2025 has already been defined by high-quality video game releases, with hotly anticipated titles likeKingdom Come Deliverance 2andLike a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaiidominating sales charts and winning the hearts of millions. This is why it’s all the more impressive thatClair Obscur: Expedition 33, anew IP from a fairly small French studio, has made as big a splash as it has.
The attention the game’s gotten is well-deserved, too. In an industry that is all-too-often risk-averse and derivative,Clair Obscur: Expedition 33stands out by not being afraid to experiment with new narrative ideas, clever gameplay mechanics, and unique progression systems that are as rewarding as they are complex. At the same time,Clair Obscurdidn’t simply fall out of the sky; it was born of a bevy of influences, which are worn proudly on its sleeve. Among these influences are several classic JRPG titles, especially those of the 90s and 2000s, and the game’s success with its tried-and-true RPG formula makes a strong case for other long-running franchises in the genre to revisit ideas once thought forgotten.
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Proves that the Classic JRPG Formula Isn’t Dead
Clair Obscur Is a Student of Old-School Final Fantasy
Anyone who has played olderFinal Fantasygames, especially the originalFinal Fantasy 7,Final Fantasy 8, andFinal Fantasy 10, will quickly realize how much DNA they share withClair Obscur. There are obvious parallels, like the ensemble cast, epic, high-stakes narrative, and turn-based combat, but there are some less clear, more subjective similarities as well.
In a nutshell,Clair Obscurfeels like the olderFinal Fantasygamesbecause of its bold innovation. For most ofFinal Fantasy’s lifespan, before the series pivoted toward more action-RPG staples, it felt like it was implementing constant change, never afraid to experiment. The turn-based combat system, dialog-heavy narrative, and massive, uniquely rendered overworlds weren’t seen as limitations, but rather key elements of the series' identity. Of course, these conventions stood in stark contrast to the increasingly true-to-life games of the late-2000s and early 2010s, which prized real-time combat and a consistent visual style. Perhaps it was these shifting industry trends that led some to view the traditional JRPG formula as outdated and in need of replacement, butClair Obscurproves that this couldn’t be further from the truth.
Final Fantasy 7 Rebirthis fantastic, and even though they aren’t as universally beloved,Final Fantasy 15and16also have undeniable strengths, combat being chief among them. But it’s rather interesting to observe thatFinal Fantasy, a franchise that was once considered the pinnacle of the turn-based JRPG formula, now seems to be abandoning it in favor of a more action-oriented approach.Final Fantasydoesn’t have to scrap its more modern framework altogether, but it would be nice to see the series take a break from it once in a while.
The Final Fantasy 7remake sagailluminates Square Enix’s philosophy about turn-based combat: the remakes are more advanced, with higher production value and better graphics, and the implementation of real-time combat suggests that it is simply another staple of “modern” game design.
Clair Obscur’s gameplayfeels remarkably fresh and inventive—much more so than the average contemporary action game. Its use of JRPG tropes that have long been brushed off as antiquated by both gamers and gaming companies is proof that such tropes have been unfairly neglected, and still have room to grow. With the resources and talent at Square Enix’s disposal, there’s no reason whyFinal Fantasyshouldn’t be at the forefront of this growth.
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
WHERE TO PLAY
Once a year, the Paintress wakes and paints upon her monolith. Paints her cursed number. And everyone of that age turns to smoke and fades away. Year by year, that number ticks down and more of us are erased. Tomorrow she’ll wake and paint “33.” And tomorrow we depart on our final mission - Destroy the Paintress, so she can never paint death again.We are Expedition 33.Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is a ground-breaking turn-based RPG with unique real-time mechanics, making battles more immersive and addictive than ever. Explore a fantasy world inspired by Belle Époque France in which you battle devastating enemies.
