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

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is an exciting upcoming title that blends the essence of JRPGs with unique gameplay elements, drawing inspiration from a variety of sources. Dive in to discover the influences behind this game and get a glimpse of its first character trailer.

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Ramping Up Towards Its Release

Building the Heritage of JRPGs

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is an innovative turn-based RPG that incorporates real-time mechanics to enhance player immersion and interaction. The game pays homage to classic JRPGs, especially the Final Fantasy series, which has significantly influenced its development. At the 2025 Game Developers Conference, GamesRadar+ had the opportunity to speak with Expedition 33's Producer, François Meurisse, about the game's inspirations.

Meurisse highlighted that games like Final Fantasy 10, as well as earlier titles such as Final Fantasy 7, 8, and 9, have played a crucial role in shaping Expedition 33. "Those are big childhood games for Guillaume [Broche], our game director," he shared. "He wanted to capture the essence that would have persisted in modern Final Fantasy-like games if they had continued with turn-based systems. But he also mixed in a variety of other inspirations. Final Fantasy and JRPGs are the foundational gameplay heritage for us."

While the gameplay draws heavily from JRPGs, Meurisse stressed the team's desire to craft a unique game with its own artistic identity. "In terms of art style, we didn't want to simply replicate Japanese games with manga-like or anime-like graphics," he explained. "We aimed to develop an art direction inspired by our own influences. That's how we arrived at the early 20th-century Belle Époque theme with art deco elements blended with high fantasy. We went through several iterations to find our unique artistic voice, which really helped us distinguish ourselves."

Other Inspirations

Beyond JRPGs, Expedition 33 also takes cues from souls-like games, particularly Sekiro, in its defense mechanics. "The defense system is more inspired by Sekiro and From Software games," Meurisse noted. "It introduces a rhythm element and a real-time component, making it more skill-based."

Additionally, the game integrates mechanics from deckbuilding games into its battle sequences. Meurisse elaborated, "For instance, the concept of using action points for skills in battles is more inspired by deckbuilding games than traditional magic points or mana systems in RPGs."

First Character Trailer

As Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 approaches its release, the developers are set to introduce new characters weekly. On March 13, Expedition 33's official Twitter (X) account unveiled the first character trailer, introducing Gustave, the resourceful and dedicated engineer from Lumière. Gustave is poised to lead Expedition 33 on a mission to stop the Paintress from painting death once more.

The trailer showcases Gustave wielding a sword and pistol as his primary combat weapons. In the overworld, he can be seen navigating and jumping between points. The combat sequences reveal Gustave inflicting significant damage on enemies and 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 scheduled for release on April 24, 2025, on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC. Stay tuned to our article below for the latest updates on the game!