Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is an exciting new game that draws inspiration from a diverse range of sources, including the rich heritage of JRPGs. In this article, we delve into the game's influences and showcase its first character trailer reveal.
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Ramping Up Towards Its Release
Building the Heritage of JRPGs
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is a highly anticipated turn-based RPG that introduces unique real-time mechanics, enhancing player immersion and interaction. The game echoes the spirit of classic JRPGs, particularly the Final Fantasy series, from which it draws significant inspiration. During the 2025 Game Developers Conference, GamesRadar+ had the opportunity to speak with Expedition 33 Producer François Meurisse about the game's roots.
Meurisse highlighted that the game's director, Guillaume Broche, drew heavily from his childhood favorites, including Final Fantasy 10 and the PlayStation-era classics like Final Fantasy 7, 8, and 9. "Those are big childhood games for Guillaume, our game director," Meurisse explained. "He wanted to capture the essence that he imagined would have remained in modern Final Fantasy-like games, if they had continued with turn-based mechanics. But he also mixed in a lot of different inspirations. Definitely, Final Fantasy and JRPGs are the preeminent gameplay heritage we have."
While the gameplay is inspired by JRPGs, Meurisse stressed the team's desire to craft a unique experience. "On the art style in particular, we didn't want to mimic Japanese games, making more stylized manga-like or anime-like graphics," he said. "We wanted to create an art direction based on our own influences. That's how we came to adopt the early 20th century Belle Époque inspiration, with art deco elements mixed with high fantasy. We went through several iterations to find our own uniqueness in the art, which really helped us establish our distinct identity."
Other Inspirations
In addition to JRPGs, Expedition 33 also takes cues from souls-like games, specifically Sekiro, for its defense mechanics. Meurisse noted, "The defense system is more inspired by Sekiro and From Software games. It incorporates a rhythmic element and a more real-time component, making it more skill-based."
The game also integrates mechanics from deckbuilding games into its battle sequences. Meurisse elaborated, "For example, the idea of using action points for skills in battles is more inspired by deckbuilding games than the traditional magic points or mana systems found 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 for Expedition 33 released 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 ever again.
The trailer showcases Gustave wielding a sword and pistol as his primary combat weapons. In the overworld, he is seen navigating and jumping across various points. Combat sequences reveal Gustave dealing significant damage to enemies with a variety of skills at his disposal. However, details about character roles and specific mechanics remain undisclosed by the developers.
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is set to launch on April 24, 2025, and will be available on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC. To stay updated with the latest news about the game, be sure to check out our article below!
