Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is Sekiro Meets Belle Époque Meets JRPG

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 draws inspiration from a variety of sources, notably paying homage to the rich heritage of JRPGs. Dive into this article to discover the game's influences 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 eagerly anticipated turn-based RPG that introduces unique real-time mechanics to enhance player immersion and interaction. At its heart, the game echoes the classic JRPGs, particularly drawing from the Final Fantasy series for its mechanics and thematic elements. During the 2025 Game Developers Conference, GamesRadar+ had the opportunity to speak with Expedition 33 Producer François Meurisse about the game's inspirations.

Meurisse shared that Final Fantasy 10 and earlier PlayStation titles such as Final Fantasy 7, 8, and 9 significantly influenced Expedition 33. "These are the big childhood games for Guillaume [Broche], our game director," he explained. "He wanted to capture the essence he imagined would persist in modern Final Fantasy games if they had continued with turn-based mechanics. But he also incorporated a variety of other influences. Final Fantasy and JRPGs are the primary gameplay heritage we've embraced."

While the gameplay heavily draws from JRPGs, Meurisse emphasized the team's desire to carve out their own identity, particularly in art style. "For the art style, we didn't want to simply replicate Japanese games with manga-like or anime-like graphics," he said. "Instead, we aimed for an art direction rooted in our own influences. This led us to adopt an early 20th-century Belle Époque style, mixed with art deco and high fantasy elements. We went through several iterations to find our unique artistic voice, which helped us distinguish our game."

Other Inspirations

Beyond JRPGs, Expedition 33 also incorporates elements from souls-like games, specifically Sekiro, for its defense mechanics. Meurisse noted, "The defense system is more inspired by Sekiro and From Software games. It introduces a rhythmic element and a more real-time component, making it more skill-based."

Additionally, the game adopts mechanics from deckbuilding games for its battle sequences. Meurisse explained, "For example, the concept of using action points for skills in battles is more influenced by deckbuilding games than the traditional magic points or mana systems found in RPGs."

First Character Trailer

As the release date approaches, Expedition 33 plans to introduce characters weekly. On March 13, the game's official Twitter (X) account unveiled a trailer featuring Gustave, the resourceful and dedicated engineer from Lumière. Gustave is poised to lead Expedition 33 in their mission to stop the Paintress from painting death once more.

The trailer showcases Gustave wielding a sword and pistol as his primary combat tools. In the overworld, he navigates and leaps across various terrains. Combat scenes highlight Gustave's ability to deal significant damage and utilize multiple skills. However, the developers have not yet confirmed specific details about character roles and related mechanics.

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is set to launch on April 24, 2025, for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC. Stay updated with the latest news on the game by clicking on our article below!