Thoughts about Clair Obscur:Expedition 33?

[Viviana Santos]

It looks really cool and the reception to the game has been very positive, so I'm going to buy it in the future.

 

[moonbits]

looks eh

 

[Zachery2112]

I'll be honest, the first time I heard about the game was when someone said that 'Clair Obscur' sounds like a True Crime YouTube channel that makes three-hour long videos on murder-mysteries that go no where. But since then, I've seen some more footage of it and I'm quite interested now. I'll put it on the wishlist for a sale to come by.

 

[Tonberry]

Looks so good. Just not sure when I'll have the time to sink my teeth into it!

 

[moonbits]

the graphics are very nice, the damage numbers are so intrusive in this one.

 

[NotGodlike]

So rare to see an actual modern turn based rpg. Not sure if it'll be in the same level as Lost Odyssey, but I'll see

 

[RustySK]

Definitely interested, but I'm absolutely drowning in my backlog atm so it'll be a while before I get it. I also generally wait for a sale before buying most anything these days. Hope it's successful!

 

[Saint_c]

I picked it up. Intriguing enough to hook me early on. The combat looks engaging and fun with a different spin on turn based. Premise sounds cool as well. We'll find out how it is tomorrow

 

[Fray Guillermo]

At first sight, not really a fan of the art direction and color palette, also the camera seems too hectic during combat, but let's see how it turns out

 

[legsrjust4show]

I'm McFreakin Ready

 

[medisinn]

I'll likely check it out this weekend on Xbox since it's on Game Pass. I've heard nothing but good things about it so I'm fairly excited.

 

[Tenhou]

Not Day One for me. My backlog is colossal. In wishlist. Waiting for local reviews

 

[Yousef]

So far I’m really enjoying it!

 

[Strategist's icon Strategist Strategist]

Not Day One for me. My backlog is colossal. In wishlist. Waiting for local reviews

I don't have a PS5/Xbox, so my only option is PC, but my computer is too old to run newer UE5 games. I'm going to have to get a PC upgrade one of these days, but money is tight for me right now. Still, its one of the games I plan to get as soon as I upgrade.

So far I’m really enjoying it!

That's good to hear.

All my favorite podcasters are going to bat for it, so I'm pretty much sold.

 

[Yousef]

That's good to hear.

All my favorite podcasters are going to bat for it, so I'm pretty much sold.

It’s definitely worth the hype so far.
Excellent tutorial and I usually hate those!
Well realized combat mechanics that don’t feel half baked.
And a story with a decently engaging and likable cast.
Seems like a Homerun thus! I’ll have more specific thoughts down the line.

 

[MegaHiro91]

I pre-ordered it today after the reviews came out. Had a good feeling for this ever since it got announced but art, style and voice acting alone wouldn't have been enough. Glad it came together from such a small team on their first project being released at a good price point.

Good things generally come from the smaller first time studios these days I reckon. We had Stellar Blade from ShiftUp and Black Myth Wukong from whattheirname.

 

[CG4R12I4N]

Man, the middle of Act 2 killed me.
I'm pretty certain that the twist I theorized is true and by the end of Act 2, somebody will die or at least incapacitated.

Also the timing of parry becomes even more bullshit now that they introduced gradient. Miss the timing of the gradient and you'll not be able to parry at all.

 

[Strategist's icon Strategist Strategist]

Well, looks like the game is a runaway success. For an first time indie studio, these numbers are amazing in their first day. That doesn't include the people who are playing it on Gamepass.

Square Enix take note. A first time studio is drinking your milkshake.

 

[ATenderLad]

I'm just a little ways into it now; I might have to wind up getting it on the PS5 at some point, my PC is wheezing like a two-pack-a-day man, but it's got me hooked for sure.

 

[CG4R12I4N]

Not only it was a success globally, but also even in Japan it become a local sensation and trend. You can even search it in X and NicoNicoDouga, there're whole lot of mentions.

Many people there apparently streamed it and called it kamige/godlike game, also said that Sandfall's debut totally deserved the score and GOTY nomination, beating out the stream of The Hundred Lines (their own made game by Danganronpa writer and artist) and Oblivion Remastered (Bethesda literally become their beloved meme since Fallout 3 and Skyrim).

 

[BunnyLain]

Well £42 is certainly less than most games now days.
Still got no time for it though.

 

[tigg]

I've been playing it off Gamepass and it certainly is different.

 

[Strategist's icon Strategist Strategist]

Well £42 is certainly less than most games now days.
Still got no time for it though.

Make the time. It will be worth it.

 

[solidbatman]

im having a blast with it so far (3.5 hours in). Damage numbers do seem pretty spongy already though and I am not fully sold on the parry/dodge system. I saw a comment that makes a ton of sense that the game may have initially been planned as a souls-like type game before switching to a turn based system to better accommodate the party (or my theory, to avoid being drowned out in the glut of shovelware souls-likes that keep coming out). The dodge and parry system makes a lot more sense when I think about that theory.

As for the story and presentation, the budget def shows from time to time on cutscene transitions (music just cutting out to switch to the next piece for a scene, weird animation transitions) but overall I really like the pacing and content of the story. Excited to delve deeper into the game today and tomorrow.

 

[CG4R12I4N]

No, it's always being planned as a turn-based JRPG. It just so happens that the lead director is also avid hardcore fan of Sekiro and even attempted Sekiro parry speedrun before, so he wanted to add every single games he loved in his own game as gameplay feature (he also mentioned Final Fantasy VIII & X, Persona 5, The Legend of Dragoon and Lost Odyssey as his favorites, and you can blatantly see those influences ingame).

Also this is not a game where "big numbers go brrrr" is the most essential like most other JRPGs, how you eventually master the timing for dodge/parry is way more important with status effects and breaks/stuns helping out delaying the enemy turns because otherwise they would just beat you down in few hits. Especially when from the middle to endgame you can equip Pictos and Lumina setups that can easily break the damage cap for any characters to absolutely silly numbers ala Disgaea, making seemingly damage spongy bosses trivial in comparison.