Clair Obscur Expedition 33 review: An original hit RPG

Forget elves and spaceships. An Engadget column appears to be turning heads for a turn-based RPG that is surely not the usual suspects.Clair Obscur: Expedition 33appears to have lit up the mold in several directions. Is it the intoxicating Belle Époque visuals-leading atmosphere graphics? Or maybe that delightfully dark premise-a godlike Paintress condemning mankind to a dwindling lifespan. Or perhaps it’s the cast, with supreme voice acting and animation, that tells a story that lingers in the mind. Even with today’s gaming industry being flooded with $60 titles, this game should be a breath of fresh air.

How tiring real-time RPGs have grown! Expedition 33 gives players a nice respite. Imagine a fractured Paris, reborn as Lumiere, trapped in an endless loop of destruction. An apocalyptic god, the Paintress, subjects them to this dreadful fate. Each year, remains of humanity send forth expeditions to “the Continent” in the desperate hope of breaking free. That is the story of Expedition 33. Except there is a big lie behind those numbers. They’re probably somewhere close to the 77th, with countdown already running back from 100.

Sandfall

Now, beyond the city gates, failure is not final. Every failed attempt against the Paintress-with justice said to be an ultimate-goal violation-have been developments into the world for those that followed. Those grapple points you see, almost touching cliff faces, are gifts of a long-lost team. Ever wondered how warriors wield powers of paint? They stand on the shoulders of researchers-who gave everything-understanding the strange influence of the Paintress. Sunken hulls tell the story of those desperate souls who dared the seas, hoping for a watery passage to the Paintress, a dream drowned in the attempt.

Even before moving away from Lumiere’s comforting sideways glare, a palpable sense of adventure arises within the player, fueled by whispers of untold lore. You are Gustave, at the apparent center of Expedition 33, when early in the trip, a somewhat motley set of companions is gathered. Some never wield a sword beside you, yet a distinctly unspoken allegiance knits Gustave to a majority. The launch party is a bittersweet symphony melding together strands of hope, resignation, and sorrow-and this is quite good because it sets a theme for a voyage that will soon be devoured by disaster.

Expedition 33 throws you right into the thick of tactical combat, with turn-based RPGs losing much of their lethargy; however, that is also another big selling point. You have to keep active in blocking and dodging to ensure survival. So what else changes the game? Apparently Free Aim lets you choose exactly where to hit enemies to disable their attacks or expose them to more damage, but remember that this precision comes at a major price in action points. A win-win situation: crush those QTEs when it matters most to boost your abilities into nail-bitingly intense sequences and shift the flow of battle with a blend of perfect timing and ice-cold reflexes.

Master the parry. Dodging works, butparryingis pure power. Nail the timing-tight as a drum, and you get extra action points flowing into your reserve; on a perfect parry, a devastating counter-attack is unleashed.

And it goes on: find the Pictos, mysterious trinkets of power, and improve the parry. Heal with every block. Generate yet more action points. Use counter-attacks to wipe out your enemies.

By the midgame, you are going to need that parry for dear life; therefore, hone those reflexes and brace for becoming a master at parry work.

Sandfall

Elemental attacks weren’t merely on the sidelines. Instead, they constitute the very DNA of combat, creating layers of strategy with status effects. At first, I was overwhelmed with each character having a whole arsenal of skills. Gustave’s Lightning-packed shot that would also Mark enemies for 50% extra damage felt like too much to process. But soon there was a gratifying dance of coordinating attacks where one character’s ability flowed into another, and the battlefield became a playground to unleash elemental fury.

But the magic doesn’t end at spells and skills! Every hero has fight mechanics as unique as their powers. Remember Gustave’s mighty electrified robotic arm, filled with raw voltage for some devastating strikes? And Lune, the alchemist, storing elemental energy like a painter storing colors to discharge her forceful, amplified spells? Then there’s Maelle-the dancer of death- waltzing between battle stances, trading defense for earth-shattering power!

An entry for Sielle, who brings the juxtaposition of light and shadow. She caresses the field of battle, tagging enemies with dualities that simmer beneath the surface. One can unleash the darkness down for brutal damage or weave a hurt-heal tapestry. And then, there’s Monoco, the simian sage, a whirlwind of wacky wisdom and pilfered power. This blue mage with a penchant for collecting monster feet (!) charms away the dead, using their skills for his own. But beware the Beastial Wheel! It spins after every hit, granting increased potency to several types of attacks. Put on your Caster disguise, and even regen spells will blare life into the party-a bit much at first, one might say. But if you can get a hold of these systems, you own the game.

