Tag Archives: Obscur

I Was Deeply Invested in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33—Then It Betrayed Me at the Last Moment

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wEngaging with e-arts encompasses more than just passive observation. We have a role to play. Whether it’s music, painting, or film, the artist contributes, but our mental engagement is what completes the experience. This is particularly applicable in gaming, as you aren’t just passively staring at the Mona Lisa for hours on end.

Our relationship with art evolves. In my youth, I had a stronger appreciation for animation, while nowadays I find great value in jazz. My feelings towards the Mona Lisa can vary—sometimes I find it captivating, other times rather dull.

This dynamic perspective is what makes Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 so intriguing. The game explores our efforts to capture our artistic preferences, or at least that’s how I interpret it. The complexity of this sentiment mirrors my evolving relationship with the game itself. Initially, I was entranced by its beauty nearly three decades ago, illuminated as if by personal rays of sunshine as Glenn navigates through nature. (Rest in peace, Robert Redford.)

Visually and audibly, the characters are stunning, complemented by the best voice acting and soundscapes I’ve encountered. The plot initially eluded me; it vaguely centers around Logan who seems to be on the run. A mysterious force referred to as “the sedative” erases individuals from existence once they reach a certain age. Each year, the Hardy Band embarks on a journey to find and confront this entity, striving to prevent humanity from fading into oblivion.

The courageous adventurer of Clair Obscur attempts to escape the annual Gomage event that gradually erases its participants. Photo: Sandfall Interactive

Despite my confusion regarding the plot, I was enamored by its aesthetics and emotional resonance, and I realized that understanding the intricacies of your passions often takes time. Another aspect that turned my appreciation into obsession was the combat system, which is crucial for any turn-based RPG. Once I invested the effort to understand it, my connection deepened and the combat became exhilarating. It was so fulfilling that I embraced my clumsy attempts in the platforming segments, even when they were harshly punishing. That wasn’t my best decision.

But isn’t it true that we overlook the flaws of those we love?

I spent an excessive amount of time with Expedition 33. I’m a player who often bulldozes levels to simplify boss fights. Online sources say the game takes about 30 hours to complete, yet it took me over 50 to face the final boss. This was largely due to my choice to play on default difficulty instead of easy mode. The gameplay was so rewarding that I didn’t mind losing multiple battles; mastering the unique timing of each encounter felt like a genuine accomplishment, akin to mastering a soccer volley.

However, as time went on, my irritation grew. The absence of a level map left me uncertain about whether my current path was a quick detour or a futile expedition. My mood soured when the plot frustrated me with its lack of subtlety in dialogue that leaned toward the melodramatic (“Painting is about essence, not about truth” – please!). Yet, I had committed to this game, along with its ups and downs.

Then something happened that changed everything.

After finally conquering the sedative in an intense 30-minute boss battle, the game crashed.

The battle was thrilling; I didn’t mind failing – Photo: Sandfall Interactive

The game crashed. I was booted back to the title screen, which hasn’t happened to me with an Xbox game in ages. I searched online and found that many players faced this bug. As far as I know, there haven’t been any patches for the Xbox Series S despite the game being released back in April. From a relational perspective, my emotional investment in this game definitely took a hit. A game shouldn’t launch with a bug that can ruin the experience at such a critical moment.

I discovered that pausing immediately during the cutscene can work around the bug, but that results in missing the cutscene—especially important after defeating the ultimate boss.

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It only got worse.


After bypassing the cutscene, I realized the game was not finished. A plot twist revealed a new third act, adding complexity to the narrative.

I felt a sense of detachment as I tried to progress further. I grappled with my emotional investments in both this game and my other commitments.

What initially felt new and captivating had become tainted. Elements I once found exciting, like character relationships leading to enhanced abilities, now seemed cumbersome and pretentious. My trust had eroded. If I crash at the end again, would I truly endure a long and challenging boss fight?

I’m not saying I’m completely done with Expedition 33, but I believe I need some space before I can fully commit again.

