Tomorrow will come!
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 got an amazing update during the Xbox Developer Direct! The game will be released on April 24th, 2025. The game will have a world map. That’s right. A world map! Plenty more was revealed during the presentation. We will be diving into everything!
The World Map
Having a world map in Clair Obscur was not something I was expecting. Nonetheless, this is an amazing surprise! The world map will enable us to explore the world of Clair Obscur. We will able to discover new locations. There will be plenty of secrets to uncover on the world map too.
This fact was mentioned in previous interviews for Clair Obscur. I am stoked that we will be able to explore and discover all of these locations and secrets. Exploration and discovery are two of the things I love about RPGs.
The world map will have optional battles and side quests. These battles and quests will be challenging which will give us players plenty of opportunities to test ourselves. And we can learn and master combat along with building our character mechanics. The developers state that mastering these mechanics will be rewarding.
Camping
Another cool feature unveiled is that we’ll be able to camp on the world map. While camping, we can reinforce our characters’ builds and weapons. The characters will have conversations about their backstories. Each character will also share their motivation for wanting to destroy the paintress.
Camping also allows you to listen to the game’s musical score. There is an in-game record player which tracks from the game’s soundtrack. This is an awesome feature. It’s a feature I grew to love thanks to Stellar Blade’s supply camps with their ability to play music.
Building Your Party
In battle, characters have their own battle style. Maelle, for example, has different stances. These stances shift between defensive and offensive. One developer stated that he used Maelle as the protector of the group. Everyone uses Maelle as a glass cannon character.
Each character has a skill tree with 20 unique abilities for each character. And they have passive abilities known as Luminas. Every character has over 100 Luminas. With all these unique abilities and luminas, the characters' builds in the game are going to be widely varied.
Esquie
We will also have a means of transportation thanks to the Esquie. Esquie is a larger-than-life creature with balloon-like features. The party befriends it in the course of the game. As the party progresses through the game, new abilities will be unlocked for Esquie. These abilities are unlocked by giving Esquie his special stones. Both the gameplay overview and the release date trailer reveal that Esquie can swim across the seas. Esquie can fly around the world too.
Esquie reminds me of all of the creatures you used for traveling in Visions of Mana. In that game, you had three magical creatures that could get you around on land, sea, and the sky. It will be awesome to be able to travel around in these methods again. However, we have been told that Esquie is the most powerful being in the world. And it can even fly to the heavens.
Monoco and Gestrals
In addition to Esquie, the party will receive help from another companion named Monoco. Monoco is a Gestral, and he is described as a friendly yet bloodthirsty one. Gestrals are creatures who are playful and see battles as inspiration. The unique thing about Monoco is that it can transform into Nevrons. When transformed, Monoco can also use the abilities of the enemies he morphs into.
Unlike Esquie, Monoco will be a full-fledged party member. I am glad he is on the party’s side. Not only because he’s bloodthirsty, but, interestingly, Monoco can use enemies’ forms and abilities against them. Monoco will be a fun and interesting character to play.
During the adventure, the party will arrive at the Gestral Village. They will be greeted by the Gestrals. The village is described as grungy and chaotic with huts that have a weak foundation. The developers described the village as a bazaar where the expedition can have fun and be loose.
The Story
The developers have stated that this is not a story on good vs evil. Clair Obscur’s story will be a dark and mature narrative with flawed characters. These characters will have their experiences that will feel real and organic. The game’s themes will be about fighting an existential threat while dealing with loss and grief.
Clair Obscur will explore the character’s relationships and what their relationship mean to each other. Also, what do these relationships mean to each character?
Is it possible to have hope in this world? Should I be at peace with my fate? What are the duties I owe to my comrades and myself? These are questions that will permeate the story behind the main narrative.
SorTomorrow Is Coming
After the reveal trailer and overview, I am extremely stoked about this game. This is not only a love letter to old-school JRPGS like Final Fantasy and Persona, but it also innovates the genre with respect and love. Along with the revolutionary turn-based combat, the premise and what was shown today. I can’t wait for tomorrow to come on April 24th!
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