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An interesting tidbit: The name “Obscur” in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 alludes to the somewhat obscure nature of the game's menus and gameplay loops.

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 casts you as a band of glamorous spellcasters, fronted by the audacious British Daredevil, on a journey to combat a worldwide curse that halts the natural aging process. It blends strategic role-playing encounters with real-time parries inspired by challenging titles, all wrapped in a idiosyncratic visual style.

It has become one of the most successful titles of the year, having achieved massive sales and secured Game of the Year accolades. The game can feel somewhat dense in the beginning, but when it clicks, you’ll uncover a layered and captivating role-playing game that differentiates itself from many others. Below are a collection of starting pointers for Clair Obscur: Expedition 33.

Swap Team Members Regularly

In Expedition 33, characters who take part in a fight earn a hefty increase to XP compared to those in reserve. Furthermore, the narrative will sometimes mandate you to include particular characters. The most straightforward solution to both issues is to rotate your team and aim to keep everyone at a comparable strength.

The positive aspect is that leveling up is relatively quick. Encounters provide a substantial amount of XP, often enough for a character progression after just a few. You can refresh an area's enemies by taking a break at an checkpoint banner—these markers are scattered in each level. If you need to gain levels quickly, simply battle monsters near a flag, refresh, and repeat.

Swap Gear Often

The game features two primary ways to bestow bonus effects to your party members: Picto gems and Luminas.

• Pictos are items which grant numerical bonuses and also feature a unique passive skill. Every party member can equip a maximum of three Pictos. When equipped, completing four fights with a Picto will unlock its corresponding Lumina.
• Luminas function differently but can be thought of as equippable passives. Every ally has a number of Lumina Points (which can be increased via consumables). Every Lumina ability has a required LP amount. Provided that a character has the required amount, there is no limit can use the same Lumina, allowing you to layer powerful passives across your full roster.

The most efficient approach is to always someone has equipped each fresh Picto you find and wins the required fights to gain its Lumina. This ensures you’ll have it for when needed.

If you don't have new Pictos to unlock, simply equip the Pictos with the highest bonuses for your current build.

Parrying Isn't Your Only Option

Expedition 33’s key feature is its fusion of turn-based combat with real-time parries. That said, the opportunity to deflect is incredibly short on every setting. In place of struggling endlessly trying to master the timing, prioritize evading.

Even though a perfect guard restores Action Points and deals a huge damage spike, failing to parry yields no benefit. Luckily there are multiple accessories and abilities that grant AP on a successful dodge. If you can't get the block down, equip those roll-centric abilities instead.

The Break Status Is Your Greatest Advantage

Break is a game-changing mechanic that can swing a fight. As you attack a foe, a yellow gauge increases under their health bar. Upon maxing out, you can stun the enemy, which reduces their armor by a significant amount and stuns them for an entire round. It is the top-tier condition in the game, but only certain skills can apply it.

Level Up Intentionally

You are able to re-spec stat points and abilities using a rare item called a Recoat item. Given its scarcity, it's smart to plan your build instead of spending your skill points. Get a feel for a character's playstyle and chart a skill tree path first.

Don't Forget to Stop At the Save Flag

Resting at an checkpoint completely restores your all characters and replenishes all of your healing items, including healing potions and Revive Tints. Develop the routine to stop and heal up!

Checkpoints also act as the closest thing to fast travel in the game. You won't find a overworld map, compass, or floating icons. However, each flag has a identifier. By resting, you can access a log of your progress in that zone under a fast travel menu. It's a basic yet helpful way to see how far you've come.

Locked Chests Are Consistently Worth the Effort

Paint Cages are basically puzzle caches that require you to discover and activate three scattered mechanisms in the surrounding area before opening them. The contents is consistently valuable, including items like Recoats or strong equipment. The three locks aren't easy to spot, but they are almost always within the same area. If you can't find one, try exploring thoroughly or scanning the environment vertically.

Yes, Battle the Shopkeeper

All vendors stocks a hidden special good that isn't listed in their regular wares. To gain access to it, you must select a party member and defeat the merchant in a solo battle. This is always rewarding, as these items are game-changing. The earliest vendor you meet, for instance, sells a Picto that inflicts the Defenseless debuff, which boosts damage against the foe by a significant margin.

Rely On the Autosave

The game lacks {manual saving