Source: www.theguardian.com

Discover the Unique Experience of Baroque Breakout Hit Clair Obscur: Expedition 33

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MUCH reflects on the remarkable journey of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, a standout role-playing game crafted by a small team. (We recently hit 2 million sales.) This narrative is captivating amidst a landscape dominated by blockbuster flops, live service titles, and exorbitant budgets. The dedicated team has produced something lengthy, unique, and beautiful, priced at £40, leading to a win-win scenario for all involved. However, it’s not entirely accurate.

Sandfall Interactive, the French studio behind the game, comprises around 30 talented individuals. As noted by Rock Paper Shotgun, the credits list more contributors, from Korean animation teams to outsourced quality assurance testers, localization specialists, and performance artists who bring the game’s narrative and emotional depth to life.

When compared to the massive teams behind Final Fantasy titles (the clear inspiration for Sandfall), the comparatively small collective that developed Clair Obscur is noteworthy. What’s even more intriguing is that this small team has fashioned an exquisite French creation that resonates with us all. To the distress of my partner, I opted for the French voice acting with English subtitles to amplify my immersive experience.

Set in the Belle Époque-inspired realm of Clair Obscur, players encounter a foreboding entity known as Paintress Daubs, who has traversed ominous totem numbers annually, descending from a population of 100. (This game and Neva are the only titles in recent memory that have brought tears to my eyes. The beginning.) As the game counts down from 34 to 33, a courageous, slightly magical 30th expedition embarks towards a continent laden with sedatives, facing death in their quest to halt the cycle. The city is stunning, and everyone is dressed immaculately. Also, nothing seemingly poses a threat every few moments.

The most quintessentially French experience you’ve ever had… Claire’s Obscur: Expedition 33. Photo: Sandfall Interactive

Many expeditions have previously faced this fate. As you navigate, you encounter gruesome remnants of these journeys, alongside their recorded accounts left to assist future travelers. Beginning in a ravaged Paris, the distorted Eiffel Tower looms over a picturesque Dali-esque horizon. The game feels like a waltz through a renowned museum on the brink of being engulfed by a black hole. One notable area is a desolate sea, featuring the wreck of a previous expedition, entwined with the carcass of a leviathan, adorned with waves of seaweed fluttering in the absent currents. It’s breathtaking but perilous. You must swiftly master a complex battle system and survive the initial boss encounters.

Clair Obscur’s combat draws inspiration from both classic and contemporary Japanese RPGs. Dynamic and vibrant, you can charge fireballs and time your dodges against the flailing fists of stone automatons. Combining uniquely distinctive character skills is vital. One character wields a rapier, shifting stances with every strike, while another engages with an enigmatic system of Sun and Moon Tarot cards. If this all seems excessively luxurious, it is — and I relish it. The battle menu is a Tinker’s dream, allowing for the development of esoteric powers and skills to create captivating combo attacks.

What captivates me most about this game is its uniqueness; it doesn’t mimic any other title. While most games riff on a handful of predictable franchises: Star Wars, Lord of the Rings, Marvel, this game sources inspiration from an entirely different aesthetic and theme pool. It emerges as a Baroque fantasy, a tale encompassing existentialism, love, death, and heritage — articulated through a European narrative style with Japanese-inspired action and artistry. Although it plays differently, its peculiar characteristics evoke memories of last year’s outstanding title, Repantazio. (There seems to be a notable connection between intellectually ambitious RPGs and perplexing names.)

Clair Obscur further exemplifies the impressive capabilities of game development tools available today. If you’re curious how a small team achieved this high-end aesthetic, that constitutes a significant part of the explanation. It instills a sense of optimism regarding the future of mid-tier game development, nestled between blockbusters and indie projects. Many of the most intriguing titles emerged in the early 2000s and 2010s. Perhaps some larger publishers consider this approach to be overly French, but Sandfall has successfully produced it nonetheless. Expedition 33 serves not only as a noteworthy commercial triumph but also as a beacon of creativity in the gaming sphere.

What to play

Exciting, one-minute thrill…Fate: Dark Ages. Photo: Bethesda

The upcoming Doom game is generating buzz, with reviews indicating it’s a glorious heavy metal spectacle of violence. Whether you’re obliterating demons, impaling them with spikes, shredding them with chainsaw shields, or summoning massive hellish creatures from colossal robots, Destiny: Dark Ages boasts a vaguely medieval flair, with slower and more intimate combat relative to its predecessors in the franchise (as suggested by the title), yet remains exhilarating.

