Now Playing: Clair Obscur: Expedition 33

If you love video games like I do, then there’s one game I’d say you must play this year – Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. Because Expedition 33 is a masterpiece. Regardless of how you may feel about turn-based RPGs – and as I’ve said many times on this blog, I’m not typically a fan – Expedition 33 is simply too fantastic not to play.

From gameplay, to visuals, to animations, to audio, to soundtrack, to performances & VA. To plot, pacing & dialogue, to side content, to boss fights, to . . . well, everything – Expedition 33 smashes it all out of the park. If you love this medium, then Expedition 33 represents everything that’s great about it.

I must admit, I had my doubts. I’m always wary when I see a game receive such universal acclaim. But it’s true . . . all of it. Expedition 33 deserves every accolade and inevitable GOTY award it’s going to get. I feel like I should just end my review here and say: Go play it! Because what more can I say about Expedition 33 that hasn’t already been said? What praise can I lavish upon it that hasn’t already been . . . well, lavished?

I guess I could nitpick it a little because as fantastic as it is, it’s not entirely perfect. I do think the ending of Act 2 is a little muddled in terms of story presentation and a little exposition heavy. And I do wish the game had custom map markers – it’s a nightmare keeping track of where I’ve been, where I need to go, or where I want to return to in the future.

It would also be nice if each location or tracked quest had a recommended level range visible to the player. This would be incredibly useful during Act 3 because as great as the final boss fight was, I was also (unknowingly) over levelled, making it far too easy.

A recommended level range would also be helpful for tackling the post-game content. You get access to all areas of the map in Act 3, many of which are (sometimes misleadingly) marked as ‘DANGER!’ but that’s not very informative, so you’ll likely find yourself flying back and forth between locations, trying to figure out which one you’re supposed to tackle next.

I also think the UI for equipping Pictos and Lumina is a bit of a mess, especially when you want to equip the same set of Lumina to multiple characters. And . . . oh wait, that’s actually all my nitpicks!

Expedition 33 may be a love letter to classic turn-based RPGs, but it’s also a game that puts its own unique, stylish and modern spin on a classic formula. The turn-based combat is great. It’s familiar in the sense that it utilises tried and tested mechanics – elemental weaknesses, player/enemy buffs and debuffs – combined with a classic RPG stat system. But it also introduces ‘active’ elements in the form of quick-time attacks, jumps, dodges and parries.

This isn’t a turn-based combat system where you simply sit back and watch – you need to be actively engaged and ready to respond. Dodging an enemy attack means avoiding damage, and parrying every strike of an enemy combo means being able to hit back with your own counter-attack. It’s a simple and effective risk vs. reward system – dodging may be easier than parrying, but parrying means not only avoiding damage, but inflicting heavy damage in return.

What’s really impressive about Expedition 33 in terms of combat, however, is how every one of your party members has a unique style of play. They each have entirely unique skill trees and weapon types, and each of them can be specialised in different ways – to act as damage dealers, to exploit enemy weaknesses, or to support others. There’s no right or wrong way to play. You build your team and your characters in the way that you enjoy to play – and yes, you can re-spec and experiment with different builds quite easily.

But it’s not just the depth, variety or creative potential of the combat that makes it so great. Expedition 33 also pushes the presentation of its combat to an entirely new level with fantastic visuals, animations and music – and a very snappy UI.

It’s a very flexible system that – particularly in the post-game – can see you put together some truly ridiculous builds in terms of damage output. And you’ll probably need to if you’re going to tackle some of the incredibly tricky post-game bosses. Expedition 33 paces your character progression perfectly, just as it perfectly paces your journey through this world.

By deliberately restricting you from certain areas and pushing you onto a more linear path, it helps maintain the momentum the core story needs and deserves – and that’s a pacing mistake so many other RPGs make which Expedition 33 thankfully avoids. It never rushes you, it just gently prods you in the right direction, keeping you on track and reassuring you that you’ll get your chance to cut loose and explore later.

And there’s a lot to explore here. I finished up the main story with 50 hours clocked, but it took me another 20 to (mostly – I know I missed a few things) clean up the remaining post-game content. But the game never gets stale. Every location is just long enough – not so short that you’re disappointed, but not so long that you get tired of fighting the same enemy types. Because every location is unique with its own visual style, soundtrack and enemies. You’re always seeing, hearing or fighting something new in Expedition 33.

The world is fantastic to explore. There’s an . . . absurdity to it that I really wasn’t expecting but trust me, it makes complete sense by the end. For a game with such a sombre opening and depressing plot, you might not think there’d be much in the way of levity, but you’d be wrong. There are plenty of moments of fun to be found, as you and your party explore this strange and wonderful world.

Okay, so let’s talk story – or at least as much as I can without spoiling anything. Expedition 33 features one of the best stories you’ll experience in a video game – hell, in any medium as far as I’m concerned. But I’d also say it’s a story that’s elevated by being experienced in this medium because it can do something via the medium of video games that it otherwise could not – give the player a choice on how they want things to end.

The characters are superbly written, performed and acted. Strong characters can make even a weak story feel good. In the case of Expedition 33, strong characters make a strong story even more fantastic. There are so many details, nods, clues and pieces of information you’ll scrape together as you go – and you may figure some things out, but certainly not all of it.

Expedition 33 will keep you guessing, keep you engaged. You’ll quickly come to love and care about these characters. The ending – or rather endings – are brilliant. At its heart, Expedition 33 is a game about loss. About grief. About choosing to move on (or not). If you’ve not lost someone close to you it might not hit you in the same way, but it will hit you all the same.

And if you have, then . . . I lost someone very close to me earlier this year so it hit me hard. And in a way, playing Expedition 33 kind of helped me accept certain things I’d been resisting. It helped me . . . move a little closer to moving on, I guess you could say.

I won’t say any more about the story. It’s best experienced for yourself. But even if you’re someone who doesn’t care about a story or characters, then Expedition 33 still offers a fantastic experience in every other department. It’s great fun to play, to explore, to put together new builds and it will always find new ways to challenge, surprise or delight you.

Oh, and I can’t not mention the absolutely phenomenal soundtrack. The music – like the performances and the game as a whole – deserves recognition and awards. Expedition 33 is truly something special. Go play it. Now.

10/10