Is Sandfall Interactive’s Debut a Masterpiece or a Mere Sketch?

The realm of turn-based role-playing games has long been a canvas for intricate narratives and strategic depth. Into this storied genre steps Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, the debut offering from French developer Sandfall Interactive. It casts players into a world teetering on the brink of annihilation. Each year, a mysterious entity known as the Paintress inscribes a number upon a monolith, and all those of that age fade into nothingness. With the dreaded number 33 looming, Expedition 33 embarks on a desperate quest to confront the Paintress and break this cycle of death. But in a market saturated with both nostalgic throwbacks and ambitious innovations, does Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 paint a new vision for the genre, or does it merely retread familiar ground? Read on to find out!

Painting a World of Peril and Intrigue

The narrative of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is immediately captivating. The premise of a yearly culling based on a painted number is both unique and deeply unsettling, and thus creates a palpable sense of dread and urgency. You will join Gustave, Maelle, and their companions, the eponymous Expedition 33, on what is seemingly their final year. The weight of this impending doom permeates the dialogue and character interactions, lending a poignant touch to their journey.

The world itself is absolutely incredible, full of rich details and imbued with a surreal beauty, hinting at deeper mysteries and forgotten histories. Following the trails of previous, failed expeditions adds another layer of intrigue, prompting questions about their fates and the nature of the Paintress.

The voice acting – featuring stellar performances from world-class vocal and acting talents including Jennifer English (Shadowheart, Baldur’s Gate 3) and Andy Serkis (of Gollum / Lord of The Rings fame) – elevates the narrative with strong performances that bring the diverse cast of characters to life.

The story is immediately gripping, and the characters are so well-written and performed that it’s hard NOT to care about them. You become involved in their relationships with one another, and the wider story at hand. In short, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 involves you from the get-go and makes you actually care about the story, the characters and the worries of everybody going through this tough time.

Brushstrokes of Battle

The core gameplay of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 blends traditional turn-based combat with innovative real-time elements. This hybrid approach aims to inject a new level of engagement into strategic encounters. While the turn-based foundation allows for tactical planning and the exploitation of enemy weaknesses, the addition of real-time actions such as dodging, parrying, and countering adds a layer of reflex and timing. Mastering attack rhythms to chain combos and utilising a free-aim system to target specific weak points mid-battle further deepens the combat experience.

Players build their party from a roster of six characters, each with distinct playstyles and skill trees, encouraging experimentation with different builds and synergies. For instance, Monoco can learn and unleash enemy attacks, while Maelle excels in fleeting, high-damage stances. This variety in character design ensures that combat remains dynamic and requires thoughtful adaptation to different enemy types as you progress.

The combat mechanics in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 are some of the best that I have ever encountered in a game. The combination of planning, quick reflexes, and sometimes outright luck, all come together to make for a thrilling experience. Not only can you damage enemies with your choice of attack, but you are also able to free-aim at a body part of your choice should you wish to do so and shoot at it! The camera angles during fights are simply incredible, too. It zooms in and out of enemies’ faces as they receive massive blows from the Expedition 33 team, which simply adds to the action and intensity.

Canvas of Customisation

Beyond the battles, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 offers a robust system of character progression and customisation. As players advance, they can allocate stats, learn new skills, and equip gear to tailor their expeditioners to their preferred playstyles. There is a streamlined inventory system, with a limited supply of consumables that replenish at checkpoints, focusing the emphasis on strategic combat rather than resource management.

Weapons scale with different stats, encouraging players to optimise their builds accordingly. Pictos, equippable accessories, provide passive enhancements, allowing for further fine-tuning of character abilities. This system encourages players to experiment with different combinations and adapt their strategies as they encounter new challenges.

A Masterpiece in Motion

Despite Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 looking like a literal work of art, the enemies are the standout pieces in this particular gallery, and truly something to behold. Each and every one of them is utterly unique, and likely completely different to anything you will have ever seen before. Not only are the levels of creativity near-cosmic, the enemies are also totally believable and don’t come across as ridiculous or cheap in any way.

As mentioned, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is a stunning visual achievement, leveraging the power of Unreal Engine 5 to create a world of breathtaking beauty and surreal artistry. Environments are richly detailed, from mist-shrouded cobblestone paths, moss-covered ground and rocks, to gilded ruins bathed in fractured light.

The character models are expressive, and the animations in combat are fluid and impactful, lending weight to each attack and parry. The art direction is distinctive and creates a memorable aesthetic throughout.

Complementing the visual splendour is a haunting and evocative soundtrack. The music seamlessly blends orchestral pieces with more melancholic and playful tunes, enhancing the emotional impact of key moments and creating a rich auditory landscape that underscores the game’s unique tone. Couple that with incredible voiceover performances, and it’s hard not to be almost instantly drawn into Clair Obscur: Expedition 33.

A Journey to Remember

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 offers a compelling narrative and engaging combat system that encourages at least one thorough playthrough. The presence of optional side quests and hidden areas provides incentives for exploration beyond the main storyline. Furthermore, the diverse character builds and the strategic depth of the combat system may entice players to experiment with different party compositions and tactics in subsequent playthroughs. However, the relatively linear structure of the main narrative might limit its long-term replayability for some players.

Conclusion

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is an impressive debut from Sandfall Interactive. It flawlessly blends traditional turn-based RPG mechanics with innovative real-time elements, creating a combat system that is both strategic, unique, and incredibly engaging. The narrative is captivating, driven by a unique premise and a cast of well-developed characters brought to life by strong voice acting. The visual presentation is stunning, and is complemented by a memorable and emotionally resonant soundtrack. While its long-term replayability might be a point of consideration for some, the overall experience is a compelling and memorable journey that will likely stay with you long after you finish (but in the best possible way).

Grade: 9/10