Clair Obscur just isn’t a recreation to play casually – it needs to be understood, found, and skilled. Those that take it on will expertise probably the most spectacular role-playing video games within the historical past of the style.
There are video games which are paying homage to a relaxed experience on a kids’s carousel: leisurely, predictable, good to have a look at. After which there’s Clair Obscur, which appears like a curler coaster experience at evening from the very first minute – full with loops, backward sections, accelerations to 120 km/h, and a free fall that may make your coronary heart skip a beat.
As stunning because the world of Clair Obscur seems at first look, it’s no place for strolling. Behind the dreamy Belle Époque buildings, between the glowing mists and dancing shadows, lurks a recreation that challenges you many times and infrequently leaves you shocked.
Clair Obscur doesn’t simply inform a narrative – it sucks you right into a mosaic of vivid reminiscences, emotional dialogues, insightful expedition diaries, and fateful encounters. And as you attempt to piece collectively the puzzle, you understand that this recreation has depth. A depth that you just don’t simply need to uncover alongside the way in which, however expertise absolutely. And that makes it probably the most extraordinary role-playing video games of current years.
Age is not only a quantity
Every year, a mysterious determine often known as “the painter” awakens and decides life and dying with a single brushstroke. She paints a quantity on her monolith, and each one that has handed that age actually disappears into skinny air. 12 months after 12 months, the quantity decreases, decimating the inhabitants of the fictional metropolis of Lumière, which is clearly paying homage to Paris.
The story begins shortly earlier than the departure of the eponymous Expedition 33. The aim is to cease the painter earlier than she paints once more. A activity that 67 earlier expeditions have failed to perform. We accompany Gustave, Maelle, Lune, and their expedition colleagues on their journey to interrupt the lethal cycle.
Spoiler-free assessment
A lot of the fascination of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 comes from unraveling its secrets and techniques your self. Spoilers can actually spoil the enjoyable right here. That’s why this assessment solely accommodates screenshots we took ourselves throughout the first few hours of gameplay, in addition to pictures revealed by the developer that don’t reveal something essential with out context. We’ve marked the latter accordingly.
In quest of solutions
Upon arriving on the continent, it turns into clear that that is no atypical rescue mission. A mysterious white-haired man confronts the expedition and almost wipes them out fully. As Gustave, you get up coated in blood and got down to discover survivors of the assault.
A lot is intentionally left imprecise at first, however that’s precisely what makes Clair Obscur’s story so interesting. The journey to the monolith and the seek for the reality lead via a world stuffed with contradictions, secrets and techniques, and loss. Who’s the painter? Why does she kill the inhabitants of Lumière yearly with a single brushstroke? Why has no expedition ever managed to cease her?
Among the finest tales in role-playing recreation historical past
Clair Obscur isn’t a narrative you possibly can sit again and chill out with; it’s one you must lose your self in to know. As a substitute of clear chapters or hours of cutscenes, the sport depends on fragmentary storytelling that’s strongly paying homage to FromSoftware titles: expedition logs, brief asides in dialogues, cryptic objects, and small particulars within the recreation world—all of which turn into items of a bigger puzzle.
In contrast to Darkish Souls and Elden Ring, you possibly can perceive the fundamental define of the story even if you happen to simply stubbornly observe the primary mission. Nonetheless, you’ll miss out on the most effective half. Those that hearken to the characters, learn between the traces, and discover each nook and cranny with attentive eyes and ears might be rewarded with a spider’s net of data unfold throughout the whole world, which progressively makes the story extra vivid and full.
Exactly as a result of the sport leaves a lot open at first, there are actual “aha” moments when a long-forgotten dialogue immediately connects with new fragments of the story or offers the sport a very new twist.
We have been significantly captivated by the conversations between the characters: they’re approachable, interrupt one another, snigger, stay silent, argue – and in doing so appear extra credible and alive than many characters in blockbuster role-playing video games. The matters vary from on a regular basis considerations to philosophical questions on guilt, that means, dying, and reality. None of it’s trivial – each little element contributes to a greater understanding of the world of Clair Obscur.
Belle Époque meets the tip of time
Hardly any role-playing recreation lately has drawn you in as shortly as Clair Obscur. The world appears to have fallen out of a romantic, surreal portray, revealing an typically disturbing combination of Belle Époque and darkish fantasy: Parisian pomp, class, and glamour meet apocalyptic silence, decay, and melancholy. Each scene seems to be as if an artist’s studio has been delivered to life.
