Summary
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33is a critical darling and also a massive commercial success,according to statsreleased by French developer Sandfall Interactive. Although the French influences are clear in Expedition 33, so too is the Japanese influence.
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is unapologetically inspired by famous JRPG series, such as Final Fantasy and Persona. With this in mind, it’s no surprise that Sandfall’s creative director, Guillaume Broche, recently heaped praise onThe Hundred Line: Last Defense Academy, a tactical role-playing game by famous Japanese developers Kodaka and Uchikoshi, responsible for Danganronpa and Zero Escape, respectively. Clair Obscur and The Hundred Line were released on the same day, April 24.
Too Many Games, Too Little Time
“After your expedition, check out The Hundred Line, another great turn-based RPG that was also released last week, and made with love by an awesome team. There’s too many good RPGs coming out at the same time, these days!” Boche posted onClair Obscur’s X (formerly Twitter) account.
The Hundred Line is also a critical hit, holding an average review score of 87 onOpenCritic. Our own Gabrielle Castania said The Hundred Line is “next in the line of spiritual successors”, saying it strikes chords close to “both Danganronpa and Zero Escape,” in her3.5/5 review.
Kodakaresponded to Broche’s commentwith some praise of Clair Obscur, writing, “Thank you!!! And for those of you who finished your school life first—it’s time to head out on an expedition! Expedition 33 is the future of RPGs. With unique RPGs like these coming out at the same time, now’s the perfect time to dive in and enjoy everything the genre has to offer.”
That’s certainly high praise from a legendary developer like Kodaka, responsible for Danganronpa and now another critically acclaimed hit in The Hundred Line.
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is tied for the highest-rated game of the year on Metacritic, and currentlyhas one of the highest user scores of all time.
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is currently available on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Game Pass and PC. Meanwhile, The Hundred Line: Last Defense Academy is available on Nintendo Switch and PC.
