Calir Obsure: Expedition 33 Review: Until the end of the world

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Art often finds us at pivotal moments; a captivating piece, crafted by talented creators, surfaces when it’s most relevant to someone seeking it. Its impact can be profound – evoking forgotten emotions, guiding new discoveries, and reshaping perspectives. Such creations make us feel understood, even healing a fragment of our souls.

Unfortunately, the video game industry, especially in the AAA sector these days, doesn’t produce many such works anymore. Instead, games are fine-tuned until any intrigue is polished away, designed to avoid offending anyone and appealing to everyone while satisfying no one. They aim to keep us engaged and eagerly spending money on the next set of enticing features. In essence, the industry has become a conditioning mechanism, much like Pavlov’s dog, and we are its subjects.

Then, every once in a while, you stumble upon a game that breaks the mold, that is distinctive and unapologetically confident, stirring our curiosity. Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is one such game, drawing us out of darkness and rekindling faith in the medium. In this moment, I cannot express how much I needed it.

Title Translation: Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 captivates right from the start. Seventy-seven years ago, a catastrophic event known as the Fracture shattered the world, sending Lumiere into the ocean. The Fracture also brought forth the Paintress. Every year, the Paintress emerges and paints a number. When she does, everyone reaching that age turns to dust in an event called the Gommage. Each year, the number gets one lower. And each year, Lumiere selects a volunteer Expedition of people with only one year left to live, sending them on an impossible journey across the sea to The Continent, with the sole objective of slaying the Paintress so she can no longer paint death again.

The commencement of Expedition 33 is a tale of farewell. As Gustave prepares for Expedition 33, he spends the day with Sophie, who will perish when the Paintress awakens that evening to paint her next number. They shared love, but often disagreed on whether or not to have children in such a world, and ultimately parted ways, feeling remorseful about it. Now, they’ve run out of opportunities to reconcile.

Last evenings on Earth

As you stroll through Lumiere, the true price of gommage becomes apparent. Friends and loved ones find it difficult to bid farewell. Parents readjust their children for lives without them, while the young ones brace themselves for a future with guardians or in an orphanage. Some numb the pain with alcohol, while others find solace in acts of service – completing artwork or delivering uniforms. At this juncture, friends reach out to each other one last time. Those who are about to undergo gommage receive flower necklaces and crowns from their loved ones. Upon their passing, the atmosphere is filled with flowers and dust, creating a strange yet captivating beauty.

Gustave’s desire to volunteer for Expedition 33, the resentment towards him from some, and Maelle, his younger foster sister, who can’t bear to stay in Lumiere and wishes to join him. At their farewell gathering before the gommage, you feel a deep connection with these characters, and your heart aches for them. The skillful storytelling of Sandfall Interactive in introducing, developing, and emotionally engaging the reader within just a few hours is a testament to the power of Expedition 33’s narrative, which remains captivating throughout.

Best laid plans

Upon reaching the mainland, events take a grim turn. I’ll withhold as much information as feasible – it’s best to explore most of Expedition 33 unaware – but essentially, several members perish, and Gustave is left shattered and isolated, treading over the remains of many of his comrades. On the brink of taking his own life, he’s rescued by Lune, another participant of Expedition 33. She manages to persuade him to press on, despite their mutual understanding that they’re all doomed. The members of this expedition have sworn an oath: “When one falls, we continue.” As long as even one of them survives, their battle is far from over.

What sets Expedition 33’s writing apart is that the characters seem authentic; they quarrel, jest, and squabble among themselves, and don’t always behave admirably. They can be clumsy and affectionate, scared and resolute, self-assured and doubtful. Essentially, they are human, with all their flaws, which is what makes their connections work. Whether they are debating decisions, consoling each other, or merely sharing a quiet moment at the end of the day in camp, they never fail to captivate. I must take a brief moment to commend the exceptional voice actors here; it’s one thing to write a scene, but the performers bring it to life and give it heart, and the acting in Expedition 33 is top-notch throughout.

The tale of Expedition 33 shines brightest in its intimate moments, such as when Maelle playfully mocks Gustave about his age, Lune getting star-struck meeting a Gestral, an enigmatic creature she wasn’t even certain existed, or when Gustave chronicles his experiences for his apprentices. Life and the will to persevere in this world are acts of resistance. To trust that one’s apprentices will survive long enough to read these tales, or that one might return to share them themselves, is a testament to hope that the world can be salvaged. This narrative boasts unexpected twists and turns, and you may not anticipate them all, but it is a story above all else that invests in its characters, which is where it derives its strength. Remarkably, this conviction never wanes throughout the duration of the story. It’s astounding what a narrative can achieve when it believes in itself. The tale of Expedition 33 is a testament to the power of conviction, and Clair Obscur remains steadfast on its chosen path. While there are instances where it leans a bit too heavily on sentimentality, they are few and far between, making them easy to overlook.

