemy weak points using a free aim system. “Tomorrow Comes” With only one year left to live, join Gustave, Maelle, and their fellow Expeditioners as they embark upon a desperate quest to break the Paintress’ cycle of death. Follow the trail of previous expeditions and discover their fate. Get to know the members of Expedition 33 as they learn to work together against impossible odds. A Hauntingly Beautiful World Explore an enchanting realm populated by surreal adversaries. Wander through breathtaking landscapes, from the Island of Visages to the Forgotten Battlefield, discovering secrets and hidden quests along the way. Find allies of fortune in creatures of legend. Recruit special companions to access new travel methods and discover secret areas in the World Map. Experience the debut game from Sandfall Interactive, fully realized in Unreal Engine 5 with stunning graphics and a heartbreaking soundtrack.