Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 – the JRPG gateway drug
I’ve been taking my time with Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. I’m usually eager to finish a game as soon as I start it. I tend to get really excited about something, consume as much as I can of it, then leave for something shiny and new. That hasn’t been the case with this gem. I’ve been gradually playing the game since it’s release in late April and every time I get a moment away from my busy schedule to jump in, I still manage to find the same kind of excitement and joy I first felt when I started it.
To me, that’s how I know a game has truly connected with me—when it becomes less of a quick dopamine hit and more of a slow-burn relationship. This experience aligns perfectly with a personal goal of mine: to be more intentional and present in every aspect of my life. And the return on that time investment? Immense—because this game is insanely good.
Clair Obscur is what I would like to believe as the perfect gateway drug to the euphoric-like immersive world of JRPGs. It’s visual asethetic reminds me of something like Elden Ring or some other kind of medivel-esque AAA western RPG. This usually isn’t my style (I tend to not care about life-like graphics or Game of Thrones-y kinda stuff) but the game’s core shines past it’s grainy-dark exterior. It’s a JRPG at it’s core, there’s no debate about that.
Developed by French studio Sandfall Interactive, Clair Obscur borrows from iconic JRPGs and then levels up the formula. It has everything: a character-driven narrative, a full world map (!), turn-based combat, and a hundred other tiny details that would have any Final Fantasy or Chrono Trigger fan losing their mind.
It even addresses one of my biggest gripes with the genre—those painfully slow opening hours. Clair Obscur strikes a rare, razor-sharp balance between story and gameplay, never bogging you down with endless cutscenes. You actually get to play.
The game’s combat mechanics are what I like to believe are the perfect example of how Sandfall Interactive excels at modernizing the genre. While turn-based, players are given the option to dodge, parry, and jump to avoid enemy attacks in real time (think Super Mario / Paper Mario RPGs). I think this is what makes a modern day turn based game work, when it FEELS like you’re playing in real time.
Players also use character skills in battle by inputting quick time event button presses, a small but smart way to keep players engaged when attacking. I cannot overestimate how stimulating it feels to just land an attack with perfect timing for extra damage. I literally shoot out of my seat (this game is impossible for me not to play standing up).
More than just a great JRPG, Clair Obscur feels like a cultural moment. It’s part of a broader shift I’m seeing across art and entertainment—one that embraces the past but rebuilds it with bold new vision. It’s the kind of art that makes you go, “Wait, how has this never been done before?” That’s always a good sign.
Seeing a game developed by a team of around 30 people, by a AA studio making it’s FIRST piece of art, create something as expansive, detailed, and full of love has broken my brain in the best way. it’s like how I felt when Charli XCX popped off, seeing something I loved and held so close to my chest have it’s time in the sun. Since it’s release, the game has sold roughly around 3.3 million copies, has received immaculate reviews, and received a congratulations from the French President.
To see a game that has been made with so much passion and love for the JRPG genre succeed like this, leaves me hopeful for the future of the gaming industry (and for the culture as a whole), where profits are prioritized and creativity tends to take a backseat.
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is available now on Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5 and PC via Steam and Epic.
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