Available on: Xbox, PS5, PC
Estimated playtime: Over 20 hours

What to read

Chaos Machine…Grand Theft Auto VI. Photo: Rockstar Games

  • Grand Theft Auto VI has been delayed until May next year and remains a mystery in the 2025 release calendar. Kotaku indicates some serious rescheduling is occurring behind the scenes leading up to the summer announcement.

  • The prestigious National Play Museum of America has announced four new games among its Hall of Fame: Defender, GoldenEye 007, Quake, and arguably suitable for Tanaka. They overcame the candidacy of Angry Birds from Age of Empires.

  • Podcasts and video collectives have sprung up following last week’s industry media drama, with A Giant Bomb becoming independent and contributing to the growing stability of games media outlets supported by worker-owned initiatives.

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Question block

“Read the book, Roubaix”… Elizabeth from Bioshock Infinite. Photo: 2K Game

Leader Travis submitted this week’s question:

“I’m considering launching a book club-style video game group. Two questions: what should I name it, and which games would you recommend for discussion?”

This is a fantastic idea, reminding me of an attempt I made ages ago as an IGN podcast, though I can’t recall its name. Was it “press the push”? “Save Points”? LFG? For such groups, I lean towards shorter games (so everyone can participate). I’d be thrilled to discuss Neva for its environmental themes and parenting narratives or Life is Strange for its rich, intricate storytelling with supernatural elements, or even a variety of games like While I’m Waiting, which prompted profound thoughts. This would surely be more engaging than merely debating whether Assassin’s Creed is relevant.

I asked my partner for his video game book club name suggestion, and he offered “Text Adventure.” My other friend Tom suggested “Mountain of Shame.” What do you think, reader? Any ideas?

If you have a question for the block or feedback on the newsletter, feel free to hit reply or email us at butingbuttons@theguardian.com.

Source: www.theguardian.com

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 – An Enthusiastic Tribute to Japanese RPGs | Review

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wWe meet Gustave, the main character of Claire of Thru, who prepares to say goodbye to his ex-girlfriend, Sophie. Once a year, a giant godlike woman visible across the sea, the sedative is awakened, drawing numbers on a large monolith, and depicted in the peaceful town of Lumiere. This process, known as Gommage, has shortened lives for 67 years, and now it’s Sophie’s turn. Shortly after this heartbreaking goodbye, Gustave and his adopted sister Mael are ready to set sail as part of Expedition 33, defeating the pain and ending the terrifying cycle.

Although surprisingly beautiful, the continent you arrive at is not a friendly place. And the path to sedative is filled with surreal monsters called Nevrons. The characters have melee and long-range attacks, but most importantly, they have a wide variety of unique skills, including elemental magic attacks and powerful attacks with multiple hits that have the opportunity to faint. Each member of the team has a special way to deal more damage. Maelle, for example, uses a defensive, offensive, or offensive combat stance inspired by fencing, while Lune’s magic can be spent creating a so-called dirt and making other spells more powerful. Add to this long list of optional passive skills called Pictos and there are a wide range of ways to instantly enhance your character. The interaction with building action points, using skills, dealing damage and defending is truly interesting, and I’ve tried out a variety of tactics, even though it means a lot of time was spent on the menu.




A mystery shrouded in mystery…Clair’s unclear: Expedition 33. Photo: Sandfall Interactive

It may feel overwhelming, but each new skill is gradually introduced, with persistent tool tips in the Battle menu listing the effects and costs of each skill. However, since Battles uses the Parry and Dodge system, Clair Obscur’s fighting can be a very challenge. At least, the battle will soon end if it is inevitable. Successful Parry has a narrower response window than dodge, allowing the character to answer with a powerful counter. Even the normal enemies kept me on my toes with many attacks, but the power to shake the absolute screen of the successful counter felt deeply satisfied each time. I got acceptance continuously because it’s right – it can get boring if you don’t get a hit of dopamine from occasional success, or it’s frustrating if you’re constantly struggling. Also, enemies occur very often. This is intended to increase the difficulty of assumptions, but can also lengthen the attack.

