ABOUT CLAIR OBSCUR: EXPEDITION 33

🎭 Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Genre: Turn-based / real-time hybrid RPG Developer: Sandfall Interactive (France) Publisher: Kepler Interactive Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Windows PC Release: September 2025 🌌 Story & World Set in a surreal, hand-painted world inspired by French romanticism and surreal art, humanity is trapped in a deadly cycle: Every year, when the “Paintress” awakens, she paints a new number in the sky — and everyone of that age instantly dies. You play as Violette, the last survivor of Expedition 33, leading a group of explorers to stop the Paintress before she paints the number 33. It’s a world full of dreamlike landscapes, melancholy music, and emotional storytelling — a blend of fantasy, sorrow, and hope. ⚔️ Gameplay The combat system mixes turn-based tactics with real-time skill execution: You plan your moves like in traditional JRPGs. But when you attack or defend, you must time your button presses or aim shots in real time — almost like an action game. Enemies have unique rhythm-based attack patterns, so combat feels dynamic and skillful. Defense requires reflexes; a well-timed block can nullify heavy damage. You can switch between multiple party members, each with distinct abilities: Violette: sword and flame-based attacks. Ennio: ranged and support skills. Alphonse: heavy-weapon fighter. 🎨 Visuals & Music Built on Unreal Engine 5 — every environment looks like a living painting. The art direction mixes oil-paint textures with cinematic lighting. Music by French composer Alexandre Cauchy, blending orchestral and operatic sounds. Many players compare its tone to Final Fantasy XVI, Persona 5, and NieR: Automata, but with a European art-house feel. 💎 Key Features Hybrid combat system (strategy + reflex). Deep story about fate, art, and mortality. Unique painterly visuals inspired by real brush strokes. Voice acting in both English and French. Performance focus: runs at 60 fps on consoles and optimized for mid-range PCs. 🧭 Difficulty & Length Moderate difficulty — you can choose between story-focused and tactical challenge modes. Campaign length: around 25–35 hours for main story, 50 + for full exploration. Replay value comes from alternate dialogue paths and different team builds. 🧠 Why It’s Special The story is emotionally charged, philosophical, and artistic — not just about fighting but confronting destiny. It brings a rare mix of European art style with Japanese-style RPG gameplay. Critics are calling it “one of the most beautiful RPGs of the decade.”