Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, an upcoming turn-based role-playing game by Sandfall Interactive, is already generating excitement with its unique approach to the genre. Following a successful presentation, the game's director has provided further insights into its influences.

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Draws Inspiration from FF, Persona, & Classic JRPGsCombines Turn-Based Mechanics and Real-Time Elements

Inspired by the Belle Epoque era of France and legendary JRPGs, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, an upcoming turn-based RPG by Sandfall Interactive, is already generating excitement with its unique blend of turn-based mechanics and real-time elements. The game draws heavily from the iconic Final Fantasy and Persona series and aims to establish its own identity within the genre.

Following a successful hands-off demo presentation during SGF, creative director Guillaume Broche shared more about the game's inspirations. In a conversation with Eurogamer, Broche expressed his passion for turn-based games, noting that it motivated him to create a turn-based RPG title featuring high-fidelity graphics. "I'm a very big fan of turn-based games and I was deeply missing something that had high-fidelity graphics," Broche explained, citing Atlus' Persona and Square Enix's Octopath Traveller as "stylish and nostalgic" influences that shaped the vision. "If nobody wants to do it, I will do it. That's how it started."

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is a turn-based RPG incorporating real-time elements, with a storyline centered on preventing the mysterious Paintress from painting death again. The game's environments, such as the gravity-defying Flying Waters, promise to be as distinctive as the game's narrative.

Combat in Expedition 33 demands real-time reactions. Players input action commands in a turn-based system, but must also react swiftly during enemy attacks to defend. This approach has drawn comparisons to prominent turn-based RPGs like the Persona series, Final Fantasy, and last year's Switch hit, Sea of Stars.

Broche was surprised by the positive reception the game has received. "It was very overwhelming," he remarked. "I anticipated turn-based enthusiasts would say 'oh this looks cool', but I didn't expect this community to be so enthusiastic."

While Persona is an influence, Broche clarified to PC Gamer that the Final Fantasy series, especially the Final Fantasy 8, 9, and 10 eras, had a more substantial impact on the game's development. "I don’t hide my affection for the Final Fantasy 8, 9, and 10 era. I think much of the game's core definitely draws inspiration from that," Broche noted. He stated that while the game draws from these classics, it is not a direct copy. Instead, the game reflects the preferences he developed playing these titles.

"The game is more like [what] I grew up with, and kind of shaped my creative preferences. So I would say we take significant influence from them but aren't directly trying to emulate them." He added, "And regarding Persona, yes, we definitely examined their approach to camera movements, menus, and how everything is created dynamically, aiming for something dynamic, yet uniquely ours. Because, also, we have a very different art style. We simply wanted to do it our own way."

Out in the open world of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, you have full control of the characters. Players can switch between party members instantly and even use unique traversal skills to solve environmental puzzles scattered throughout the game. Since Broch described Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 as an homage to classic turn-based games, he stated he actually wants players to "break the game with crazy builds and, like, absurd combinations," he jokingly told GamesRadar.

"Our dream is to make a game that will deeply affect players as much as the classics impacted our lives," the dev team wrote in a recent post on the PlayStation blog. "And hey, even if we fail, we pave the way for those who come after, right?"

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is set to launch on PC, PS5, and Xbox sometime in 2025.