The launch of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is now confirmed on April 24, 2025. This beautiful -looking RPG is coming to PS5, Xbox Series X | S and PC, with a release on day one for Xbox Game Pass.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B6YNYNCPTEZC
We visited the French studio Sandfall Interactive during the Xbox Developer_Direct showcase to get this latest view of their game. Although strictly speaking it is not a JRPG-because it is of course not Japanese-Clair Obscur has achieved inspiration from this subgenre and mixed with a Belle Epoque fantasy world from France to create the Turn-Based RPG experience.
In the game you follow a doomed expedition while they go out to prevent the Painttress from literally ending the lives of people of a certain age. The painter appeared next to a monolith 67 years ago and woke up every year to paint a new song that wastes everyone of that age. That is why an expedition is plotted every year to overcome the existential threat – while dealing with the loss and sorrow they have already had to deal with.
There is a crew of four people in the expedition. Gustave and Lune have deeply invested in the mission, although they constantly argue and bicker. Sciel has already had her darkest days, while Miel attaches the most to finding the meaning of her life.
There is also a rather strange -looking radical NPC called Monoco who will join your expedition, which has a monkey -like body and a flat rectangular face. Esquie is a playful, old character that can act as a horse to reach new areas.
They are connected by a 3D overworld card, a reference to classic JRPGs such as early final fantasy and tarragon quest games.
Clair Obscur will lean on the proven Turn-Based RPG fights, with a few invigorating turns in it, such as an active QTE element, both through your attacks and timed blocks and counters, and persona-like menus that get out of characters. If you are not good at timed blocks, you can rely on items and Karakbuilds to make ends meet.
There is a huge depth in the character build-up, in which they all have 20 active skills and lots of passive skills, so there will be real min-max possibilities with the playing style focus that you have chosen.
We saw the game back on Gamescom 2024 and described it in our preview as moving and picturesque.