"Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Blends Sekiro, Belle Époque, and JRPG Styles"

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is an eagerly anticipated title that blends elements from various genres, notably paying homage to JRPGs. This upcoming turn-based RPG introduces unique real-time mechanics, aiming to offer players a deeper level of immersion and interaction. At the heart of the game lies a nod to classic JRPGs, particularly the Final Fantasy series, due to its thematic and mechanical inspirations. During the 2025 Game Developers Conference, GamesRadar+ had the opportunity to discuss with Expedition 33 Producer François Meurisse about the game's inspirations.

Meurisse highlighted that the game draws significant influence from Final Fantasy titles such as Final Fantasy 10 and the earlier PlayStation entries like Final Fantasy 7, 8, and 9. "Those are big childhood games for Guillaume [Broche], our game director," Meurisse shared. "He wanted to evoke the feeling he imagined would have persisted in modern Final Fantasy-like games, had they continued with turn-based mechanics. Yet, he also incorporated a variety of other inspirations. Final Fantasy and JRPGs are undoubtedly the cornerstone of our gameplay heritage."

While the gameplay is heavily inspired by JRPGs, Meurisse emphasized the team's desire to forge their own path, particularly in terms of art direction. "We didn't want to mimic Japanese games by adopting manga-like or anime-like graphics," he explained. "Instead, we sought to develop an art direction rooted in our own influences. This led us to the early 20th century Belle Époque style, infused with art deco elements and high fantasy. We went through several iterations to find our unique artistic voice, which ultimately helped us distinguish our game."

Beyond JRPGs, Expedition 33 also draws inspiration from souls-like games, with a particular nod to Sekiro for its defense mechanics. "The defense system is more inspired by Sekiro and From Software games," Meurisse noted. "It incorporates a rhythmic element and a more real-time component, making it more skill-based."

Additionally, the game integrates mechanics from deckbuilding games into its battle sequences. "For example, the concept 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," Meurisse elaborated.

First Character Trailer

As Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 gears up for its release, the game will introduce new characters weekly. On March 13, Expedition 33's official Twitter (X) account unveiled a trailer featuring Gustave, a resourceful and dedicated engineer from Lumière. Gustave appears poised to lead Expedition 33 in their quest to defeat the Paintress, ensuring she can never paint death again.

The trailer showcases Gustave wielding a sword and pistol as his primary combat tools. In the overworld, he is seen navigating and jumping between points. The combat sequences highlight Gustave's ability to deal significant damage to enemies, utilizing a variety of skills. However, the developers have yet to provide detailed information on character roles and related mechanics.

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is slated for release 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 dedicated article below!