Summary
Humor is a delicate thing in video games, so finding the right balance often proves to be a challenge. In many cases, it depends on the context whether thathumor goes too far, but when it does, it’s no less difficult to ignore, as forced laughs quickly become involuntary eye rolls. However, when it’s done well, it can add just the right amount of spice to a game’s tone, and even contribute to the development of its characters and world in the process. Sandfall Interactive’s debut RPGClair Obscur: Expedition 33is an example of humor done right, as it manages to walk that line that is so often crossed.
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33isn’t necessarily one of those games where most players might find themselves laughing to the point of tears, but it also knows how to push just the right amount of comedy to ensure players are left with a warm smile on their face at regular intervals throughout its story. This characteristic puts it in contrast to many of the JRPGs it’s based on, which often go over the top with their humor, that it’s not just unfunny — it’s even a bit annoying at times.Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, on the other hand, knows when to be funny and when to be serious, when to joke and when to shut up.
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Knows How to Joke Without Breaking Character
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Trades Cheap Laughs for Humor That Grows Out of Character and Context
Humor in any genre can be tough to balance, but that’s especially true of theJRPGsClair Obscur: Expedition 33was inspired by. JRPG humor generally frequently relies on puns, slapstick, and exaggerated expressions, which can land well in some cases. The main issue is how wildly that humor swings between serious themes and over-the-top, zany comedy. This is largely whereClair Obscur: Expedition 33succeeds, as it knows how to balance the darkness of its world and its heightened emotional stakes with warm, fitting humor that grows out of character and context.
Most ofClair Obscur: Expedition 33’s character interactions take place at camp, although players can still experience these as they explore the world.
On that note,Clair Obscurdoes an excellent job of using humor to further character development and even strengthen bonds between characters. While there are some silly characters inClair Obscur: Expedition 33, like Esquieand the Gestrals, most of the game’s humor emerges organically from interactions between those characters, as they attempt to find light and life in the midst of impending doom and what seems to be a hopeless mission. In fact, the dark, sunless horizon ahead of Gustave and his companions inClair Obscurhelps any humor that comes out of these interactions feel authentic and earned rather than forced.
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Walks the Line Between Absurd and Authentic
To be fair, there is a decent amount of absurdity inClair Obscur: Expedition 33, particularly when it comes to the Gestrals. A great example of this is the game’s Gestral Beach challenges — one of which awards players a hilarious-looking swimsuit forClair Obscur: Expedition 33’s Monoco. The Gestrals themselves are also rather absurd in nature, portrayed as unintelligent, forgetful beings who love to fight and trade. However, these moments of absurdity are few and far between, as the setting gives permission for weirdness, but the game still grounds everything in its internal rules and tone.
Clair Obscurdoes an excellent job of using humor to further character development and even strengthen bonds between characters.
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33finds humor in places where many games lose it. Rather than using jokes just for the sake of being funny, it lets humor reinforce the characters and the world they live in. That restraint is part of what makes the game’s tone so effective, especially when compared to theover-the-top antics common in many JRPGs. The result is a game that feels more sincere and ultimately more human. It’s not afraid to be silly, but it never lets that silliness overshadow its story and world.
