Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 borrows from the best in many ways. It has counter-based tactics in its turn-based combat, which were used in big games like Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars on the SNES. It has a world map like old-school RPGs, including many Final Fantasy and Dragon Quest titles.
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The list of inspirations could go on, but Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 was also a successful RPG all its own. First-time developer Sandfall Interactive knocked it out of the park, and one of the standout features about the game happens in the game's first hour. Let’s dive into the prologue of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 and why it's one of the greatest video game intros of all time.
Spoilers Ahead for the beginning of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, before Expedition 33 leaves port.
Lots Of Optional Content
Explore Lumiere Or Cut To The Chase
The most obvious best thing about Clair Obscur: Expedition 33’s prologue is that much of it is completely optional. Players will take control of Gustave and follow Maelle until they reach Sophie. After that, they can run in a straight line to the docks and initiate a cutscene that sets the rest of the game in motion.
If players go through the intro without exploring Lumiere, but still watch the cutscenes, it’s probably a ten-minute prologue. However, if they decide to do everything, it’ll probably be more like an hour’s worth of content. The festival scene in Lumiere is reminiscent of Final Fantasy 9, which gave Vivi plenty to do around Alexandria, along with Chrono Trigger and its festival intro. Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is simply drawing from the best.
Optional Backstory
Learning More About Gustave, Sophie, And The World
In retrospect, the story of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is pretty simple once players beat the game and everything is made clear. However, in the prologue, everything is mysterious because players don’t know what to expect. As they explore the city, Maelle, Sophie, or Gustave will talk about other characters or the world to help fill in some of the gaps.
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Likewise, there are NPCs all over the city who will talk to either Gustave or Sophie. Players can learn more about the world, what The Gommage is, the relationship between Gustave and Sophie, and so on. None of that backstory really matters in the grand scheme of things, as the game will continue to flesh out the world naturally as players progress, but there are still some fascinating things to learn in these early stages. Sophie is the MVP of the intro, since she dies afterward and doesn’t get to talk to anyone outside of the prologue.
Optional Quests
Getting Early Rewards
NPCs are more than just a useful source to uncover new details about the narrative in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. Some of them have quests for players to complete. A man is offering Gustave and Sophie some clothes to give to a child. Once accomplished, Gustave will get a cool, red version of his Expedition uniform.
Side quests are not something unique to Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 as an RPG, but making these side quests missable is. Missing one will not make the game harder, and completing them will not make the game easier. They are simply there to give players some practice, with a few rewards thrown in for good measure.
The Optional Fights
Facing Unique Builds
There are four fights players can participate in during the prologue. First, players have to face Maelle in a duel, although it is a tutorial, so it’s a hard one to lose. After that, the other three battles are optional. After the Gommage, players can challenge Maelle again, and she’s a much harder fight this time around, which makes sense since Maelle is a strong character in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33.
While exploring the world with Sophie, players can meet a painter who wants to see her and Gustave duel. Sophie will attack automatically, and all players need to do as Gustave is dodge. Afterward, the painter will create a painting keepsake of the two of them. Finally, one of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33’s biggest side quests relates to finding Mimes throughout the world, and there is one in Lumiere. Unfortunately, Sophie cannot aid Gustave in this fight, but it’s not that hard, regardless.
The Ending
Establishing The Stakes
The best thing about the prologue in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is also one of the most heartbreaking things about the game. As sad as it is, it sets the stakes and tells players this is not going to be a happy-go-lucky tale. This is a dark RPG with mature themes that players may find troubling to think about.
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Once players decide to end the prologue, they need to go to the docks. Here, they will see exactly what The Gommage is; it turns people into flowers when they reach the end of their lives within The Paintress’ guidelines. It’s as heartbreaking as the opening of Up, and it doesn’t let stop there, as the beach landing is also devastating. Again, it helps establish that Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is not going to be an entirely pleasant ride.
The Music
So Pretty, So Chill
Exploring in the prologue would not be as fun as it is without the music, and Clair Obscur: Expedition 33’s soundtrack is one of the best of 2025. While exploring Lumiere, it will be hard for players to get the music out of their heads for the rest of the game. Besides the soundtrack, there are diagetic moments of music taking place in the festival, too.
For example, one of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33’s key party members, Lune, can be seen playing a guitar. There’s a stage of dancers having a good time around the festival grounds, too. Overall, there is a lot to see off the beaten path, and it makes the prologue extremely memorable.
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 92 /100 Critics Rec: 97%
- Released
- April 24, 2025
- ESRB
- Mature 17+ / Blood and Gore, Strong Language, Suggestive Themes, Violence
- Developer(s)
- Sandfall Interactive
- Publisher(s)
- Kepler Interactive
WHERE TO PLAY
- Genre(s)
- Turn-Based RPG, JRPG, Fantasy
