Clair Obscur: Expedition 33boasts a stunning setting coupled with a dark story, but it seems to have taken inspiration from a surprisingly light source. Despite the mature nature ofClair Obscur: Expedition 33, many are comparing the early glimpses of its combat to that of Nintendo’sMario RPGandPaper Mariogames.
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33is the debut game by studio Sandfall Interactive, and seems to be kicking things off with a bang for the new developer. Based on trailers, early reviews, and even the prospect of a movie all speaking positively before the game’s launch,Expedition 33is one of2025’s most highly anticipated games. There could be many reasons for this, from the unique setting inspired by Belle Époque France to the mysterious story of the sinister Paintress, but one key to the game’s early success might be in its combat.
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33’s Combat is Surprisingly Familiar
The turn-based combat ofClair Obscur: Expedition 33isn’t an unusual choice for an RPG, but it uses mechanics that may have been inspired by an unexpected source.Hands-on previews ofExpedition 33praise various aspects of the game, but one of the most highly talked-about inclusions is the quick-time based combat mechanics. Game Rant’s own Anthony Taormina specifically compares the combat to that ofSuper Mario RPG, explaining that “encounters require precise timing for the greatest success and offer a bit of strategy…”. BothSuper Mario RPGand thePaper Mariofranchise have included elements of quick-time based defense, where the proper button prompts allow for dodges and even counterattacks, something that few, if any, other RPGs have borrowed from Nintendo.
The implementation of quick-time events to aid in battle is certainly similar to theMariogames, butExpedition 33seems to take it a bit farther. Unlike the plumber, who mostly uses this mechanic to dodge, the expeditioners inClair Obscurhave the choice to dodge, parry, or counterattack during the enemy’s turn, depending on the player’s timing. This more advanced version of the quick-time combat mechanic should feel right at home in a more mature RPG,givingExpedition 33the best of both worldswhen it comes to combat. The deep strategy that more advanced players expect is still present alongside the innovative controls from the more child-friendly Nintendo games.
The Revived Mario RPGs Could Return the Favor
After the recent success of the remakes ofSuper Mario RPGandPaper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door, it’s natural that this mechanic might be fresh in the minds of new developers. The game industry is at its best when companies, even strong competitors, can learn from each other, innovate on old ideas, and give players new experiences based on what has been successful in the past. That’s precisely whatClair Obscur: Expedition 33is doing by taking this mechanic from some of thebest child-friendly RPGsand making it evolve. With Nintendo’s reputation for fiercely protecting its franchises and ideas, this could have been a risky move for Sandfall Interactive, but at this point Nintendo doesn’t seem bothered byExpedition 33’s choice of inspiration. Hopefully, this will mean that Nintendo is open to borrowing ideas from other RPGs to better its own as well.
The recentPaper Mariogames have received a lackluster response from fans, but this hasn’t stopped Nintendo from pushing further into new ideas forMarioand its other franchises. After seeing how much fans appreciated the remakes of their old favorite, it seems thatNintendo might be developing new RPGsagain, and fans can only hope that their support of the old style ofMarioRPGs over the new one speaks for itself. If Nintendo is able to lend its mechanics to more mature games, hopefully it can also borrow some of the excellent themes and ideas from games likeClair Obscur: Expedition 33to better its own RPGs in the future.
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
WHERE TO PLAY
Once a year, the Paintress wakes and paints upon her monolith. Paints her cursed number. And everyone of that age turns to smoke and fades away. Year by year, that number ticks down and more of us are erased. Tomorrow she’ll wake and paint “33.” And tomorrow we depart on our final mission - Destroy the Paintress, so she can never paint death again.We are Expedition 33.Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is a ground-breaking turn-based RPG with unique real-time mechanics, making battles more immersive and addictive than ever. Explore a fantasy world inspired by Belle Époque France in which you battle devastating enemies.
