Exciting Adventures Await: Discover Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 and Other Must-Play RPGs Coming in 2025!

In the 1990s, turn-based RPGs were unparalleled. From Pokémon to the blockbuster PlayStation Final Fantasy series, nothing was more thrilling than defeating pixelated monsters through dropdown menus. Then, the new millennium emerged. With the growth of computing capabilities and the rise of western-developed games, traditional Japanese RPGs gradually started to decline in popularity.

“What Final Fantasy achieved in the past – a more realistic, grounded perspective on the turn-based genre – is something that nobody is pursuing now. That’s exactly where we aspire to be,” explains Guillaume Broche, CEO of Sandfall Interactive and creative head of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. Referring to the 2007 Xbox 360 classic Lost Odyssey as the last genuine high-budget turn-based RPG, the former Ubisoft employee established a studio with the aim of advancing the genre.

The outcome is Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. The title may be a complicated tongue-twister, yet this ambitious French masterpiece draws inspiration from France’s 20th-century belle époque and surrealist artists. A beautifully rendered group of adventurers traverse a world that glimmers with a dreamlike ambiance, ranging from a Little Mermaid-like underwater realm to grand, gothic mansions.

It’s not only the environment and aesthetics that distinguish Expedition 33 from its contemporaries, but also its rapid, fluid combat system. “I’m somewhat jaded by turn-based RPGs since I have played an excessive number of them,” Broche admits. “So for players like myself, we aimed to ensure that the turn-based battles feel more engaging and unique, necessitating skill while presenting something novel.”

Every strike demands precise execution of a timely button-press. Evasions and blocks occur in real-time during enemy assaults, with successful blocks and escapes restoring HP and allowing counterattacks. Jumps are introduced midway through our demonstration, adding an additional layer of agility as each team member vaults away from oncoming strikes.

“The elements of the belle époque and art deco are truly evident throughout,” remarks Broche, “from the attire to the surroundings and the landscapes. We aimed to integrate that aesthetic as thoroughly as we could across every facet of the game.”

Although the developers are discreet regarding particular plot elements, the storyline revolves around an expedition crew facing a limited lifespan of one year. Each year, a mysterious artist paints a new number on a faraway tower, and every individual of that age mysteriously disintegrates into ashes. In search of answers, the group sets out to find and confront the painter, uncovering the lifeless remains of prior expeditions.

“The narrative’s tone, the writing, and the characters we’ve conceived are more somber than conventional JRPGs,” expresses Broche. “[Titles such as] Sea of Stars and Octopath Traveler can be regarded as affectionate tributes, echoing past times. We do not see ourselves as a tribute whatsoever. While we derive inspiration, in terms of artistic style, presentation, and gameplay, we adopt a different methodology.”

The impressive fidelity and dark atmosphere recall the previously mentioned Lost Odyssey, an extraordinary accomplishment for a game developed by merely 30 individuals. While the unclear cutscenes presented thus far have left me perplexed, there is an undeniable charm and vibrancy in this world. If you possess even a slight interest in the genre, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is certainly worth observing.