Acoustically, too, the sport unfolds with an influence that’s tough to place into phrases. The orchestral soundtrack alternates between goose bumps and melancholy, underscoring each large scenes and small, intimate moments.
Along with the superb English voice appearing, that includes top-class actors corresponding to Andy Serkis (Lord of the Rings, Black Panther), Charlie Cox (Daredevil), Jennifer English (Baldur’s Gate 3) and Ben Starr (Closing Fantasy 16), the result’s an audiovisual maelstrom that you can see tough to flee – and even need to. One small disadvantage: there isn’t a German voice appearing, however a minimum of the subtitles are very nicely translated.
In return, the sport showers you with spectacularly staged cutscenes. Given the comparatively small workforce and restricted finances, the manufacturing high quality of Clair Obscur is solely unbelievable. And all this with none bugs or technical issues.
The one compromises are minor, however they’re there: the character animations might use just a few extra particulars, which is mirrored, for instance, within the lack of facial expressions exterior of cutscenes. And in some areas, it’s fairly apparent that they have been mainly assembled from the identical components again and again.
However, presentation and ambiance are the sport’s best strengths and play a decisive position in making the world of Clair Obscur so fascinating and unforgettable.
Parry or lose
At first look, Clair Obscur seems to be like a traditional Japanese role-playing recreation with turn-based fight. The builders even borrowed the battle display nearly 1:1 from the style masterpiece Persona 5.
However anybody who depends on simply deciding on assaults and comfortably munching on a bag of chips will shortly be taught higher – and can nearly definitely get crushed up by the primary mini-boss on the newest.
By way of fight, Clair Obscur is lively, demanding, and unforgiving: if you happen to don’t parry, you lose. The various hidden and significantly powerful non-obligatory bosses specifically prefer to knock unprepared teams fully off their ft with only one assault.
Every potential in fight prices motion factors (AP), which will be constructed up via regular assaults and ideal dodging or parrying. Using particular abilities, magic, or significantly highly effective assaults due to this fact requires intelligent useful resource administration.
On the similar time, good timing is crucial: the quick-time occasions require you to offer the sport your full consideration, even throughout fight. If you happen to dodge or parry on the proper second, you’ll be rewarded with AP and highly effective counterattacks, providing you with a decisive benefit, particularly in later battles.
Clair Obscur manages to make the battles really feel each entertaining and epic. Trash mobs will be knocked out in a matter of seconds, whereas the frequent and spectacular boss fights typically exceed the 15-minute mark.
Trial and Error
Every part of the sport surprises you with new enemy varieties, which is each a blessing and a curse. On the one hand, this retains the battles difficult till the very finish, as every enemy has particular person elemental weaknesses and resistances, hidden weak factors, unpredictable motion patterns, and highly effective particular assaults.
Alternatively, which means you’ll encounter new enemies greater than as soon as that provides you with an actual beating. “Trial and error” is the secret right here and is simply as a lot part of progressing via the sport as leveling up your characters.
Dodging and parrying is unquestionably a problem in Clair Obscur. As in FromSoftware video games, your success relies upon crucially on studying your enemies’ motion and assault patterns. Cleverly, the three problem ranges “Story,” “Explorer,” and “Skilled” not solely have an effect on harm numbers, but in addition the time home windows for dodging and parrying.
Even in Story mode, nevertheless, the motion components stay a central a part of Clair Obscur. And so, alongside the story, they’re the decisive consider how a lot you’ll benefit from the recreation. As a result of the reality is, aside from speaking, exploring, character administration, and preventing, there’s little else to do in Clair Obscur. Maybe apart from just a few, largely non-obligatory ability passages, which, nevertheless, are extra annoying than a welcome change because of the terribly imprecise soar controls.
The character system: versatile however difficult
Clair Obscur allows you to form your characters nevertheless you need. Every character has their very own preventing model, however the way you develop and play it’s totally as much as you. Gustave, for instance, is far slower however extra highly effective than Maelle, whereas Lune can deal critical harm to enemies with elemental magic.
