By now, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 has firmly established itself, and developer Sandfall Interactive’s creative journey is widely celebrated. This visually striking and surreal adventure is memorable for its captivating storyline and challenging parry system. With over five million copies sold, we sat down with CEO and Creative Director Guillaume Broche and COO Francois Meurisse to reflect on the development process and discover if there were any elements they would have approached differently.
Broche shared that the final game realized ‘about 85% of my original vision,’ a remarkable achievement in game development. When I initially encountered Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 at Gamescom 2024, its unique art style and engaging parry mechanics immediately impressed me. While that early glimpse didn’t fully reveal its potential to become one of the year’s standout RPGs, it clearly showcased the team’s strong creative direction.
Meurisse echoed this sentiment, stating that playing the finished game as a developer surpassed even his own expectations as a producer. He explained that during four to five years of production, seeing only fragmented parts of the game in progress means you can’t truly anticipate player reactions. He noted, ‘Even the emotional moments, like the prologue gommage, you see it hundreds of times, you know. So you cannot even know how it feels any more.’ The experience of the game’s release, seeing it fully realized, and witnessing the immense love from players for its characters, story, and music, provided the development team with renewed energy and purpose.
Meurisse playfully added to Broche, saying, ‘I think it’s 85% of your vision, but to me it’s 120% of whatever I could have dreamed of as a game maker.’ Despite the game’s success, Broche admitted he has no major regrets, but there’s one beloved character, Esquie (pictured in promotional art), he wishes they could have explored more. ‘I would have loved to do a bit more with Esquie personally, but it’s something that we might want to do later,’ he hinted, expressing overall satisfaction with the final product. Sandfall Interactive has already announced a significant upcoming update, promising a new location, fresh enemy encounters, challenging late-game boss battles, and more cosmetic options. Players would undoubtedly welcome any additional lore or content focusing on Esquie.
For those still navigating Clair Obscur’s challenges, resources are available to help master its toughest trials. As for the eagerly anticipated new zone, what are your predictions for what mysteries await?
Additional reporting by Lauren Bergin for PCGamesN.