Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 drops you into its melancholy world with a refreshing lack of context. While the game is undeniably a fantasy RPG (with a smattering of science fiction), it blessedly does not begin with scrolling text explaining its universe. It may be confusing at first, but the trade-off is a fantastic opening few hours that establish the stakes quickly, get you fighting right away, and immediately set up a compelling mystery. In a genre known for slow starts, Clair Obscur steps right over that cliche with conviction and style, and that confidence persists throughout the whole adventure. I was eager to see the expedition’s conclusion, but I did not want it to end.
In the world of Clair Obscur, the people of Lumière live under the oppressive thumb of the Paintress – a mysterious, gigantic creature seen in the far distance that draws a number on a mountainous pillar. That number dictates how many years people are allowed to live, and in an attempt to undo this, expeditions are sent to the mountain to figure out why this is happening and how to stop it. Despite sending expeditions for years, little, if any, tangible progress has been made. As the subtitle implies, the game follows Expedition 33 on their attempt.
The setup is compelling, and the execution is excellent. Following the team on their presumed suicide mission is often scary, frequently bizarre, heartbreaking, funny when you least expect it, abstract, and eventually rewarding. The cast is small and focused, and time is set aside to ensure you understand everyone’s motivation for joining the expedition, but without spending too much time on extraneous backstory. Their lives are all too short. Why spend too much time reflecting on the past when saving the futures of those back home is so important?
The overall pace is also excellent with plenty of room to pursue distractions, but if you just want to stick to the main path, that’s a viable option, and it moves along swimmingly. It makes comparable turn-based RPGs feel even more sluggish than they typically are.
Even if the story and its cast don’t pull you in (which I think is unlikely), the combat is a blast; I ran to every fight to see all the new enemies and learn their unique patterns. Much in the way the pace makes me reflect on the languid fighting speed of comparable RPGs, the combat similarly makes me wonder why I haven’t been having this much fun with other turn-based games. I was frustrated with the mechanics related to a mid-game narrative twist, but the effect on the story makes it worth dealing with some annoyance.
Surprisingly, the closest comparison is Nintendo’s Mario RPGs. Understanding weaknesses and making good choices is essential, but properly dodging and countering will make you feel like a god against all the godlike bosses you tackle. Countering, though challenging, is especially rewarding as explosive animations and sound design reward your perfect timing with huge damage numbers. Defeating powerful enemies offers the thrills of both using your suite of abilities with intelligence, and finally defeating that challenging song in a rhythm game. I was never fully comfortable, however, with how differently the characters in your party play. To keep everyone’s disparate mechanics in my head was a little confusing, but it does undeniably help the variety, so I can’t complain much.
The narrative and combat are highlights, but Clair Obscur is also successful in its art direction. An early location that feels like it is underwater sets a high standard for what to expect when simply looking around the world. Though the later environments never quite reach as high as that early bar, I was always excited to see what was next. Early on, however, I was often lost and walked around in circles when trying to make progress. More maps for more locations would have been helpful. Clair’s somber piano music and haunting vocals also help to set a very specific, sad tone that just feels right considering what the characters and the player are going through. But then multiple combat themes bring the energy back up at precisely the right moment.
What I may admire the most about Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is how firmly it embraces a familiar, if currently rare genre (big budget, artistically expressive, turn-based RPGs), but does so without falling into any of its traps. The adventure isn’t overlong, and you don’t spend more time than necessary fighting. The world, art, and narrative are unique, but it makes me nostalgic for a game I remember from the past. It’s as though developer Sandfall Interactive managed to make a classic RPG with only the good parts. I’m sad in a way to have concluded the journey, but the adventure to pursue the Paintress will linger with me for some time.
