Summary
- Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 started as a steampunk game with zombies and aliens before being rebooted into its current form.
- The game's combat style is influenced by Final Fantasy and Persona, with recent updates focusing on balance and performance improvements.
- Devs hinted at potential DLC content if there is strong demand from fans after the successful launch in 2025.
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 narrative lead Jennifer Svedberg-Yen has revealed that the turn-based RPG once looked very different from the Belle Époque-styled epic that’s already become a contender for game of the year. From the near soulslike-level boss battles and rousing score to the emotive narrative at its core, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 has demanded the attention of the gaming community, and its popularity shows no sign of slowing down.
Gameplay revolves around the titular group of volunteers who embark on a futile mission to destroy the Paintress, and the game’s combat style is visually and strategically influenced by the likes of the Final Fantasy and Persona series. Sandfall Interactive recently deployed a new update for Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, featuring an ability nerf to improve balance, enhancements to Steam Deck performance, and several bug fixes, rendering gameplay a more seamless experience.
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Player Notices an Interesting Detail About Sciel
One player shares an interesting detail about the character Sciel in Sandfall Interactive's popular turn-based RPG, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33.
During an interview with The Gamer, Svedberg-Yen was asked how a game of this scope and scale, both visually and narratively, is conceptualized, and the lead confirmed the game’s style and story were once very different. "Gameplay would have been similar, but the story was completely different. It was set in a steampunk Victorian England with zombies, aliens, and various things," Svedberg-Yen revealed, and the team put six months' worth of work into this alternate version. Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 director Guillaume Broche previously revealed the first RPG he played, and the game is from a popular JRPG series that has certainly influenced the modern fantasy title, but after a discussion with investors, the director decided on a reboot.
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Lead Reveals Original Plans Included a Steampunk Style With Zombies and Aliens
"We spoke to some potential investors who said, 'You know, you can think bigger, don't hold yourself back just because you're worried about funding. If you could do what you wanted to do, what would you write?'" Svedberg-Yen continued, and that conversation led to Broche declaring a reboot, saying, "Alright, reboot. We're starting from scratch." This drastic change in direction later birthed the Expedition 33 gamers know and love now, and the inception of its narrative came from a painting that Broche held in high regard and a short story by Svedberg-Yen. Adding to the game’s former ties to zombies and aliens, some Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 fans have drawn similarities to a mind-bending Apple TV series, further proving the title captures several genres for a wider audience to enjoy.
Since the harrowing expedition fronted by Gustave, Maelle, and Lune has become one of the most successful and popular games of 2025 so far, the Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 co-founders addressed post-launch content recently. The devs previously noted that DLC material would be on the table so long as there was a strong demand for more content from the fans, and since that seems to be the case going forward, fingers crossed that there’s more in store.
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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
