Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Puts the Ball Back in Final Fantasy’s Court

Sandfall Interactive’s debut game, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, has not only risen to become one of the best games of 2025, but it is quickly proving itself to be one of the best games ever made. While some of this is due to just how much it surprised the gaming industry, it can’t be denied that it does so many different things so well. From its story to its gameplay to its music and world, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is quickly setting standards for the industry to follow, especially when it comes to RPGs.

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is an incredibly unique experience, despite having clear inspirations from classic JRPGs, but one of its most distinctive characteristics is its turn-based formula. In the current gaming climate, turn-based games aren’t generally received well, simply because they usually offer slower, more intentional and paced gameplay. As such, it has been suggested that modern gamers prefer real-time action to turn-based strategy, even by Final Fantasy developer Square Enix, whose roots are entrenched in turn-based mechanics. However, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 has effectively disproven that theory with its ongoing success, and perhaps the next Final Fantasy game should take notes.

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33’s Turn-Based Formula Paid Off

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Has Proven That Turn-Based Games Can Still Thrive

Today, everything is fast. Life keeps moving, everyone stays busy, and the need for every action to use time efficiently has massively increased. Social media users scroll through content that doesn’t immediately grab their attention, and many people aren’t willing to invest in something that doesn’t have the output to match it. As a result, attention spans are down and time budgets are shorter than ever, meaning whatever people do needs to constantly be on the move with them. This is primarily why turn-based games have had trouble achieving success in recent memory — that is, until Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 arrived on the scene.

In response to the rapid pace of the real world, the RPG space has largely shifted toward real-time combat mechanics that keep players engaged at every turn. However, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 chose to go against the grain, taking a gamble with its turn-based formula, and it has clearly paid off. When players enter combat in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, they are given turns where they can thoughtfully decide what their next move is and more effectively plan their strategy than they could in a real-time combat game like Final Fantasy 16. It has a slower, more rhythmic pace to it, but it has obviously been enough to fuel Clair Obscur: Expedition 33‘s success.

The Next Final Fantasy Should Take Notes From Clair Obscur: Expedition 33

That being said, where Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 differs from many turn-based RPGs is in its ability to incorporate real-time mechanics into the formula, and to do so in a balanced way. More or less, it’s very much like Super Mario RPG, where battles take place over a series of turns, but players are still given a chance to defend themselves in real time during the enemy’s turn. In Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, players can parry and dodge enemy attacks in real time, with the end result being a dance between turn-based and real-time combat mechanics that appeal to diverse playstyles.

Perhaps this is where Final Fantasy 17 and the franchise as a whole could learn something. Final Fantasy 16 experimented with real-time combat mechanics, and it proved to be divisive, as longtime fans of the series weren’t ready to say “goodbye” to its turn-based roots. Given Clair Obscur: Expedition 33‘s incredible success, not only is there still room for turn-based combat systems in the RPG space, but they can be implemented in such a way that they reach across the aisle to embrace both sides. Now, it’s Final Fantasy 17‘s turn to prove Final Fantasy still one of the best RPG franchises out there.

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33

Released

April 24, 2025

ESRB

Mature 17+ // Blood and Gore, Strong Language, Suggestive Themes, Violence

Developer(s)

Sandfall Interactive

Publisher(s)

Kepler Interactive

Engine

Unreal Engine 5