Clair Obscur: Expedition 33is finally here, and it’s surpassed the expectations of many. The French RPG boasts stunning visual design, a compelling narrative, and ingenious turn-based combat, making it astrong contender for 2025’s Game of the Year.
It’s also a hodgepodge of distinct influences. Naturally, it shares a good bit of DNA with JRPGs and other classic, traditional turn-based games; its unique, stylized approach to battles will likely remind more than a few players of games from thePersonafranchise, for instance, while others may be reminded of JRPGs likeFinal Fantasy 13. Its influences extend beyond the gaming world as well, as several aspects of its story are clearly inspired by other fictional works, such asAttack of Titan. But one less-discussed inspiration, which is nearly ubiquitous in other corners of the industry, also factors intoClair Obscur’s game design.
Clair Obscur Takes Important Cues from the Soulslike Genre
How Clair Obscur’s Structure and Features Are FromSoftware-Influenced
It would be silly to considerClair Obscura soulslike, but it definitely borrows from FromSoftware’s tried-and-true design template. For one thing, the game’s Expedition Flags are functionally identical to Bonfires and Sites of Grace inDark SoulsandElden Ring, available as interactive checkpoints that can be used to level up, fast-travel, or rest and restore resources, at the cost of enemy NPCs respawning. There’s also the way thatClair Obscurhandles resource management: healing supplies like Tints and Chroma Elixirs are replenished after resting at an Expedition Flag—they aren’t collected throughout the game world.
These soulslike mechanics greatly impacthowClair Obscurfeels to play, especially when viewing the game as a traditional turn-based RPG. In most turn-based, adventure-focused RPGs, item management and accumulation are central parts of the gameplay loop, as buying and finding healing supplies, potions, and the like can lead to pivotal moments on the battlefield. By limiting the pool of consumable items to just those that are replenished at Expedition Flags,Clair Obscurbecomes far more flexible and forgiving, while also streamlining traditional RPG systems that can be unwieldy and overwhelming at times.
A similar effect can be observed by the mere nature of Expedition Flags as checkpoints. By standardizing checkpoints and giving players a loose degree of control over them, insofar as it relates to which point they respawn at,Clair Obscuronce again exhibits more flexibilitythan its contemporaries and influences. Players can restart, replenish, upgrade, and fast travel at virtually any point, not being restricted by stringent resources or unpredictable respawn locations.
Pointing out a game’s soulslike elements can often draw some unexpected ire, as many gamers feel that the influence of the soulslike subgenre, and FromSoftware as a whole, is overstated. But this couldn’t be further from the case:FromSoftware’s work is, in fact,thatinfluential, its mechanical staples so widespread that they have become the modus operandi for many game genres. For instance, checkpoints like those described above were not nearly so common beforeDark Souls, nor was the use of triggers and shoulder buttons for melee attacks.
Demon’s SoulsandDark Soulshave reached a level of influencethat is rarely seen in entertainment. It’s now at the point where many don’t even recognize certain soulslike mechanics or features as being intrinsically linked toDark Souls; they are simply standard fare for action or adventure games. This may be the case when looking atClair Obscur, as its checkpoint system and resource-management features feel commonplace, despite their clear parallels in games likeDark Souls.
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.
