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

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is inspired by a variety of titles, particularly paying homage to JRPGs. Dive into the details to discover the game's inspirations and its first character trailer reveal.

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Ramping Up Towards Its Release

Building the Heritage of JRPGs

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is an eagerly anticipated turn-based RPG that introduces unique real-time mechanics, enhancing player immersion and interaction. At its heart, the game echoes the essence of classic JRPGs, with a particular nod to the Final Fantasy series due to its mechanics and thematic inspirations. During the 2025 Game Developers Conference, GamesRadar+ had the opportunity to discuss the game's influences with Expedition 33 Producer François Meurisse.

Meurisse highlighted that games like Final Fantasy 10, as well as earlier PlayStation titles such as Final Fantasy 7, 8, and 9, significantly influenced the development of Expedition 33. "Those are big childhood games for Guillaume [Broche], our game director," he explained. "He envisioned capturing the essence of what modern Final Fantasy-like games could have been if they had continued with turn-based systems. Yet, he also integrated a diverse range of inspirations. Final Fantasy and JRPGs are undeniably the core of our gameplay heritage."

While the gameplay heavily draws from JRPGs, Meurisse stressed the team's desire to carve out their own identity, particularly in the art style. "We didn't want to simply mimic Japanese games with manga-like or anime-like graphics," he said. "Instead, we sought to establish our own artistic direction, drawing from the early 20th century Belle Époque period and integrating art deco elements with high fantasy. We went through several iterations to find a unique visual style that distinguishes us."

Other Inspirations

Beyond JRPGs, Expedition 33 also incorporates elements from souls-like games, specifically taking cues from Sekiro's defense mechanics. Meurisse noted, "Our defense system borrows from Sekiro and From Software games, incorporating a rhythmic element and more real-time components, making it more skill-based."

Additionally, the game adopts mechanics from deckbuilding games in its battle sequences. "For instance, the concept of using action points for skills in battles is more influenced by deckbuilding games rather than traditional magic points or mana systems found in RPGs," Meurisse explained.

First Character Trailer

As the release date approaches, Expedition 33 is set to unveil its characters weekly. On March 13, the game's official Twitter (X) account released a trailer introducing Gustave, a 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 main combat weapons. In the overworld, he navigates the environment with agility, jumping from one point to another. The combat sequences reveal Gustave's ability to deal significant damage to enemies and his versatile skill set. However, specifics regarding character roles and associated game mechanics remain undisclosed by the developers.

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is scheduled for release on April 24, 2025, on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC. For the latest updates on the game, be sure to check out our article below!