Sandfall Interactive's founder and creative director, Guillaume Broche, recently shared fascinating insights into the development of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. Dive into the details to uncover the game's historical influences and groundbreaking gameplay innovations.
Real-world Influences and Gameplay Innovation
Inspiration Behind the Name and Narrative
On July 29, Guillaume Broche provided an in-depth look at the real-world influences that shaped **Clair Obscur: Expedition 33**'s title and narrative.The game's name, "Clair Obscur," is rooted in the artistic and cultural movement from seventeenth and eighteenth-century France. Broche explained, "It influenced the game's artistic direction and also refers to the overarching world of the game."
The second part, "Expedition 33," refers to the protagonist Gustave's mission to confront the Paintress, who erases people by painting numbers on a monolith. Broche noted, "Expedition 33 reflects the annual mission to destroy the Paintress," with the number 33 representing the age at which the Paintress's latest victim, the protagonist's partner, dies.
Broche also drew inspiration from La Horde du Contrevent, a fantasy novel about explorers, and other narratives like the anime/manga Attack on Titan, which he finds compelling due to their themes of venturing into the unknown despite great risks.
Innovating Classic Turn-based RPG
Broche emphasized the importance of graphics in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, stating, "There hasn’t really been any attempt at making a turn-based RPG with high-fidelity graphics for a good while. That left a deep hole in my gamer heart. We took it upon ourselves to make something to fill that void."
While previous games like Valkyria Chronicles and Project X Zone have explored real-time turn-based systems, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 pushes boundaries with its reactive turn-based battle system. Broche detailed, "You can take time during battles to establish your strategies, but during the enemy’s turn, you will have to react in real-time to dodge, jump, or parry enemies to trigger a powerful counterattack."
The inspiration for this innovative approach came from action games such as the Souls series, Devil May Cry, and NieR, which Broche admired for their rewarding gameplay mechanics, which the team sought to integrate into a turn-based framework.
Looking Forward
Broche's revelations about Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 offer a glimpse into the game's rich narrative and innovative gameplay. The combination of high-fidelity graphics and a reactive battle system promises to deliver a fresh take on the turn-based RPG genre, challenging players to strategize and react in real-time.
Set for release on PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC in 2025, Broche expressed excitement about the community's response: "We’re glad to see so many fans are excited for the world of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33! As our first title, we’re thrilled with the reception we’ve seen so far, and we can’t wait to show more in the lead-up to launch next year."
