Clair Obscur: Gameplay Details Emerge

Sandfall Interactive recently unveiled significant details about Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 during Xbox's Developer Direct, including the release date, character roster, and innovative combat system. Let's delve into the exciting news!

Confront the Paintress's Fury: April 24, 2025

Set in a Belle Epoque France-inspired fantasy world, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 launches on April 24, 2025. This announcement, made during the Xbox Developer Direct, confirmed the game's arrival on Xbox Game Pass on day one.

Pre-orders are available now! The standard edition is priced at $44.99, while the Deluxe Edition is $59.99 on the Xbox Store. Steam and PS5 offer a 10% discount ($44.99 and $53.99 respectively), though the Steam discount ends May 2nd, 2025, and the PS5 discount (requiring PlayStation Plus) ends at 3:00 PM local time on release day. The game is currently wishlisted on the Epic Games Store.

Meet the New Recruits: Monoco and Esquie

The full cast of seven playable characters (plus one dedicated to exploration) has been revealed. New additions Monoco and Esquie bring unique abilities to the team.

Monoco, a friendly yet bloodthirsty Gestral, possesses the remarkable ability to transform into defeated enemies, leveraging their powers in combat. Gestrals are notably immune to the Paintress's influence.

Esquie, considered the oldest and strongest being, focuses on exploration. He grants access to various locations on the open-world map, requiring the retrieval of his special stones to unlock new abilities and areas. The other playable characters—Gustave, Lune, Maelle, Sciel, Renoir, and Verso—were previously revealed.

Reactive Turn-Based Combat and Deep Character Customization

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 boasts a revitalized turn-based combat system. A real-time element allows for parrying and dodging, adding a layer of reflex-based action. More powerful attacks are possible with precise button presses. Difficulty settings adjust the timing windows for parrying and dodging, catering to different skill levels.

Deep character customization is a core feature. Each character has unique mechanics and skill trees. Lune, for example, uses accumulated "Stain" to enhance her abilities. "Pictos," equipment modifiers, evolve into permanent Luminas (passive effects) after four battles, offering extensive build diversity. Hundreds of build combinations are possible, ensuring replayability and personalized playstyles.