SolidSpartanite Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Review

“Art can be a Window and art can be a Mirror. And great art. Great art is both.” - ? The eminent film critic Roger Ebert once famously said “video games can never be art.” The very definition of art is nebulous and subjective but to me, it symbolises a piece of work that is equal parts beautiful, timeless, influential, powerful and illicits strong emotions from the beholder. There have been two games which I would hold up to Ebert as examples of art: Shadow of the Colossus and Journey. Now, there is a third. Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 could be THE game that elevates the gaming medium to heights it has not yet reached. It is nothing short of a masterpiece, and I urge anyone who considers themselves a gamer to at least try the game even if turn-based RPGs are not your forte. When I first booted up the game and heard the signature aria that plays over the title screen, it struck me as a sign that I was in for something special. The striking beauty of Expedition 33 is undeniable; its painterly aesthetic and environment design is refreshingly unique. While there is no HDR, it frankly doesn’t even feel necessary as the art direction is so strong. The music is honestly beyond description. It is eclectic and haunting. I still cannot believe that this is Lorien Testard’s first score; it sounds like the work of a tenured maestro. Each character’s theme is pitch perfect, and some of my personal favorites are the electro pop Gestral themes, Monoco’s jazz and a certain key character’s boss theme; there is a wide variety of genres at play here. With these superlatives across graphics, art direction and music, you would think that the game has to slip up on the gameplay front. No such thing; in actuality, the gameplay is arguably the game’s strongest feature. The Pictos/Luminas system is addictive and complex; the build possibilities are vast. When paired with character-specific skills, weapons and mechanics, this turn-based RPG straight up redefines the boundaries of the genre. By stepping over into soulsborne territory with parry/dodge mechanics, the game perfects a facet of turn-based combat which was first introduced to me in the Paper Mario series. Reaction speed, tell reading and skill-based gameplay is especially rewarding given how immensely satisfying it is to hit a full series of parries flawlessly and witness your character (or whole team) execute a flashy and stylishly devastating counterattack. Parrying is not easy as many enemies feint and change up the timing of their attacks but after a while, it will become second nature, and it is crucial against endgame bosses. Speaking of endgame bosses, the top three hardest bosses are among the most tense combat experiences I’ve had in gaming. Even the game’s negatives were aspects I came to understand were deliberate decisions by the developers which make sense after a few hours. The lack of a minimap is disorientating at first but as you continue to explore, you realise that it embraces the in-game narrative of “discovery for the first time” but on the heels of expeditions who have come before you. Life. Death. Art. Sorrow. Family; both of blood and adopted. These are just some of the heady topics that Expedition 33 expertly weaves its mesmerising tale around. A superb cast of characters with depth, humor and pathos take center stage; each one is unique and has a moving backstory. My MVP (in both story and gameplay) is Maelle. The voice cast is more than up to the task; it will be a crime if the likes of Ben Starr, Andy Serkis and Jennifer English are not nominated for their stellar work. I fully expect Expedition 33 to receive nominations for GOTY, Art Direction, RPG, Voice Acting and Score. The game deserves a whole bunch of accolades, and it is safe to say that Expedition 33 is my personal frontrunner for GOTY right now, even over Hades 2 which I have sunk 200+ hours into. This is a tough choice as I felt that Supergiant Games was robbed of GOTY for Hades and deserves GOTY for Hades 2. However, the narrative behind Expedition 33 is just as strong, if not more so; it is the debut game of a core team comprising 30 developers. I need to let some time pass so as not to be influenced by recency bias but it has the potential to be a top five all time game for me; right now it is definitely top ten. This review is ultimately for those who have not yet played this generational classic. I am envious of every single one of you who get to experience it for the first time. Have an absolute blast! “For those who come after.”