One of the first RPGs to react to the success of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 comes from a franchise that has been around for three decades. The Legend of Sword and Fairy 4 Remake borrows visual ideas and gameplay sensibilities from the French RPG, breathing new life into a long-running saga.

Many video game franchises have struggled to break out beyond their country of origin, and The Legend of Sword and Fairy is no exception. The Chinese role-playing series has existed since 1995 and now includes seven main entries, more than a dozen spin-offs, as well as films and card games. With its seventh installment already four years old, developer UP Software is now focused on remaking the fourth game, widely regarded by fans as one of the strongest chapters in the saga.

Since the mid-1990s, the series has been a cornerstone of the RPG genre in China and across Asia, blending xianxia mythology with emotionally driven fantasy narratives. Among all its entries, the fourth installment stands out for its storytelling and character development, making its remake both a nostalgic project and a potential entry point for newcomers.

The Legend of Sword and Fairy 4 Remake Returns to Turn-Based Combat

Although the project was officially announced in 2024, alongside confirmation of Unreal Engine 5 and a larger budget, it is only recently that players have been able to see it in action. The most notable change lies in its combat system, which deliberately looks back to the series’ roots. Instead of the real-time combat of The Legend of Sword and Fairy 7 or the hybrid approach used in the sixth entry, this remake fully embraces turn-based battles.

That said, the system is far from traditional. Drawing inspiration from titles like Paper Mario, Lost Odyssey, and Mario & Luigi, combat features active dodging, timed counterattacks, and manual defense, adding a layer of interactivity that modern audiences have come to expect from turn-based RPGs.

So where does Expedition 33 fit into this picture? Sandfall Interactive has been open about its influences, with Guillaume Broche openly expressing his admiration for Lost Odyssey. The connection here is most visible in camera work, visual effects, animations, and overall game feel, which closely resemble the style popularized by the French RPG.

This is hardly the first time a game has sought inspiration from others that achieved strong media impact, even if those titles were not entirely original themselves. With this remake, the franchise aims to compete in a market where acclaimed Asian RPGs have already shown that there is room for diverse turn-based experiences. Attention now turns to how the project will balance faithfulness to the original with its appeal to international audiences.

Source: 3djuegos