One of the most promising RPGs of 2025, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, will feature a combat system inspired by FromSoftware’s masterpiece Sekiro…

JRPGs have had a huge impact on our medium. Many Western developers have spent countless hours playing games like Final Fantasy, and now, years later, they want to pay homage to them with spiritual successors to the Japanese RPGs. One such game is Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. Announced in the summer and considered one of the most promising RPGs of 2025, the French development will be a turn-based RPG, but it will include a parry mechanic for a simple reason: its creator fell in love with Sekiro so much that he wanted to include it in it.

The existence of parry in Expedition 33 is no mystery. The team led by the project’s creative director, Guillaume Broche, has made it clear since the announcement that their vision was to push the boundaries of turn-based combat with a unique hybrid that not only relies on blocks, but also combos and enemy weaknesses. However, Broche took advantage of his conversation with Edge magazine to explain the reason for one of these mechanics, blocking, which doesn’t seem typical for a turn-based RPG.

It all comes down to the fact that after finishing the credits of FromSoftware’s masterpiece, Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, Broche said to himself, “I love parrying. Why can’t I parry in my game?” This highlights how important it is to make turn-based combat more interesting and dynamic.

Expedition 33’s parry system requires the player to be on their toes, carefully observing the enemy’s attack animations.

Broche notes that it is possible to dodge, parry, and jump over enemy attacks later in the game, which adds additional depth to the combat. “It gives a completely different feeling to turn-based combat when you have to read the animations,” Broche explains, emphasizing that this approach increases the player’s immersion in the battles.

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 aims to be a “gateway drug” to turn-based RPGs

In this regard, Broche confirmed that his debut game was inspired by titles like Super Mario RPG, but with the ambition to take this concept to a more visually elaborate level. Broche saw an opportunity to appeal to players who generally don’t feel drawn to turn-based combat. “It was a case of, if nobody is going to do it, I will do it,” he said, convinced that the combat system could provide a refreshing gameplay experience without sacrificing the genre’s core strategy.

Sandfall Interactive’s goal with Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is to appeal not only to fans of turn-based RPGs, but also to those who are generally averse to that style of combat. Broche believes that this parry mechanic, like Sekiro’s emphasis on speed and precision, could be an entry point for players who want a tactical RPG experience, but with a more dynamic and immersive feel. “I tried to make it more engaging for people who don’t necessarily like turn-based combat, while keeping the strategic core,” Broche concluded.

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, due out next year at an unspecified date, has been highly anticipated by the community, and for good reason. In addition to the game concept and location that transports us to “Belle Époque” Paris, Expedition 33 will feature A-list actors such as Jennifer English (Shadow Heart in Baldur’s Gate 3), Charlie Cox (Daredevil), and Ben Starr (Final Fantasy XVI).

Source: GamesRadar