Developer Sandfall Interactive is very open about taking inspiration from Japanese role-playing games. Combat is certainly a prominent example, but I have seen influence everywhere. The menu design is as persona-inspired as combat, but the enemies are as surreal as Bloodborne’s horrifying work. But when it comes to storytelling, Clair Obscur shares the tendency that many JRPGs can make things overly complicated.

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But the dialogue is well written and acted. Your party goes through incredibly bad times, but they will be open about it and try to support each other as much as they can. Optional conversations help you get to know everyone better. Some of Claire Obsul’s best writings can be found here. It is the main plot that ultimately gets things tired. Most often, Claire’s obscurity is the adult fantasy that Final Fantasy XVI tried to do. But it’s also a mystery, adding new questions and characters, for hours and hours until it’s all revealed in an absolute dump of late game information. The conversation, location and gameplay are repeated in the final third, and things feel like they are artificially extended.

Towards the end, Claire of Surre is always finding a saddest way out of just a few minutes ago, and he doesn’t want to force you through a long boss fight with operatic metal throughout the soundtrack. It also peaked with a very frustrating ending, making me question everything I spent hours. From combat to enemy design to music, everywhere else, they appreciated the epic talent of Claire of Thru, but too many tears, too many fights were ultimately made for a serious, fumble ending.

Clair Obscure: Expedition 33 will be released on April 24th. £44.99.

Source: www.theguardian.com

Exciting Game on the Horizon: Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 | RPG

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IIn the 1990s, turn-based RPGs were unstoppable. From Pokemon to the multi-million selling PlayStation Final Fantasy game, there's never been anything cooler than using drop-down menus to defeat blocky beasts. And then the new millennium arrived. As computing power blossomed and Western games became more popular, traditional Japanese RPGs slowly but surely became obsolete.

“What Final Fantasy used to do, which was make the turn-based genre more realistic and grounded, no one is doing that anymore. That's where we want to be,” said Guillaume Broche, CEO of Sandfall Interactive and creative director of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. Citing the 2007 Xbox 360 classic Lost Odyssey as the last true big-budget turn-based RPG, the former Ubisoft employee founded a studio with a mission to advance the genre.

The result is Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. Although the name is enigmatic, this ambitious French epic takes inspiration from France's 20th century Belle Époque and Surrealist painters. A lavishly staged adventurer's party traverses shimmering worlds in a dreamlike setting, from a Little Mermaid-esque underwater kingdom to a grand Gothic mansion.

What sets Expedition 33 apart from the pack is not just its setting and aesthetics, but its fast, fluid combat. “I played so many turn-based RPGs that I got a little burnt out,” shrugs Broche. “So we wanted to make turn-based combat feel more interactive and different, requiring skill and offering something fresh for players like me.”

Shimmering with a dreamlike quality…Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. Photo: Sandfall Interactive

Each attack requires a well-timed button press to be successful. Dodge and parry are performed in real time during enemy attacks, and if you successfully parry or dodge, your HP will be recovered and you will be able to counterattack. Jumping was introduced midway through the demo, adding more dynamism as each party member jumps out of the way of an attack.

“Aspects of Belle Époque and Art Deco are present throughout, from the costumes to the decor to the environment,” says Brochu. We wanted to push that aesthetic as deep as possible into every aspect of the game. ”

The developers are being tight-lipped about specific plot details, but the plot focuses on an expedition team with one year left to live. Every year, a mysterious painter paints a new figure on a distant tower, and people of that age disappear into ashes. Seeking answers, the group attempts to locate and kill the painter, and discovers the bodies of the previous explorers.

“The story we developed is darker in tone, writing, and characters than traditional JRPGs,” Broche says. “[Games such as] “Star Sea'' and “Octopus Traveler'' are so-called love letters that remind us of the past. We don't think of ourselves as a love letter at all. We're certainly inspired by it, but we're taking a different approach when it comes to art style, presentation, and gameplay. ”

The high fidelity and sombre tone are reminiscent of the aforementioned Lost Odyssey, an impressive feat for a game made by just 30 people. The opaque cutscenes we've been shown so far have left me scratching my head, but there's a flair and dynamism to this world that's hard to resist. If you have any interest in this genre, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is a must-see.

Source: www.theguardian.com