Good dialogue is precious in any creative medium, but perhaps even more so in games. Whether it’s in combat barks, banter with teammates, or even the use of internal monologues, the ability to effectively establish a character’s voice is much easier said than done. Endearing players to their motivations is one part of the task, but there’s also the consideration of how to retain attention; when cutscenes are all too often skipped or overlookedin favor of gameplay, a strong hook is more important than ever to keep engagement high, and the perfect way to do so is to treat dialogue as humanly as possible. That’s just whatClair Obscur: Expedition 33manages to do.
Humanizing dialogue seems like such an obvious thing, but the nuances of how people talk are myriad; sometimes people trip over their words, or stutter, or repeat themselves. Consider that in the world thatClair Obscur: Expedition 33establishes, and there’s even more reason for dialogue that leans into these inconsistencies. Speech isn’t going to be perfectly polished at a moment when two lovers say goodbye, or as two survivors lay against a mass of corpses comprised of their fallen friends.Clair Obscur’s prologue is riddled with moments like these, showing that dialogue doesn’t always have to be “perfect” to be effective.
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33’s Dialogue is a Testament to the Power of Subtlety
A Host of Personalities
Clair Obscur’s opening immediately impresses with the sheer range of its personalities. The people of Lumiere, like in real-life, hold different perspectives; in the tumult of the Gommage, it makes sense for its citizens to be sad or angry, content or maligned, because despite them all sharing the experience of the Paintress, that doesn’t mean that they’ll cope in the same ways. That’s why the actual Expedition ofClair Obscur: Expedition 33is such a powerful and interesting plot device, because even in the nobleness of its characters dedicating what’s left of their lives to trying to enact change, there are still some that see it as dangerous and irresponsible, a waste of talent or resources. A suicide mission.
Speaking From the Soul
WhenSophie and Gustave reconcile just before her Gommage, they stumble over their words. When she dissolves into petals, they hold hands and briefly speak; he says he’s here, and she says she knows. That’s all that is needed at that moment; no overly drawn-out professions of love or goodbyes. When the festival of the expeditioners occurs later that day, some grieve with drink, while others, like Lune, pore themselves into their work before the departure. It’s yet another demonstration of how even the smallest of side characters get humanized. Though they might be new faces to the player, to Gustave, they could be life-long friends, and that’s an important distinction made in their interactions, further highlighting Lumiere’s dwindling society.
In the weight of arriving on the main continent, the ability ofClair Obscurto effectively portray shock is commendable. Characters aren’t infallible, and Gustave isn’t a war hero. It takes Lune snapping him out of his trance-like state to form words, and even then he still stumbles over his dialogue. Later, when the two argue over the dangers of going to seek out Maelle, they actively speak over each other. Dialogue flows naturally, words inflect with emotion, andClair Obscur’s voice actorsshow the power of not just their deliveries, but the good writing that they have to work with.
What Exists Outside the Player’s Purview
The game’s camp interactions are another indicator ofClair Obscur’s dialogue leaning on the natural, even if it doesn’t necessarily factor into the player’s knowledge. When Lune brings up Gustave having lost his arm, for example, she doesn’t awkwardly fit in how he lost it, as we can surmise that she already knows. The same holds true for whenGustave and Sciel have their first camp interaction, as the two reminisce on Gustave and Sophie’s closeness and their efforts back in Lumiere to help. Characters talk like they actually know each other, not needing to compromise on the player’s behalf, thus showing the power of subtlety and context clues to make dialogue even more compelling.
