Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Devs Ignored Doubts About Their Unique Combat System
It’s been over a year since the impressive launch of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, and the creative director, Guillaume Broche, is taking a moment to reflect on the journey. Before the game hit the shelves, they were told that players wouldn’t be fond of their innovative combat system. Fast forward to now, and it feels almost unbelievable considering the game went on to snag all five major Game of the Year awards, a feat only previously achieved by Baldur’s Gate 3.
In a recent chat on Konbini’s Video Game Club on YouTube, Broche shared that the team at Sandfall Interactive faced significant skepticism about their approach. “With Clair Obscur, there are plenty of design decisions that are fundamentally flawed,” he noted. The criticism primarily stemmed from their decision to fuse challenging action mechanics—like dodging and parrying—with traditional turn-based gameplay. Many believed this mix wouldn’t resonate with players, who typically prefer one style over the other.
However, history shows that blending gameplay styles isn’t a new concept. Just look at classics like 1996’s Super Mario RPG, which successfully combined real-time action with turn-based elements. The development team at Sandfall was inspired by such games and believed in their vision. “We didn’t care,” Broche stated about the warnings they received. “We think it’s cool, we play it, and it’s fun. We combined the two, and it worked.”
Broche acknowledges that while Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 isn’t flawless—citing some “unbearable” minigames as a glaring example—the imperfections can add a unique charm to a game. He argues that striving for perfection can often lead to boredom, as games that focus too much on fixing every flaw might lose their engaging qualities.
Looking ahead, Broche speculates that developers may soon be able to create games at lightning speed with just a prompt. However, he hopes that such games lack the depth and engagement that players truly enjoy.