Clair Obscur: Expedition 33

[Soldier13Fox]

So is this as good as it looks? because it looks f***ing AWESOME

Yes. First game that got it's hooks in me like this since Elden Ring. Don't want to stop playing.

 

[Blitzkrug]

I think i invertedly turned Maelle into a nuclear weapon lmao. I was screwing around with idea of her
Virtuose stance since it's stupidly good (+200% damage) with zero drawbacks and i think i stumbled on what i think might be stupidly good, at least for the early game.

Stuff needed;

Medalum - acquired when you're given a choice between one of your party members to fight solo with in the main story progression, scales with def/agi. Most important part of the weapon is when upgraded to level 4, you automatically start each battle in Virtuose stance

Marking shots - picto that gives you a 20% chance to mark enemies with your free aim shot. Feel free to give everybody this to learn

Dodger - free 1 AP if you properly dodge

Skills:

Mezzo Forte - allows to keep your current stance while generating 0-2 AP. Not required but does make keeping the stance loaded if you whiff on marking for cheap

Fleuret Fury - single target, 3 hit combo attack that does high damage along with break. High cost but it also allows you to stay in virtuose stance

Swift stride - low damage attack that guarantees a stance switch. Bonus of giving you 2 AP if target is burnt

Percee - the key to this. Does additional damage if the enemy is marked. Combine it with the Virtuose stance's +200 and i've done as high as 5k damage off a single attack.

Looking at her skills, this could probably be beat fairly easily but i've crushed everything i've come across thus far early game wise.

 

[KirkAlbuquerque]

Is the combat in this game anything like Persona? Im praying its not.

Also, is it open world? Semi-open?

 

[Jovavic]

Is the combat in this game anything like Persona? Im praying its not.

Also, is it open world? Semi-open?

It's turn based, if that's what you mean. Open world like...an Assassin's Creed or something like The Witcher 3? Not at all

 

[Tw1ster]

Preordered mine at the beginning of April from Amazon and still don’t have an ETA

It’s ok though, gives me more time with BG3, just have a bit of fomo going on right now

 

[RandV]

Is the combat in this game anything like Persona? Im praying its not.

Also, is it open world? Semi-open?

Well, in terms of is it a JRPG with turn based combat then yes. What they do differently though is implement a very critical dodge/counter mechanic. Unlike a series like Paper Mario where the mechanic is more optional bonus, you have to hit these timings most of the time or you'll quickly die. I'm only up to the first boss but it gives it a sort of Dark Souls like feel to the combat. And I don't know if it opens up later on but so far it's more corridor based with branching paths.

Now that I'm finally starting to get into it I can start making an impression of it. I'm going to make a bunch of people hate me here and say it reminds me a lot of Final Fantasy X. Now I'm someone who loved FFX and have it ranked my 2nd favourite behind VI in the series, though I suspect I'm going to be enjoying Clair Obscure more and will call it the better version.

 

[The Crypto Guy]

Well, in terms of is it a JRPG with turn based combat then yes. What they do differently though is implement a very critical dodge/counter mechanic. Unlike a series like Paper Mario where the mechanic is more optional bonus, you have to hit these timings most of the time or you'll quickly die. I'm only up to the first boss but it gives it a sort of Dark Souls like feel to the combat. And I don't know if it opens up later on but so far it's more corridor based with branching paths.

Now that I'm finally starting to get into it I can start making an impression of it. I'm going to make a bunch of people hate me here and say it reminds me a lot of Final Fantasy X. Now I'm someone who loved FFX and have it ranked my 2nd favourite behind VI in the series, though I suspect I'm going to be enjoying Clair Obscure more and will call it the better version.

FFX is widely ranked one of the best FFs , nobody should get upset over that comparison(my personal favorite JRPG and FF game ever). I feel it too, but this game feels a bit darker than FFX and less childish, if that makes sense.

It shows i’m 24% done, absolutely loving it.

 

[Shareefruck]

I was not fully charmed by the game yet until I learned that this was the secret of the trash can dialogue in the prologue.

Spoiler: Prologue Easter egg

 

[Jovavic]

End of Act 1 is craaaazzzzzyyyyy

 

[Blitzkrug]

End of Act 1 is craaaazzzzzyyyyy

It makes up for it with the characters you meet later.

 

[The Crypto Guy]

This is pretty much a lock for game of the year, or at the very least top 3.

 

[LEAFANFORLIFE23]

I MIGHT have the opportunity to pick this up tomorrow.

So without spoilers is it same to assume that if I get the chance to buy it I should?

 

[Shareefruck]

Edit: On second thought, I'll reserve judgement.

 

[ColonialsHockey10]

How dark is this game?

Like I know the premise is grim and depressing, but is every location like that? Are there towns to visit? Or is it kind of just moving from dungeon to dungeon?

 

[The Crypto Guy]

How dark is this game?

Like I know the premise is grim and depressing, but is every location like that? Are there towns to visit? Or is it kind of just moving from dungeon to dungeon?

It's not that dark, there are darker spots than others but it's not like your walking around from dark areas to dark areas. I'm 30% done and aside from the starting town, I've come across one other so far.

 

[Soldier13Fox]

It's not that dark, there are darker spots than others but it's not like your walking around from dark areas to dark areas. I'm 30% done and aside from the starting town, I've come across one other so far.

Agree with this. It is, at its heart, a JRPG and there's some whimsical JRPG things that get thrown in to bring some levity.

 

[Jovavic]

Agree with this. It is, at its heart, a JRPG and there's some whimsical JRPG things that get thrown in to bring some levity.

With a French spin to the charm

 

[The Mars Volchenkov]

I just found my way through the Ancient Sanctuary, so still early, but it’s incredible.

The soundtrack sends it to new heights. It’s so good I downloaded it for flights last week.

 

[Oogie Boogie]

Clair Obscur is now the highest rated game ever on Metacritic!
Well, for user score I believe

 

[The Crypto Guy]

 

[Soldier13Fox]

Good grief, im well into act 2 (been busy so not moving super fast) and finally looked up what adding lumere points to the characters does and what i can spend them on. I've been gimping myself pretty hard

 

[The Crypto Guy]

Good grief, im well into act 2 (been busy so not moving super fast) and finally looked up what adding lumere points to the characters does and what i can spend them on. I've been gimping myself pretty hard

Yup, same here, took me till 29% to figure that out too. The tutorial really did not do a good job with that.

 

[Oogie Boogie]

Just finished the game yesterday.

Truth be told, all I want to do now is just immediately start another play-through and do it all again.

Just an absolutely amazing game. It is truly one of the best games I have ever played.

 

[RandV]

Well shit. The only thing holding back my pure enjoyment of the game has been the sheer difficulty and the amount of times I keep dying. Get to a boss or hard fight, immediate quick death, then repeated walk of shames back until I finally manage to get it. I fired it up again tonight at the boss just in front of the first village which completely murdered me last night, broke down and figured I'd switch the game to easy. Turns out that somehow I must have selected and had been playing on expert difficulty this whole time.

 

[Jovavic]

Yeesh, that's rough lol, I'm finally getting the hang of dodging (parrying still eludes me) but I still put pictos that add HP and DEF to my main three