Step Aside, Final Fantasy, It’s Time For A New Expedition

I don’t know about you, but titling your debut game with a double-barrel like Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 leads me to believe that, with success, we’ll see more games under the Clair Obscur umbrella after Expedition 33 in the years to follow. And honestly, I’m here for it.

It’s a brilliant game that I can only describe as a JRPG without the ‘J’. No, not just an RPG, but a very Westernised take on the JRPG formula. WRGP? I don’t know. It’s basically like Final Fantasy but made by the French, is what I’m saying.

Both Final Fantasy and Persona have been mentioned as direct inspirations for Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, and it shows.

This Might Be A Big Step For The JRPG Genre

While we’ve had games developed by Western studios that take inspiration directly from JRPGs, such as Bug Fables and the more recent Sea of Stars, we’ve never had something like this. Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is not only a game with incredible visuals and stand-out cutscenes, but the gameplay feels like a refined evolution of Persona 5, down to the UI and combat animations.

With a star-studded cast, including Daredevil’s Charlie Cox and Baldur’s Gate 3’s Jennifer English, it’s easily the most ambitious Western take on the JRPG formula – and it might just be enough to turn-based battle it out with the decades-old giant, Final Fantasy.

Sure, it could rival Persona as it’s a direct inspiration, but the whole feel of it is closer to Square Enix’s long-running franchise.

However, that’s a big claim, and it really depends on how well Clair Obscur is received – but after playing the game, I’m now confident that this is going to be a big one.

There’s Room For Both Clair Obscur And Final Fantasy, Of Course

I’m not saying ‘This is better, down with Final Fantasy, long live Clair Obscur’ so calm down. I love Final Fantasy, and Final Fantasy 7 is a game that’s going to stick with me for a long time. I’m just blown away by Expedition 33, and I really hope to see it become a staple of its own, to thrive in the industry, and stand alongside the icons that forged its existence.

To have rivalry does not necessarily mean to compete – it means to learn, to grow, and to evolve, and if Clair Obscur could become a series of its own standing, it surely means we’re only going to see the genre get better and better, sooner rather than later. Even then, Persona is a stand-out series for its style, and as Final Fantasy shifts into a more action-based combat, there’s a natural space waiting to be explored and re-explored that Clair Obscur is the perfect fit for.

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is also available on day one on Xbox Game Pass, so it’s even easier to try it out. And you should.

When Final Fantasy is bigger than ever with the FF7 Remakes, Persona 5 has people eagerly awaiting the next entry, and even the genre grandparents like Dragon Quest are going strong despite sparse releases, there’s plenty of room for a new series like Clair Obscur – and honestly, I welcome it to come in and further push the genre to new heights.