As I continue my journey across the fractured lands of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, one thing becomes increasingly clear: this game desperately needs a photo mode. There have been so many breathtaking sights I’ve wanted to capture in full detail, and missing out on them makes me a little sad. A proper photo mode would let me pause and admire the game’s lush environmental design, or just zoom in on the cool skins I’ve equipped on my party members.
Sure, the PlayStation 5’s built-in screenshot feature is handy, but it's always the same static angle (pausing it doesn’t help either). That’s fine in a pinch, but it doesn’t compare to the freedom of a real photo mode, where I could rotate the camera, zoom in or out, and capture dramatic shots worthy of a desktop wallpaper.
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There are so many moments that beg for that functionality, like when Lune floats over a windswept field, Euphie swims across oceans, or when Maelle silently grieves amid the ruins of a battlefield. These are the kind of emotional, cinematic beats that feel made for a quick press of L3 + R3 (or whatever the configured shortcut might be). For a game about themes of art, it’s ironic that I can’t preserve these moments in detail.
PC players have it easier as they can rely on mods to unlock camera controls. But for us console players, we’re stuck waiting.
click to enlargeSandfall Interactive hasn’t said anything yet about a future photo mode, but I’m pretty sure the message has reached them by now. After all, with Expedition 33 selling 1 million copies in just seven days, it's clear players want to engage with the game on a more personal level, and that includes capturing their own memorable moments.
For now, the game is still fresh as it is barely a week old and light on patches. Sandfall Interactive is understandably still celebrating its massive, unexpected success. A photo mode will likely arrive eventually, but we’ll have to wait and see.
So for now, we keep playing—and we continue.
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