The Most Important RPG of the Year? What You Need to Know About Clair Obscur: Expedition 33

Recently, the first hands-on impressions of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 surfaced online. This game, developed by the French studio Sandfall Interactive — founded by former Ubisoft employees — has been on many gamers' radar since its announcement. Judging by the trailers, it looks like a high-budget, well-crafted, and rather unique RPG. However, it's hard to grasp the game's core from the trailers alone, so we've prepared this article to explain what Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is all about.

At the heart of the story is the Paintress — a powerful entity whose motives the main characters seek to uncover. Every year, the Paintress paints a number, and everyone of that age perishes, turning to dust. Each year, the number decreases, claiming younger demographics. By the time the game begins, the countdown has reached 33, meaning that men and women of this age will soon cease to exist.

Desperate residents of the city of Lumière have established a tradition: they regularly send a group of volunteers across the ocean to the Paintress' domain, simply known as the Continent. It is a land of surreal landscapes and dangerous creatures. These explorers must find a way to stop the unexplained genocide. The catch? Only those with less than a year left to live participate in these expeditions.

So far, not a single expedition has succeeded, and few have ever returned from the Continent. In the game, players will discover notes left behind by past explorers — some of which date back to Expedition 84, highlighting how long the battle against the Paintress has been waged.

In Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, players control a group of characters, each with their own backstory and personality, united by a common goal: to find answers and survive the countdown.

So far, we know about three main characters — Gustave, Lune, and Maelle. They are among the few survivors of Expedition 33, which was almost entirely wiped out upon arrival on the Continent. The group was ambushed on the beach by a mysterious old man who single-handedly slaughtered nearly all the explorers.

The protagonists of Clair Obscur are mature, broken individuals whose viewpoints often clash. Naturally, these conflicts should add even more drama to an already tense story. For example, Gustave is so skeptical of the mission’s success that he contemplates ending his own life shortly after the beach tragedy, but Lune convinces him otherwise.

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 stands out not only for its original narrative concept but also for its captivating world — especially from a visual perspective.

Instead of opting for another medieval fantasy setting, the developers took inspiration from the Belle Époque, recreating European architecture and fashion from that era, then blending these grounded elements with bizarre surreal imagery.

For instance, some locations on the Continent appear to be underwater — seaweed grows everywhere, and bubbles float in the air. Meanwhile, at the heart of the Paintress' domain stands a massive bioluminescent tree, casting an unnatural glow over the surrounding lands.

Combat is a major focus in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. While players will explore the world map, discover points of interest like dungeons, and engage in dialogue, battles are frequent and unavoidable on almost every level.

Given this emphasis on combat, it's no surprise that the developers have put significant effort into refining the battle system. While formally turn-based, the combat is designed to feel fast-paced and adrenaline-pumping.

Some players dislike turn-based RPG combat for being too passive, but Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 ensures that players must stay actively engaged. For instance, when enemies attack, players must react in real-time — some strikes can be parried, while others must be dodged.

The toughest bosses demand lightning-fast reflexes to successfully counter entire attack sequences. Successfully parrying an attack not only deals additional damage but also restores action points for the player's characters.

Action points can also be regained by landing melee attacks, which are then used for ranged attacks and powerful spells. Interestingly, when using firearms, the game temporarily shifts into a third-person shooter perspective, allowing players to manually aim at their targets. This mechanic further enhances the dynamic feel of turn-based combat.

Each party member in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 has unique abilities that must be used in synergy with one another. For example, Lune wields elemental magic, while Maelle can switch between different stances, each unlocking specific combos. Maelle’s most effective stance activates when nearby enemies are set on fire — making Lune’s fire spells particularly useful.

As mentioned earlier, players traverse a world map, choosing which levels to visit next. This structure is familiar to those who have played classic JRPGs like the early Final Fantasy games or CRPGs such as the original Fallout series (or more modern titles like Wasteland 3).

The levels themselves follow a linear design but incorporate verticality. Players can rush straight to the final boss or take the time to explore hidden upper sections using a grappling hook. These detours often lead to valuable rewards, such as items called Picto, which provide significant character upgrades — like additional action points, fire-infused melee attacks, or stat boosts.

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The only remaining question is the game's RPG depth — it's still unclear how much choice players will have in dialogues and quest outcomes. However, in all other aspects, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 looks extremely promising. Its visual style, narrative premise, and dynamic turn-based combat are all intriguing.

We’ll find out just how good the final game is very soon — Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 launches on April 24 for PC and current-gen consoles. You can check out the system requirements here.

What do you think? Are you intrigued by the game? Share your thoughts in the comments!