Summary
- Baldur’s Gate 3 Performance Director revealed that Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 features an easy difficulty option because of Maelle’s voice actor, Jennifer English.
- English requested an easy mode in the game, as she figured she wouldn’t be able to play on the standard difficulty.
- The game features Story Mode, Expedition Mode, and Expert Mode, depending on how much of a challenge players want.
One of Baldur’s Gate 3's Performance Directors revealed that Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 features an easy difficulty option thanks to Maelle’s voice actor, Jennifer English, who asked the development team to include it. Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 has taken the gaming community by storm, hooking RPG fans with an incredible, engaging combat system and narrative, and offering different difficulty settings to cater to the various play styles of gamers.
Players can choose between Story Mode, Expedition Mode, and Expert Mode depending on how much of a challenge they want from this turn-based role-playing game. For those looking for an even tougher experience, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 also offers high-level optional areas, where hardcore players can test their skills. While many players enjoy the rewarding feeling of overcoming a truly difficult challenge, others prefer a more accessible, simpler experience with easier boss fights that allow them to progress through the game—instead of being stuck for hours in the same area. Luckily for those players, developer Sandfall Interactive decided to include an easier mode in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, thanks to an actor’s request.
Other Games Can Learn From One Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Character Trait
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 makes its first impressions count, bridging its characters' personalities and circumstances with realism.
On their Twitch account, JenandAliona, Baldur’s Gate 3 Performance Director Aliona Baranova and Maelle’s voice actor Jennifer English revealed that Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 has an easy mode only because English asked for it. English explained she really wanted to play the game, but figured she would only be able to take on Clair Obscur: Expedition 33’s tough challenges if the game had an easy mode. She just asked for it, and the developer complied—adding that actor Ben Starr jokingly called it the “Jennifer English Memorial Mode.”
Clair Obscur Features Easy Mode Because Maelle’s Voice Actor Requested It
Baranova said, “That is the reason there’s an easy mode.” So, players who have enjoyed the game on this more forgiving difficulty have Jennifer English to thank. The Story Mode is designed for players who prefer to focus solely on Clair Obscur: Expedition 33’s profound story, instead of its combat. Players who set the game to Story Mode will encounter enemies that deal significantly less damage, and mechanics like dodging and parrying have longer reaction windows—making it ideal for newcomers or players who aren’t necessarily experienced with this kind of RPG.
The debate about a game’s difficulty always prevails in the gaming scene, between players who believe games should only have one difficulty as the “official” experience, and others who believe games should adapt to different play styles. Recently, the popular Lies of P announced it is adding difficulty options, marking a shift in what a “soulslike” is expected to be and fueling the debate once again. Nevertheless, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is one of 2025’s biggest surprises so far, and its many difficulty options make it accessible to a wider range of players.
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 92 /100 Critics Rec: 97%
- Released
- April 24, 2025
- ESRB
- Mature 17+ / Blood and Gore, Strong Language, Suggestive Themes, Violence
- Developer(s)
- Sandfall Interactive
- Publisher(s)
- Kepler Interactive
WHERE TO PLAY
- Engine
- Unreal Engine 5
- Genre(s)
- Turn-Based RPG, JRPG, Fantasy
