Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, turn-based combat with a twist

Show me a game that features the vocal talents of Ben Starr and I’ll say “Be hushed and receive my currency”. Ever since his golden tones brought Clive Rosfield to life in Final Fantasy XVI I’ve been a Starr stan.

Now, Starr is starring in French developer Sandfall Interactive‘s latest game, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, a stunning new turn-based RPG with a twist, inspired by the Belle Époque period.

The story follows the titular Expedition 33, a fellowship of adventurers on a quest to destroy the cursed paintress so she can “never paint death again”.

Every year in the land of Lumière, the paintress awakens to paint a new number, and every year people of that specific age crumble away, as if Thanos just snapped his fingers. Ticking down each year, it’s a race against time to break the curse and reclaim their future.

The RPG looks to be evolving the genre in cool new ways. Turn-based combat is a feature we are seeing less and less of in recent times, in favour of a more action-heavy approach.

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Expedition 33 is creating a dynamic turn-based system, mixed with real-time combat mechanics such as dodging, parrying and countering attacks. There’s also a more active approach to offense, with combos able to be chained rhythmically. As a fan of both classic JRPGs and action games, I’m keen to test the hybrid for myself!