Today’s Xbox Games Showcase was one of the best summer gaming showcases we’ve had in a long time, and despite everything Xbox had to show off from its first-party studios, it’s this unknown indie game from Sandfall Interactive that has me most excited. It’s called Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, and it’s a reactive turn-based RPG inspired by the lavish art and culture of France’s Belle Époque. Along with its stylish design, the trailer shows some interesting mechanics with its turn-based combat.
Based on the game’s description, players will be able to create unique builds for their Expeditioners that fit their playstyle, based on gear, stats, skills, and character synergies. An active dimension can be opened in combat in real-time, such as dodging, parrying, or countering, while chain combos can be executed by mastering attack rhythms. Players will also be able to target enemy weak points using a free aim system.
The setting of the game revolves around the Paintress, who wakes up once a year and points to her monolith. She paints her cursed number, and everyone of that age turns to smoke and fades away. Each year, that number decreases and more people are erased. The next number, as you might be able to guess from the name of the game, is 33. The goal of Expedition 33 is to destroy the Paintress, so she can never paint death again.
Developed in Unreal Engine 5, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is being published by Kepler Interactive and will release sometime in 2025 on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC.