Your saga goes on while various opponents keep coming to the assault with savage seven-hit combos, some of which do so much damage as to wipe your whole party out on each hit. Survival has now become this dance of desperation: engulfing attacks, parrying motions, and jumping to avoid attacks while sidelining on clinging to life and precious ability points. But beware, even this dance of defiance can wear your patience thin as the very late game drags its feet on.

And yet! The arena trembles. You’ve memorized every twitch of the tyrant, every sparkle of malicious glee from that elderly stand-offish visage, no, past thirty? Fossilized! Eight laser blasts shooting from his cane scorch the air, but you dance between them, a whirlwind of defiance. Then, the moment arrives. Your three strike in perfect unison to counter-attack: an elegant, synchronized assault that shatters his defenses and carves a deeply satisfying notch on his monstrous health bar. Victory feelsinevitable.

Urgh. I felt like an athlete an artist.

Sandfall

Goodbye random ambushes. Danger is sighted; danger is felt. The world of enemies is vast; lumbering enemies are set down wherever you want to strategize warnings. Wrong turns? Auto save doesn’t just take pity on you: three save slots encourage your strategic retreat. All the same, arrogance may be costly. Find cunning and prove the supreme apex predator right before your very eyes! You will meet at least two or three walls of challenge which are going to test your aptitude to the breaking point where you will either have to dissect the attack patterns of your foes or perish.

Expedition 33 might dangle enticing side paths, but for the most part, it keeps you on a leash. Don’t worry, adventurer! That humiliating defeat at the hands of that spear-wielding beast early on? Sweet revenge is waiting. Once the game opens up, they will teleport back to older zones, turning the tables and obliterating their former tormentor with extreme prejudice.

Forget taxis and trains; any passport to adventure is tied to an Esquie-the-majestic-critter-that-could-form-the-subject-for-a-storybook. A great, cuddly creature with elements of a friendly mascot and a mythological animal, this gentle giant can take you across this wicked, wicked world. The Esquie can swim across oceans, whack boulders, and fly through the skies. Ah, but there has to be a catch-these are classic RPGs, after all, isn’t it?

Esquie needs friends, specifically of the stony variety. Think of them as skill-enhancing buddies. He might have been born with wings, but the fellow won’t carry your weight until you take proper care to unite him again with his flight-bearing rocky buddy. It is gloriously absurd, and I quite stand for it. When destiny gets too heavy, the Gestrahl villages-a rather quirky species sharing this land-offer some much-needed levity under the looming interjection of death, dysfunctional families, and treacherous betrayals.

The Expedition 33 is a cast brimful of talent, competent of bringing heart-stopping drama to every scene. Imagine Charlie Cox bringing his Daredevil-era intensity into the role; Jennifer English, the enchanting voice of Shadowheart in Baldur’s Gate 3, working her magic; and Ben Starr, versed in matters of deep lore from Final Fantasy XVI, providing weight. And then, how could you forget Andy Serkis, in his own right an almost byword for magnetic performances, about to give new meaning to the word “compelling”? Strap in; this is going to be an emotional rollercoaster.

The ability to choose between French and English voice acting is more than a language option; it is a hidden charm bonus. Believe me-if you pair fighting French-speaking mime hordes with real French witticisms, it becomes everything. The game has the flair of quirky Francophilia all the way down to the laughably deflated Eiffel Tower. But the voice acting? That’s the cherry-on-top kind of beret-wearing.

Sandfall

Sandfall throws any semblance of cartography out of the window. At best, the world map appears after a mere tap of the D-pad. Then again, it is a cruel tease. Forget convenient overlays. Just squint for a while and enlarge it to astronomical levels if you have to, all to hear the land’s cryptic whispers.

Think about this: The absent mini-maps in all-important areas. Far from your typical sprawling open-world terrain, the broad avenue of off-the-rails exploration, granted, is but barely dangled enticingly in front of you for shiny-gear or beat-on-the-floor rewards. Without a map, you’ll soon get to know the ins and outs of every road ending and looping corridor. I still remember wasting way too much time wandering in endless loops, desperately searching for a path.