The world and all that’s in it

In Expedition 33, the world isn’t static; it’s filled with intricate paths, concealed handholds, platforming challenges, hidden treasures, and optional enemies that test your mettle. However, it’s not an open-world game. Instead, it shares similarities with Final Fantasy X, offering expansive yet manageable environments for exploration without a minimap. The developers might not need one since Expedition 33 is venturing into uncharted territories, and the characters are as lost as the players.

The locations you’ll visit are nothing short of breathtaking. You’ll gaze upon the remnants of a human civilization, wander through forests of crimson trees, and journey across cascading waterways, with whales swimming overhead as you walk below. Travel between destinations is handled via an overworld map. The influence from various RPGs is evident, but Expedition 33 always remains unique in its own right.

Clair Obscur’s battles are not only intense but also engaging. Unlike some turn-based RPGs that might feel like a DVD menu, this game offers more than just selecting commands and watching pre-recorded animations while waiting for your next move. In every fight, you’ll find yourself fully immersed. Each character possesses both close-quarters and long-range attacks. The long-range attacks require manual aiming, which comes in handy when targeting vulnerabilities. Melee attacks accumulate AP (Action Points), while ranged attacks consume it each time they are used.

Apart from having AP for Skills, which are exclusive attacks for each character, you’ll discover that each character possesses distinctive combat mechanics. For instance, Gustave amasses Overcharge stacks using his skills and unleashes a powerful attack through his artificial arm; Lune’s spells infuse elemental Stains to amplify her subsequent spells with extra effects and damage; my personal favorite, Maelle, switches between three distinct stances that boost her attack power, AP generation, and defense. There are more characters, but I’d rather not give too much away. Basically, managing your AP effectively, coordinating your characters, and strategizing ahead is crucial; similar to Final Fantasy X, the turn order is shown on the left side of the screen, allowing you to plan each turn in advance. However, a successful strategy won’t suffice; you’ll also need to perform decisively at critical moments.

Like a flowing stream

When an adversary launches an assault, you have the option to dodge, block, or leap to evade them. Dodging keeps you safe from harm, but the secret move is blocking, which grants you a chance for a retaliatory strike and produces AP, enabling you to utilize additional offensive abilities. However, it has a narrower opportunity window. You can usually regain your footing after a failed dodge in time to dodge again; failing a block means you’ll be hit. One of the things I enjoy most about this is that you can block attacks targeting your entire squad, and if you do, they’ll respond with an elegantly coordinated counter-attack. Executing these moves never loses its charm, and it’s exhilarating to defeat foes who are significantly stronger than you, merely because they cannot touch you.

Expedition 33 doesn’t shy away from crafting intricate character profiles. Besides the ability to improve traits and weapons that grow in power as they align with your character’s stats, each character can also wear Pictos and Luminas. You can assign up to three Pictos to any character, which grant abilities such as setting enemies on fire when shot, increasing basic attack damage, awarding AP upon perfectly timed dodges, casting a protective spell when health is low, or boosting stats.

By consistently victorious battles with a Picto-equipped character, you can grant others the effects of the Picto, excluding any stat boosts, in a manner reminiscent to Lumina from Lost Odyssey. This opens up a vast array of creative build possibilities. I personally favor equipping Gustave with a Picto that ignites enemies he shoots, followed by Maelle’s Skill activating her Virtuose stance (dealing 200% damage) if the enemy is ablaze. However, there are countless combinations to explore. You could transform Gustave into an exceptional parrying character, minimizing his need for basic attacks to restore AP, or develop him into a Lune adept at boosting party members’ abilities, and so forth. Once you grasp the mechanics, the potential combinations are virtually endless.

When one falls, we continue

In Expedition 33, each battle presents intriguing dilemmas: Should you risk leaving a character unhealed for the chance of successfully dodging the next attack, or use one of your scarce healing items? How do you allocate your stat points and choose your weapons and skills? Who gets which Picto to take advantage of their bonus stats? What do you invest in with your Lumina points? There’s no right or wrong answers, and I enjoyed the freedom to test out different strategies at any time.

The charm of Expedition 33 lies in its timelessness. With each playthrough, there’s something new to uncover – be it fresh characters, acquired skills, hidden spots, mysterious enemies, or breathtaking locations. As the narrative unfolds, Expedition 33 weaves an extraordinary tale of resilience against overwhelming odds, discovery, loss, love, death, and faith. It’s a game that leaves lasting impressions, much like its characters who remain etched in memory long after the final credits. At times, art finds us when we need it most. Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is one such story I found at a time when the world seems to be crumbling apart. It serves as a reminder that there’s always hope, no matter the odds, and appearances can often be deceiving. A better future awaits; it just needs people who are willing to strive for it. When one falters, we carry on.

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2025-04-23 09:00