"Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Blends Sekiro, Belle Époque, and JRPG Styles"

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is inspired by different titles, particularly paying homage to JRPGs. Read on to learn more about where the game draws its inspiration and its first character trailer reveal.

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Ramping Up Towards Its Release

Building the Heritage of JRPGs

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is an eagerly anticipated turn-based RPG that introduces unique real-time mechanics, promising deeper immersion and interaction for players. At its heart, the game echoes the spirit of classic JRPGs, particularly the Final Fantasy series, from which it draws significant inspiration. During the 2025 Game Developers Conference, GamesRadar+ had the opportunity to speak with Expedition 33 Producer François Meurisse about the game's inspirations.

Meurisse revealed that Final Fantasy 10, along with earlier PlayStation titles such as Final Fantasy 7, 8, and 9, were key influences on Expedition 33. "Those are big childhood games for Guillaume [Broche], our game director," he said. "He wanted to capture the kind of feeling he imagined would have persisted in modern Final Fantasy-like games, had they continued with turn-based mechanics. However, he also mixed in many other inspirations. Definitely, Final Fantasy and JRPGs are the predominant gameplay heritage we have."

While the gameplay is deeply rooted in JRPG traditions, Meurisse emphasized their desire to forge a distinct identity with their own artistic influences. He explained, "On the art style in particular, we didn't want to mimic Japanese games by adopting stylized manga-like or anime-like graphics. Instead, we aimed to create an art direction based on our own influences. That's how we arrived at the early 20th-century Belle Époque inspiration, infused with art deco elements and high fantasy. We went through several iterations to find our unique visual style, but it truly helped us stand out."

Other Inspirations

In addition to JRPGs, Expedition 33 also draws inspiration from souls-like games, notably Sekiro, for its defense mechanics. Meurisse stated, "The defense system is more inspired by Sekiro and From Software games. It incorporates a rhythm element and a more real-time component, making it more skill-based."

Moreover, the game incorporates mechanics from deckbuilding games into its battle sequences. Meurisse elaborated, "For example, the idea of using action points for skills in battles is more inspired by deckbuilding games than the traditional magic points or mana systems found in RPGs."

First Character Trailer

As the game approaches its release, Expedition 33 is set to introduce characters weekly. On March 13, the official Twitter (X) account of Expedition 33 released a trailer featuring Gustave, the resourceful and dedicated engineer from Lumière. Gustave appears to be the leader of Expedition 33, tasked with stopping the Paintress so she can never paint death again.

According to the trailer, Gustave wields a sword and pistol as his primary combat weapons. In the overworld, he is shown navigating and jumping from one point to another. Combat clips reveal that Gustave can deal massive damage to enemies and possesses a variety of skills. However, the developers have yet to confirm specifics regarding character roles and related mechanics within the game.

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is scheduled for release on April 24, 2025, on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC. To stay updated with the latest information about the game, click on our article below!