Thank goodness, because these environments are scenes of beauty that demand to be appreciated carefully. This game cry for the camera mode, and I want it yesterday! On the horizon looms the sinister Monolith, ticking away the years a hauntingly beautiful presence from cliff edges, quiet valleys, and forsaken train depots. Even the small campsite of the group-their sanctuary for saving, resting, and bonding-has chillingly picturesque views of the Paintress’ doomsday clock.

Beyond that feigned underwater escapade we merely hinted at, there unfolds a world rich in meticulously constructed realms. Dare you ascend this gravity-challenging monument? An odd collage of drifting junk and architectural bits, it is designed to lead you to a mini-game that apportions patience. So, brace yourself to climb from the cold wreckage of a Belle Époque ski emplacement, the place still tainted by absence of elemental forces. Your journey ends in a cracked city pierced in the daylight by radiant swords, a battleground en route to the Paintess, a gigantic sorrowful entity, crying beyond forever.

The early game pulls you in occurring through deliberate marching, with very few compelling detours. I confess that I have happily skipped many side quests, relying on a naive hope of backtracking with ease. A “Doctor Who”-type house, a nexus of uncountable doors strewn all over the Continent, was to beckon for convenient shortcuts. Yet, that remained no more than a mirage. The true form of freedom is given by being able to fly on wings by the wind late after Esquie’s stone is obtained, and until then, the gravity of the main quest anchors you down.

Higher up, the Esquie offers an assortment of micro-adventures: vibrant, spiritual islands drift in the skies, strategic puzzles get embedded within the realm of paintings, and intriguing artifacts add to the lore. There is still so much to do; the optional bosses and side quests don’t go silent in their calls, though a thorn piercing through the rose has emerged: dangerously challenging platforming. Charming characters though they remain, these characters were made for running, not leaps of faith. It is quite the tragic ballet: you misjudge a sprint and your parkour roll becomes an abyss-bound flailing spectacle.

The characters end up blindfolded in world-altering events with circumstances that would defy belief. Grief and sheer impossible odds weigh down each scene, yet our so-called heroes can’t figure out the obvious clues while sleepwalking toward their own demise. A frustratingly separated realm: the manufacturing of tragedy through willful ignorance.

Sandfall

Okay, I understand. Here’s the rewritten content:

I’m willing to cut the game some slack for its artsy, high-concept approach (after all, itisan RPG). But when new faces join your quest conveniently linked to shadowy figures set on killing you, the established crew ought to harbor a little bit of suspicion, shouldn’t it? You’d think somebody would be raising an eyebrow!

This team bleeds RPG. According to the director, he was “starving for turn-based RPGs,” and judging by the final product, he’s certainly had his fill. Although it takes cues from big titles in the genre such as Persona and Final Fantasy, the battles are reminiscent of a far older generation, standing somewhere between the feel of Super Mario RPG and Paper Mario. Winning battles is not just about strategizing but involves a certain degree of timely button pressing. It is an exhilarating frenzy, a dance-wither-with-your-enemy. Either you survive or are flattened down.

Not just simply ending, Expedition 33 explodes. The final hours are a relentless bombardment of exquisitely choreographed battles, breathtaking set pieces, and tantalizing exploration. And the payoff? It’s an encounter with one trulywantedvillain to face, instead of some generic mustache-twirling overlord we have had to endure a thousand times before.

However, in these last moments, the series Ramirez is subjected to cruel torment and unending battle; the villain who has hounded him all these hours, is finally defeated in quite an anticlimactic manner. Each of these scenes had been crafted to be so exquisite that it has become a joy to watch them. The ones resulting from investigations easy cannot help but awe with their cleverness and grace.

Expedition 33 is not just one RPG; it is an actual addiction. New Game+ mode has me stuck, bribed by the game’s charm. But beware, for the more time you invest, especially on harder difficulties, the turn-based combat ironically metamorphoses into a rhythm game-first type; a top frantic dance against damage-sponge bosses. Okay, die-hard purists may not like the view; however, this was a necessity in elevating an enemy. Asides from this, Expedition 33 is a breathtaking world-building tapestry. What mostly holds me hostage? Discovering the aftershocks of lost expeditions through the ghostly footprints of those who came before Gustave, Maelle, and Lune. It is worthy of so much.

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