Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Promises a Bold New RPG Experience

French indie studio Sandfall Interactive is set to make a major debut with their first title, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, a fresh take on the RPG genre that’s already generating excitement. Featured during this week’s Xbox Developer Direct broadcast, Expedition 33 introduces an ambitious new world built over four years of careful development, including an expansive fantasy universe, an intriguing narrative, and a unique turn-based combat system.

The game follows the journey of Expedition 33, a group of explorers who venture into a world slowly being consumed by the mysterious Paintress, a figure who paints a number on a monolith each year. As the number decreases, people of that age and older vanish, and every year, an expedition is sent to stop her. This year, the players take on the roles of the final expedition, seeking to uncover the fate of those before them while fighting to escape their own demise.

Unlike traditional linear RPGs, Expedition 33 promises a dynamic open-world experience where exploration is key. CEO & Creative Director Guillaume Broche revealed to the Official Xbox Podcast that the game’s world map is vast and filled with secrets, hidden bosses, and multiple levels that encourage discovery. “There are tons of secrets,” Broche said. “And that’s also what makes a world map super cool, because it feels like a completely different exploration game.”

The exploration isn’t the only exciting aspect of Expedition 33. Combat in the game blends turn-based mechanics with real-time reactions, offering a system that will appeal to players of all skill levels. Broche emphasized customization, allowing players to experiment with different playstyles, skill trees, and hundreds of unlockable passive abilities across six playable characters. The game’s flexibility even invites players to break the system, creating their own “crazy combos” of skills and equipment.

For fans of turn-based combat, the system introduces QTE triggers, moments where action pauses to allow players to select their character’s moves, combined with real-time reactions to inject momentum into battles. This should provide both the strategy of turn-based combat and the thrill of dynamic action.

With beautiful visuals, deeply customizable combat, and open-world exploration on the horizon, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is shaping up to be a must-play. Sandfall Interactive may be new to the scene, but they are already a studio to watch. The game is set to release on April 24 for Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 5, and PC, and it promises an adventure worth the wait.