Clair Obscur Expedition 33

[KSUowls]

Over 1 million copies sold (even while also being on Gamepass), and it's currently the highest user rated game ever on Metacritic with a 9.7. Both metrics really makes me happy because it refutes some pre-conceived notions that I see from other gamers as well as industry leads. Expedition 33 achieved these metrics despite being a classic "turn based RPG", having no existing fan base as it is an original IP made by a new development studio, little real marketing, and it achieved Triple-A quality with a near-indie price. Which reinforces my belief that a great game will always sell.

We're all prone to hyperbole when making a statement, but I really mean it when I say that this game is a masterpiece. It's my GOTY, and I could see the industry viewing it as such by a landslide.

I've played about 40 hours since it released on Thursday, which is a time sink that I have not devoted to a single game in years (not even Baldurs Gate 3 which I continuously rave about). From a review perspective, I always view games through the lense of what does it do really well. Expedition 33 passes with flying colors across the board there. I have to nitpick just to find things which are not stellar.

Even after all this time, I still absolutely love the combat. It takes ideas that I have seen in multiple other RPG games over the years, blends them all together seamlessly, and then it adds some unique quick time elements that creates this perfect blend of strategy and engagement. I still love it all, even the most basic fights, after dozens of hours.

The story is really well done. The prologue is so impactful, there are a lot of videos of people reacting to the first 30 minutes of gameplay, and it never slows down. I do think that they could have done more to explore the characters and the world, but not because the story is lacking. It's just so intriguing that I wanted more. It's clear that the writers were not just trying to deliver something generic X saves the world story. They take risks, and those risks pay off.

I saw this as a passing comment somewhere, and I think that it really applies. As someone who grew up loving the JRPG formula of the 90s and 2000s, Expedition 33 takes all of the things that I love about the genre while streamlining all of the things that weren't always as enjoyable. As an example, if you have ever interacted with Final Fantasy 7's Materia system, you know that Materia can level up with AP points that are awarded at the end of each battle. It's quite the grind to actually "master" each Materia though, which limits how much fun you can have with it unless you really focus on grinding out AP. Expeditions 33 has a somewhat similar system, that you can get full use out of in a fraction of the time.

The music is superbly melancholy. It doesn't deliver on the same scale of like a Nobuo Uematsu, but it is still really good and fits the narrative.

Graphically it looks like a Triple-A game. If you wanted to be really nitpicky, then you could point out the lack of environmental physics, but the characters and environments all look great.

I've mentioned the voice acting in this game a few times because it's both excellent, and it helps to humanize the story when you are getting these expressive actors.

[LowerWolf]

As a novice RPG player, I really probably should take some time to learn the actual capabilities. For example, I'm pretty sure I'm not quite using Lune's stains correctly.

[KSUowls]

Quote: Originally Posted by LowerWolf

As a novice RPG player, I really probably should take some time to learn the actual capabilities. For example, I'm pretty sure I'm not quite using Lune's stains correctly.

Each of her skills has a little colored icon in the top right, next to where it says how many action points the skill requires. It may have 1, 2, or 3 different icons. Those represent the different stains that the skill will produce in using that skill. The stains will then go into the little wheel off to the side (up to 4).

Stains can be used to buff other abilities. For instance, her Ice ability that she starts with generates an Ice stain (the little blue icon in the top right of the skill). So you cast that and you'll see an Ice stain get generated on her Stains wheel. Her other starting skill "Immolation" is a fire skill, generating a fire stain. However, if you have any ice stains built up then it will use one of those to add extra damage to Immolation.

Taking advantage of this system early on can be difficult because you just don't have a lot of options for creating stains. Later on you unlock the ability to generate stains through your free-aim ability, which really unleashes her full power.

Separate pro-tip. If you get to a point early in the story that requires you to select an individual character to fight with. Pick Maelle. You'll thank me later.

[pietasterp]

I had not heard about this game until today, and the name kinda put me off (weird I know). But seeing the footage and the video reviews, the game looks amazing. I really only like turn-based RPG's (I'm old), so this might be right up my alley. Too much in the backlog for the time being, but I'll put it on my list. Maybe I'll get to it in 2035 LOL.

[LowerWolf]

I still suck at the timing events, but I parried a jump attack tonight. That was pretty cool.

Also tried what I think is a side quest and got my butt handed to me. Not so cool. But still fun.

[ChaseB]

Quote: Originally Posted by pietasterp

I had not heard about this game until today, and the name kinda put me off (weird I know). But seeing the footage and the video reviews, the game looks amazing. I really only like turn-based RPG's (I'm old), so this might be right up my alley. Too much in the backlog for the time being, but I'll put it on my list. Maybe I'll get to it in 2035 LOL.

It's undoubtedly one of the worst names of all-time and further proof that sometimes people who make RPGs seem to not to want other people to play their games with the way they title them haha.

[Fake Empire]

Quote: Originally Posted by ChaseB

It's undoubtedly one of the worst names of all-time and further proof that sometimes people who make RPGs seem to not to want other people to play their games with the way they title them haha.

The title of the game is one of the reasons for someone in Europe to buy it right away especially at ages 40+yrs old. As an American you're probably not familiar with the Clair Obscur band and the game sets the dark tone by default by using this name.
That said, the name of the game is absolutely sublime and a major selling point for many of us in Europe.

[pietasterp]

Quote: Originally Posted by Fake Empire

The title of the game is one of the reasons for someone in Europe to buy it right away especially at ages 40+yrs old. As an American you're probably not familiar with the Clair Obscur band and the game sets the dark tone by default by using this name. That said, the name of the game is absolutely sublime and a major selling point for many of us in Europe.

Huh. Interesting tidbit there. So it's kinda the equivalent of naming a US-based game "Metallica Adventure" or "Guns & Roses Warriors", or something like that?

Being US-based, the name looked to me like some obscure Japanese anime thing and I was totally uninterested in learning any more until I read this thread.