Sandfall Interactive is still hard at work on their first ever game as a new studio, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. First revealed in June 2024, we saw a game featuring turn-based combat and set in a world that was slowly coming to an end by an entity known as the Paintress. It's a game that features a robust cast of actors and plenty of visually surreal environments and enemies.
During today's Xbox Developer_Direct, Sandfall Interactive gave us another look at their game. We also learn that Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 will be released on April 24, 2025 for Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, and PC via Steam or the Epic Games Store.
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 takes place in an alternate version of 19th century France. It's set 67 years after a mysterious entity, known as the Paintress, first appeared. Each year, the Paintress paints a number on her monolith. When she does, everyone that is aged past that number dies.
Sandfall Interactive calls their combat system "reactive turn-based" and blends together typical turn-based combat with elements of real-time actions. This means you can add damage to your attacks or negate damage from enemy attacks with well-timed button presses. This system sounds very similar to elements in other RPG titles, including the Mario RPG titles.
The studio says that your team is made up of characters that are "flawed" yet they still care about each other. There will also be plenty of world traversal, where you will get to adventure through several locations and landscapes that have been warped by the Paintress. You will be able to travel around this world courtesy of a big balloon guy named Esquie.
Once a year, the Paintress wakes and paints upon her monolith. Paints her cursed number. And everyone of that age turns to smoke and fades away. Year by year, that number ticks down and more of us are erased. Tomorrow she’ll wake and paint “33.” And tomorrow we depart on our final mission - Destroy the Paintress, so she can never paint death again.
We are Expedition 33.
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is a ground-breaking turn-based RPG with unique real-time mechanics, making battles more immersive and addictive than ever. Explore a fantasy world inspired by Belle Époque France in which you battle devastating enemies.
In this evolution of JRPGs, real-time actions enhance the heart of turn-based combat. Craft unique builds for your Expeditioners that fit your playstyle via gear, stats, skills, and character synergies. Open an active dimension in combat - dodge, parry, and counter in real time, chain combos by mastering attack rhythms, and target enemy weak points using a free aim system.
With only one year left to live, join Gustave, Maelle, and their fellow Expeditioners as they embark upon a desperate quest to break the Paintress’ cycle of death. Follow the trail of previous expeditions and discover their fate. Get to know the members of Expedition 33 as they learn to work together against impossible odds.
Explore an enchanting realm populated by surreal adversaries. Wander through breathtaking landscapes, from the Island of Visages to the Forgotten Battlefield, discovering secrets and hidden quests along the way. Find allies of fortune in creatures of legend. Recruit special companions to access new travel methods and discover secret areas in the World Map.
Experience the debut game from Sandfall Interactive, fully realized in Unreal Engine 5 with stunning graphics and a heartbreaking soundtrack.
We are Expedition 33.
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is a ground-breaking turn-based RPG with unique real-time mechanics, making battles more immersive and addictive than ever. Explore a fantasy world inspired by Belle Époque France in which you battle devastating enemies.
In this evolution of JRPGs, real-time actions enhance the heart of turn-based combat. Craft unique builds for your Expeditioners that fit your playstyle via gear, stats, skills, and character synergies. Open an active dimension in combat - dodge, parry, and counter in real time, chain combos by mastering attack rhythms, and target enemy weak points using a free aim system.
With only one year left to live, join Gustave, Maelle, and their fellow Expeditioners as they embark upon a desperate quest to break the Paintress’ cycle of death. Follow the trail of previous expeditions and discover their fate. Get to know the members of Expedition 33 as they learn to work together against impossible odds.
Explore an enchanting realm populated by surreal adversaries. Wander through breathtaking landscapes, from the Island of Visages to the Forgotten Battlefield, discovering secrets and hidden quests along the way. Find allies of fortune in creatures of legend. Recruit special companions to access new travel methods and discover secret areas in the World Map.
Experience the debut game from Sandfall Interactive, fully realized in Unreal Engine 5 with stunning graphics and a heartbreaking soundtrack.
