Sandfall Interactive's Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is poised for launch, with fresh details emerging from Xbox's Developer Direct. This article delves into the game's release date, character roster, and innovative combat system.
Unveiling the Mystery: April 24, 2025 Launch
Inspired by Belle Epoque France, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 arrives on April 24, 2025. The announcement, part of Xbox's Developer Direct, confirmed the game's inclusion in the Xbox Game Pass library on launch day.
Pre-orders are open: $44.99 for the standard edition and $59.99 for the Deluxe Edition on the Xbox Store. Steam and PS5 offer a 10% discount ($44.99 and $53.99 respectively), though the PS5 discount requires a PlayStation Plus subscription and ends at 3:00 PM local time on release day. The Steam discount concludes May 2, 2025. An Epic Games Store listing is currently available for wishlisting only.
New Faces Join the Expedition: Monoco and Esquie
The team expands to seven playable characters plus a dedicated exploration character. Monoco, a "friendly and bloodthirsty Gestral," possesses the unique ability to transform into defeated enemies, leveraging their powers. Gestrals are notably immune to the Paintress's influence.
Esquie, an ancient and powerful being, plays a crucial support role, granting access to various locations on the open-world map. Collecting his special stones unlocks new abilities and areas. The remaining playable characters (Gustave, Lune, Maelle, Sciel, Renoir, and Verso) were previously revealed in an October 16, 2024 YouTube video.
Reactive Turn-Based Combat and Deep Character Customization
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 revitalizes turn-based combat with a reactive system. Players can time dodges and parries for increased damage, with adjustable difficulty settings to cater to varying skill levels.
Extensive character customization is a core feature. Each character boasts unique mechanics and skill trees, such as Lune's "Stain" resource for ability enhancement. "Pictos," equipment modifiers, evolve into permanent Luminas (passive effects) after four battles, offering diverse build options. This allows for hundreds of unique character builds.
