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[LectureMaster]

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 builds on a "heritage of JRPGs" like Final Fantasy 7, 8, 9, and 10, but it's also "inspired by Sekiro" and taking pieces from deckbuilders

Expedition 33 intentionally ditched the "manga-like or anime-like graphics"

www.gamesradar.com

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"Those are big childhood games for Guillaume [Broche], our game director," Meurisse contniues. "He wanted to have like kind of feeling that he imagined would have remained in modern Final Fantasy-like games, if they had kept doing turn-based stuff. But he mixed also lots of different inspirations. Definitely Final Fantasy and JRPGs are the preeminent gameplay heritage we have. The defense system is more inspired by Sekiro and From Software games. It has this kind of rhythm element and a more real-time component in it. More skill-based."

Those From Software inspirations were pretty obvious in my hands-on time with Expedition 33, and I found myself pretty surprised with just how demanding the game's action-based defense elements can be. Enemy attacks tend to have the same sort of tricky, off-rhythm patterns you'd expect from a Souls boss, and the combo of classic turn-based battles with action elements far more demanding than you'd see in, say, a Mario RPG creates a pretty unique combat system.

"There are also lots of different smaller inspirations," Meurisse adds. "For example, the idea of having action points for skills in the battles is more inspired by deckbuilding games than having the usual like magic points scores or mana in RPGs." That inspiration is equally plain to see in the ways special attacks can synergize between your party members to create uniquely powerful results.

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[Grizzled Ghost]

I haven't played it in decades but didn't the OG Super Mario RPG have essentially the same system? Timing button presses to attacks to reduce damage.

 

[jshackles]

Saying all the right things

 

[LectureMaster]

I haven't played it in decades but didn't the OG Super Mario RPG have essentially the same system? Timing button presses to attacks to reduce damage.

The recent Yakuza 8 also has the precise input system to increase damage and defense.

 

[a'la mode]

It's the one thing I want to see for myself, because I'm thinking it can turn out to be a massive pain in the ass in the long run, especially if any grind is involved. I hope it won't be like old turn-based battles where each fight is a slow slog needlessly drawn out by excessive animations or what have you, but with the addition of timed blocks so you can't even just button mash or auto-battle half asleep through it.

 

[LectureMaster]

What my man Adam expect to play a Persona-like turn based RPG:

What my man actually needs to do to play the game:

 

[bender]

I thought it was going to be like Shadow Hearts.

 

[March Climber]

Mario RPG was always the better turn-based system.

Making things feel active even when on defensive turns is a good thing.

I’m hoping they also include some sort of system that auto-kills or fast forwards lower level enemy fights to lessen the grind.