I’ve been on a retro gaming kick recently, thanks to Steam Deck emulation and owning some Anbernic handheld systems. There’s a negative side to that, as my focus on these older titles hasn’t given me time to play new games. Admittedly, not a lot of modern titles have caught my interest lately, outside of Marvel Rivals.
However, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 might finally get me off my retro gaming funk. Word of mouth has been strong for this turn-based RPG. Whether it’s fans comparing it to Final Fantasy or just gamers enjoying this new adventure, it’s clear that this Expedition is worth going on.
Pretty much everyone has talked about how compelling the story of Expedition 33 is. One day, a mysterious being puts a tower in the world, determining how long people have to live. Starting at 100, the number has gone down every year, making life shorter for everyone involved. The number is now at an alarming 33, so this latest expedition will try to sort things out.
Naturally, this is how Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 starts. And that’s one hell of a way to get everyone’s attention.
Another great aspect of the game is its combat system. Based on everything I’ve seen, it looks like a unique mix of Persona 5 Royal, with bits of the Paper Mario series in there. The fact that players can dodge enemies at the last minute or parry them is proof of that.
Fun fact: Final Fantasy 16 has last-minute dodges and parries, but people don’t like that game anymore because it has real-time combat. Anyway…
Considering all of the praise being thrown at Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, that feeling of FOMO is strong right now. With a good art style, cool characters, and a fun combat system, there’s so much to like about this game. The fact that it’s inspired by plenty of JRPG classics helps with that.
Granted, I don’t exactly hate the retro gaming funk I’m currently in. There are plenty of fun Pokémon rom hacks I’ve been trying, all of which have been fun. I’m still making my way through Dragon Quest 8, which is still a beautiful JRPG to grind through. Because of my love for retro games, I’ll probably play a couple more before eventually sitting down and playing Expedition 33.
Thankfully, I know that Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 will be worth the wait. The game’s fans have been nice enough to not spoil any major story events on social media, showing how much they love this game. With GTA 6 now delayed, we think this new RPG has the chance to win Game of the Year in 2025.