Clair Obscur: Expedition 33is a game that’s full of surprises, and nothing better exemplifies this than the abrupt introduction of a relationship system at the beginning of Act 2. While most other games would establish a system like this in the opening hours, it takes Expedition 33 until Verso joins the party to introduce this method of bonding.
Each of the party members, aside from Verso, has a whole series of relationship conversations, each with their own rewards, and some even have their own dedicated side quests. Not all of these are equal however, and while you’ll never need to choose between them, some are much more interesting to pursue than others.
Story Spoilers Ahead!
5Esquie
Esquie is a definite light in the story of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, but unfortunately he doesn’t get too much to do in the main story after his introduction, besides ferrying the party to wherever they need to be on the Continent.
His relationship with Verso is a great opportunity to get to spend more time with the charming side character, but unfortunately, these conversations don’t shed much extra light on his personality or the world at large than we already know.
Esquie has a sweet and mischievous dynamic with Verso, and their conversations let us learn about his opinions on the various goings on in the story, and what he thinks about the other party members. A highlight is the chance to re-visit Esquie’s frenemy Francois back in his cave, and you will learn a little about the relationship between Francois and Clea, but not enough to feel that satisfying. However, it’s still worth it to get the ability to dive underwater with Esquie and reach the final depths of what the Continent has to hide.
4Lune
With so much time to shine with the smaller party count in the first act, by Act 2,Lune is a well-established characterwith a strong personality, and a clear role in the party. Because of this, her conversations with Verso throughout their relationship don’t shed much extra light on Lune’s personality, but instead highlight her curiosity and dedication to research.
Even though her relationship with Verso doesn’t stick out too much in her earlier conversations, they get more engaging when we learn about her complicated history with her parents. She’s stuck between being the vessel of her parent’s legacy, while also wanting to have her own autonomy and not be defined by those that came before her.
This all comes to a head when you head to Sirene’s Dress to track down the log from her parents' Expedition. The quest itself isn’t particularly interesting, but getting to witness a more vulnerable side of Lune after hearing the log sheds light on a fascinating new aspect of personality we wouldn’t get to see otherwise. She’s also one of the two romance options, and while this dynamic between her and Verso doesn’t feel out of character, it feels slightly less natural compared to the other option.
3Monoco
Out of all the relationships in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, Monoco is the character that Verso already has the strongest pre-existing dynamic with. Monoco and Verso have already had their fair share of adventures years before the events of the game, and this is an interesting starting point to witness as they essentially pick up where they left off.
The conversations with the Gestral are some of the most entertaining, especially in contrast to some of the more dour conversations with other party members. Highlights include volleys of insults before the pair decide to give each other haircuts, and the chance to give Monoco a one-on-one rematch after undeniably immature mutual goading.
It’s not all lighthearted though, since Monoco loses Noco during the story, so Verso is there to help him grieve, and near the end of the relationship you’ll even accompany him to help him reincarnate Noco. The emotional scene is interrupted by a tough boss fight against Gestral chief Golgra, but it makes completing Monoco’s story even more satisfying.
2Sciel
Out of all the main party members, it occasionally feels likeSciel has drawn the short strawgiven how little screen-time and narrative relevance she has after she’s introduced. Even though she’s always on the sideline with a charming quip, it’s easy to wish she had more to do. That’s why it’s worth celebrating that her relationship with Verso gives her some much-needed time in the spotlight.
With both Sciel and Verso being two of the most enigmatic characters in Clair Obscur, it’s fun to see them tease out information from each other, while trading stories of growing importance. The early conversations with Sciel do a good job of not only letting us learn more about her, but also establishing a potential romance between the pair, being believable whether you decide to take the plunge or not.
However, the emotional climax of Sciel’s story and overall highlight of the conversations with Verso is getting to learn more about her relationship with her husband Pierre. Details about Sciel’s past are teased in main-story conversations, but only ever elaborated on during her relationship with Verso. Getting to hear about her tragic romance, and the impact of a rare non-Gommage death not only adds depth to Sciel, but the world of Expedition 33 at large.
1Maelle
It feels unfair to compare the relationship with Maelle to the rest of the party members, not only because her dynamic with Verso is so important to the story at large, but because of how much content her relationship has compared to the others.
While the other characters get brief side quests, for Maelle you’ll explore a whole new area, get a fully unique one-on-one boss fight with Alicia, and even meet the mysterious third Axon (who shows up in the final boss fight if you keep an eye out).
The evolving dynamic between Maelle and Verso ends up being core to the entire narrative, and it’s interesting to witness Maelle’s evolution throughout the last two thirds of the story as she moves on from grieving Gustave to accepting her Paintress heritage. Her final conversation with Verso is by far the most impactful, and feels like clear foreshadowing of the final choice of the game. If you don’t play through the entire relationship with Maelle before the game’s finale, it really feels like you’remissing a significant piece of the puzzle.
