T w e n t y S i d e d

A few weeks back I made an article complaining about badly implemented mini-games. That was spurred on by what was on offer in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. I have since finished the game, then finished getting the platinum trophy for the game, and I have some thoughts. I thoroughly recommend the game, but before I spend the next several paragraphs talking about how much I love it, I’d like to get the bad out of the way.

I stand by my previously written opinion. The mini-games are unfair and frustrating due to sloppy controls and otherwise poor implementation, in my opinion. The mini-games are all side content or gateways to optional content so that doesn’t hurt the game too much. Though, I’d argue that it doesn’t matter if the content is primary or secondary to the story, it’s still a part of the game which means they should have done a better job with it. Some of them were a blast though. The parry “dance” segment was a highlight to me. It’s super frustrating at first but slowly became fun to me. Crushingly punishing but fair, which is what I like in a challenge.

The overall difficulty curve, though, is all over the place. Some areas along the main path feel like a decent challenge and then you’ll hit a boss that feels nearly impossible in comparison. Then it falls back to feeling like cakewalk. The further the game goes on the worse the problem gets, however it was never more than peculiar to me. Not really a problem so to speak and more an annoyance that caused me a bit of confusion.

Lastly, as far as my gripes go,  the end game is opened up awkwardly. You get to the point where the game essentially says, now go ahead and explore until you feel like fighting the final boss. You reach this point anywhere from level 40 to level 60 depending on how much you wanted to grind and/or optimize. You then get thrust into encounters far, far harder than you’ve dealt with anywhere else. If you go through all the end game content you’ll end up at or near max level and have nothing to do but finish the game. When you go to the last area, you realize that you may have made a mistake. The final area is designed around you going straight to it after the world opens up. I had the game at the highest difficulty and still barely had to try at all to finish off the final fights and everything that led up to it. I get that narratively it makes some sense since you’re gearing up to fight the biggest baddest guy, but maybe some scaling could have been done depending on your average party level.

Alright. The bitching and moaning is out of the way.

The gameplay of COE33 is a turn-based system with parrying and dodging mechanics that give you more to do than mash the attack button until you can cast spells. There’s also a rhythm-based combo system for when you cast spells that, when executed properly, adds damage or enhanced effects. It kind of reminded me of The Legend of Dragoon. I love me a turn-based RPG but when I’m given a rewarding bit of extra damage it excites me. More importantly, there’s a dodge and parry system. I cannot stress this enough. It is the most rewarding experience in all video games that I’ve experienced in a long time. Not only do you negate damage with a proper parry string, you counter attack if you nail the timing on each segment of the enemies’ attacks. When you nail a long parry string and counter attack it feels INCREDIBLE. It feels doing a Daigo parry every time.

The visuals are stunning. It’s fitting that the game’s name and many themes involve painting because every detail in the game feels like a moving painting. The enemies are all interesting designs. The landscapes are absolutely gorgeous. I complained about a lack of minimap previously and while I would have appreciated the ability to navigate easier, it really did force me to appreciate the scenery more. I got frustrated but it’s fine. The beauty made up for it. My words would just continue to do a disservice to the true visual masterclass that the game puts on display, so I’ll leave it there.

The music is breathtaking as well. Orchestral swells, beautiful choruses, and serene moments of quiet contemplation. Once again, I do not feel qualified enough to go more into detail so I will simply link the music and ask you to have a listen. The music fits the tone at all times and only serves to enhance your experience in a way that feels completely inseparable from the rest of the experience.

And as far as story…

You start the game in the city of Lumiere, a parallel of Paris. The Eiffel tower is in view, the air is buzzing with conversation and excited energy, and our protagonists leap around the environment that they clearly have called home their whole lives. There is this homey warm feeling that takes over while you briefly explore the city. The people of Lumiere are partying and celebrating a yearly event called the “Gommage.” Peeking over the horizon there is a massive deity-like woman called “the Paintress” sitting in front of a massive obelisk with a number written on it. At the beginning our story, the number starts at 34. After you’ve had time to explore the festival some, The Paintress erases the 34 and replaces it with a 33. Dozens of Lumiere’s residents dissolve into flowers and fade into nothingness. The world you are thrust into is one of loneliness, grief, and limited time. The party you were exploring was a living funeral. The Gommage isn’t just a festival to celebrate culture. It’s a sendoff for citizens who are old enough that they pass the threshold of that years’ number on the obelisk at the time of the Gommage.

The bittersweet tone is set from there and is carried through to the end. Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is not a game about being a hero that conquers evil to come home to a roaring crowd. It’s about stemming the bleeding of a slow cataclysm. There is no winning, only forging ahead.

I won’t go further into the story than that due to the potential spoiling of highly impactful scenes and moments. Play the game. I could and would write pages upon pages about the story but I don’t want to chance ruining a moment of the later story for anyone. And this article is a plea for you to play the game if you haven’t, not a comprehensive review. The game is a fast addition to my favorite games of all time and while it’s not perfect, it does a good imitation of it most of the time.

Ethan Rodgers