At their first attempt, developers Sandfall have made an instant RPG classic in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. With its influences clear to see, the game blends classic RPG elements with modern a style and themes wrapped up in a mesmerising story. A grimdark story that pays homage to the great Japanese RPGs of the past, this is what happens when you embrace what you love whilst keeping things fresh and exciting. It is all about the execution in this original tale that has the gaming world talking.
First, the story. Just… wow. In Expedition 33, the world of Lumiere is both dark and beautiful. People live in a strange reality where a godlike being called The Paintress appears once a year to mark a tower in the distance with a number that represents the age of people that will now disappear in an Avengers: Infinity War like snap. Each year, there is an expedition made up of brave souls willing to risk their lives to get close to The Paintress and work out the mysteries of their world in order to save those who follow. The story starts start and gets you invested in this seemingly suicidal mission early on with a great introduction to the characters and world with nothing held back. This game is all about no wasted moments and that is a nice change of pace for an RPG, especially with its relatively short (compared to other RPGs) 30 odd hours for the main story.
The story is dark. Really dark at times. Grimdark fans will be in their element with each beat of the story. The themes of mortality and grief are handled with such beauty that it was difficult to play at times and the French artistry and stunning soundtrack added to that to create something wholly unique. It was interesting to see how characters behave differently in a world where death is so prevalent and close. The strength in the decisions made by some of the main and supporting cast allow for moments of reflection and create a story that is timeless and certainly one that stands out. There are moments of levity, with gestrals in particular providing some comic relief along with some fun mini games and the dark humour and loving lines delivered by the incredible cast including Charlie Cox (Daredevil: Born Again) Andy Serkis (Lord of the Rings, Andor) Ben Starr (Final Fantasy XVI) and Jennifer English (Baldur’s Gate III).
Expedition 33 is also a game that just plays really well. The turn-based combat is a throwback to old RPGs with a modern twist and you can build characters in different ways as you grow through the game to target different opponents that get steadily more difficult throughout. The gameplay is easy to pick up but challenging to master and there are some extra horrible bosses to take on even once you have finished the main story. It allows you moments to breathe and just enjoy the absolute beauty of the world that Sandfall have created and to take in some of the heavy moments in the story. Games like God of War, Final Fantasy XVI, and The Last of Us 1 & 2 have all excelled at telling stories about grief and the effects it can have on people and Expedition 33 joins that heavyweight list of classics and perhaps even stands above them all in terms of its amazing story.
I could write all day about Expedition 33. This is a modern classic climbing high onto the shoulders of Japanese RPGs and wrapped in a stunning cloak of French artistry. Its original, dark story is one of the best I have ever had the fortune to play and for fans of grimdark, this is the game of the year. Sandfall have painted a masterpiece that deserves all the accolades that will be coming its way. Simply stunning.
Buy Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
Aaron S. Jones is the author of Memories of Blood and Shadow, and The Broken Gods trilogy. He is Head of School at a school in Kent, UK and when he is not tearing his hair out at students struggling with their, they’re and there, he is tearing his hair out as he dies for the thousandth time on Elden Ring. You can find him on Twitter @HereticASjones where he is most likely procrastinating for hours at a time instead of focusing on his Orc murder mystery.