Attributes corresponding to vitality, agility, and luck will be developed freely and affect your well being, pace, and significant hit likelihood. As well as, there are so-called Pictos and Lumina, which unlock highly effective bonuses and provides your characters extra talents. Every character additionally has totally different weapons at their disposal. Oh, and on prime of that, there are distinctive abilities that you need to use in battle in change for AP – every little thing from a number of assaults to buffs in your group.
When is it price parrying? When do you have to shoot? Which enemies are significantly weak to elemental harm? How can weapons, pictos, lumina, and attributes be mixed to extend the essential hit likelihood? Which pictos are appropriate as counters for the particular talents of a seemingly invincible boss? Solely those that can reply these questions will get essentially the most out of the system.
Detours are worthwhile
The world of Clair Obscur just isn’t open, however cleverly intertwined. As you recognize from traditional Japanese role-playing video games corresponding to Ni No Kuni or Closing Fantasy, there’s an overworld map that connects all areas and dungeons. As you progress via the sport, you possibly can unlock new methods to journey and return to locations you couldn’t entry at first of the sport.
Regardless that the primary story tells you precisely the place to go subsequent, it’s price venturing off the crushed path. Those that are attentive and curious might be rewarded – not solely with weapons and new outfits, but in addition with new story fragments that may assist you perceive the world of Clair Obscur slightly higher.
An additional serving to of Souls-like, please
Many points of Clair Obscur cry out for a Souls-like comparability, not least the extent design. In traditional role-playing video games, a mini-map with a marker kindly reveals you the place to go subsequent. In Clair Obscur, you must determine for your self tips on how to get from A to B.
Typically you’ll uncover a shortcut on the planet’s intricate areas that may take you again to the start, and typically you’ll run straight right into a useless finish – on the finish of which a mini-boss is ready to offer you a superb beating.
The paths in Clair Obscur are hardly ever linear; you typically transfer in loops, return, open new paths, and join areas with one another. That is precisely what makes the world natural – you get to realize it as a result of you must discover it your self.
Taking part in via as soon as is sufficient – however you’ll nonetheless need extra
Clair Obscur just isn’t a brief role-playing recreation for a wet Sunday afternoon, however one that may simply take up 30 hours of your time only for the primary story. If you wish to discover hidden areas and actually absorb all of the background data, you possibly can simply spend 40 to 60 hours on it. Nonetheless, the enjoying time feels nicely spent: there isn’t a downtime or pointless assortment duties for insignificant NPCs. Solely a bit right here and there that drags on a bit.
What makes replaying the sport significantly interesting is the number of potential builds in your characters. Totally different attribute and ability level distributions, totally different combos of weapons, pictos, and lumina – and you’ve got a very new gaming expertise.
Final however not least, the sport additionally provides a story incentive to play via once more within the non-obligatory New Recreation Plus mode. Even if you happen to’ve already pieced collectively the Clair Obscur story puzzle throughout your first playthrough, you’ll need to dive again into this narrative masterpiece, similar to you’ll together with your favourite guide or film.
Editor’s conclusion
Be careful, large weapons: Clair Obscur tells top-of-the-line tales I’ve ever skilled in a pc recreation. Its story is fascinating, shifting, thought-provoking, and haunts me in my desires. I discover it significantly exceptional how Clair Obscur combines a linear narrative with fragments scattered all through the sport world. It doesn’t simply trace at issues like Elden Ring, however tells its core story in a really concrete method. On the similar time, it leaves me loads of room for interpretation, but in addition alternatives to fill it with concrete puzzle items. There’s a understandable rationalization for nearly every little thing on this wondrous, fascinating world.
The second nice energy of Clair Obscur lies in its character and fight system. Sure, the fully free character improvement requires some getting used to, but it surely additionally permits for all kinds of construct and fight methods. No two events are alike right here.
At first, I used to be skeptical as as to whether the fast time occasions would put on skinny over time. Nonetheless, since Clair Obscur works nearly totally with out display shows, a minimum of on the defensive, dodging and parrying feels rather more like Elden Ring than God of Battle and stays constantly thrilling.
Nonetheless, it’s additionally true that there are not any alternate options and fight dominates many of the gameplay. If you happen to don’t take pleasure in it, even the most effective story received’t put it aside. But when each fight and story spark your curiosity, Clair Obscur will burn itself into your reminiscence endlessly.
