Review #026 – Clair Obscur: Expedition 33

Other than a handful of all-time classics like Chrono Trigger and Final Fantasy VII, I mostly just respect Japanese-style RPGs from the sidelines. Clair Obscur was able to sink its teeth into me though with its melancholic vibes, intriguing narrative, and stellar combat system. It feels like a traditional JRPG at its core but without the frivolousness that some games in the genre can overdo.

I couldn't get enough of the combat — it's very much that Paper Mario-adjacent action-based attacking that can be more powerful with perfectly timed button presses. You also have a few different ways to mitigate damage like dodging and parrying, which are always extremely satisfying to pull off. Every party member has their own unique style too which makes building your team very rewarding when their abilities synch perfectly.

The game is just loaded with emotionally moving story sequences, spectacularly intense boss fights, engrossing soundtrack, and stunning vistas — seriously, the art team really pulled off some magic here. I also really appreciate that the game isn't 100 hours long — I finished the main story and did a collection of side content in just above 40 very manageable hours.