French studio Sandfall Interactive brought a big surprise to the Xbox Games Showcase with an incredible-looking new JRPG-style adventure called Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, due to hit PS5, PC, and Xbox - including Game Pass - in 2025.
The trailer, which you can see below, has a pretty intriguing setup with its beautiful surreal landscapes. But the real selling point might be the JRPG-style combat, which appears to be turn-based but with real-time actions you can do to dodge certain attacks and the like in the style of a Paper Mario.
"In this evolution of JRPGs, real-time actions enhance the heart of turn-based combat," the devs explain. "Build your party and level up six characters. Craft unique builds for your expeditioners that fit your playstyle via gear, stats, skills, and character synergies. Open an active dimension in combat - dodge, parry, and counter in real time, chain combos by mastering attack rhythms, and target enemy weak points using a free-aim system."
- The old-school Expedition 33 looks like the turn-based AAA JRPG Square Enix refuses to give me with Final Fantasy, and it's out this April
- Saving the world with a baguette? "A joke that went too far," shares Clair Obscur: Expedition 33's creative director, as we talk Final Fantasy, Persona, and more
That all sounds like music to my ears, and given the lack of big-budget turn-based options in the JRPG space these days, Expedition 33 seems like it's perfectly positioned to fill that gap.
This game was technically announced some time ago as Project W, the first project from Sandfall. "With a focus on single-player experiences, we want to deliver incredible stories with intriguing characters in gorgeous fantasy worlds," the studio explains on its official website. Judging by this first reveal trailer, it certainly appears that the studio is making good on that mission statement.
Follow our live coverage of the Xbox Games Showcase as part of the Summer Game Fest schedule for 2024 for more.
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