Summary

  • Clair Obscur: Expedition 33's excellent turn-based combat system has Final Fantasy fans arguing over whether the next game in the series should be turn-based.
  • On one hand, many point to the success of Clair Obscur, Metaphor ReFantazio, and Baldur's Gate 3 as proof it's the right direction.
  • On the other, many are pointing to good games like Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, and claim that turn-based combat has never defined the series.

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 has exploded in popularity in a way that even the developers themselves never really expected. Not only is it the highest-rated game of the year so far - by both critics and users - but it's also a commercial success too, managing to attain the status of the JRPG with the highest peak player count ever on Steam.

A lot of the game's success is down to its creative combat system, which mixes traditional turn-based fighting with a parrying system and other real-time elements. People are using the game as another example that turn-based combat is making a comeback (even though it never really went anywhere), and more than most, some Final Fantasy fans are looking on a little enviously.

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Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Gives Me Hope For The Games Industry

It feels good to see a game like Expedition 33 succeed.

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You see, Final Fantasy has come under fire ever since the release of Clair Obscur, with many claiming that the game is a better Final Fantasy game than most actual Final Fantasy games, and that Square Enix may have a little bit of competition. Final Fantasy fans themselves have been using the game's success as proof that turn-based is the way to go, but just like all topics of this nature, there's heated debate on both sides.

Final Fantasy Fans Are Calling For Turn-Based Combat Thanks To Clair Obscur: Expedition 33

On one side of the argument, you have Twitter users like Shirrako Gaming, who claims that "Final Fantasy XVII should be turn-based". The replies are filled with people who agree, while Shirrako Gaming themselves shares the Metacritic scores of games like Baldur's Gate 3, Persona 5 Royal, Clair Obscur, and Metaphor: ReFantazio to hit back against claims the combat system is outdated.

On the other hand, you have people like AHalfNickel, who says that the next Final Fantasy game should be "whatever the dev team tapped to make it wants it to be". Mexican_Sunbro argues that turn-based combat doesn't "actually define the series", while Kjngamer argues that Final Fantasy doesn't need to be turn-based to be good, using Final Fantasy 16 and Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth as proof.

Personally, I'm gonna fence sit on this one. I think it would be nice to see another turn-based Final Fantasy game, but the combat system in the series has never stayed the same for more than a few games, as it's always evolved and adapted over time. Without these adaptations, we wouldn't have Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth's excellent combat system. In the end, maybe Square Enix should take Dreamboum's advice, and just make Final Fantasy more French.

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Clair Obscur: Expedition 33

Turn-Based RPG Fantasy Systems 45 9.6/10 OpenCritic Reviews Top Critic Avg: 92/100 Critics Rec: 97% Released April 24, 2025 ESRB Mature 17+ // Blood and Gore, Strong Language, Suggestive Themes, Violence Developer(s) Sandfall Interactive Publisher(s) Kepler Interactive Engine Unreal Engine 5
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