Expedition 33 wears its inspiration proudly. It is not hard to see that the developers have been driven by a love of traditional JRPGS—particularly the Final Fantasy series—and have mixed it together with a healthy dollop of FromSoft-inspired mechanics. There's just enough new stuff here to keep it feeling fresh, and the non-gameplay bits like the music and story are exceptional.
I've always had a soft spot for a JRPG that sticks to old-school turn-based gameplay. There's been a lot of reinventing the wheel over the years, and I've generally been left feeling a bit cold by ATB systems and pseudo-action RPGs. However, it is also rewarding to be good at a game and while there is skill in planning and choosing the correct options in combat, this does not feel quite the same as finally managing to beat a difficult boss in an action game. Expedition 33 takes the button-press-timing concepts laid out all the way back in 1996 by Super Mario RPG and dials it up to 11. I'm not sure of any other RPGs that you can beat without taking any damage within the expected bounds of the mechanics. You can parry everything. I look forward to seeing no-damage speedruns in the near future.
I don't want to spoil the story as I think all should go into this game blind. I will, however, say two things:
First, I really appreciate a world in which the worldbuilding is bigger than the story. There's so much detail that the player never gets a chance to see which enforces a believability to the otherwise entirely fantastical proceedings. Other things are peeled back and revealed over the course of the story, changing the player's understanding of what is going on as they progress.
Second, I can't remember the last time I played a game which pushed me towards what many might consider to be the "bad" ending. There is no "good" versus "evil" easy choice here; instead, I'm left feeling hollowed out by a difficult emotional decision.
Finally, the music is exceptional.
Is it Worth Playing?
Absolutely. Clair Obscur breathes life into an often stagnant genre.
👍👍👍
Loot for the Hoard:
A gold armband emblazened with the number "33".
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