Sandfall Interactive’s debut RPG, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, is a depressing game. Like so many RPGs before it, it loves to toy with our emotions, getting us attached to characters who may not survive to see the credits roll. For the most part, Expedition 33 is dark and brutal, where regular people dive headfirst into the unknown, clinging to hope in a hopeless world.
The road to the Paintress is bleak, but thankfully, not everything in Expedition 33 is doom and gloom. We’ve got the Gestrals to thank for that.
These human-whatever hybrids are a godsend, making the journey to the world’s edge feel less like a death march. Basically, they’re the comic relief of the game. Think Moogles from Final Fantasy or Nopons from Xenoblade Chronicles.
The best thing about the Gestrals? They talk, but not in any way you'd call human. They speak in gibberish, but Sandfall Interactive kindly gave us subtitles so we can understand what they’re saying. Not that it matters much, as these guys aren’t exactly brimming with brainpower.
But damn their mere presence really lightens up my adventure.
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+ 3My first visit to the Gestral Village hit me with a wave of whimsy I didn’t realize I desperately needed. After the gut-punch that was the game’s prologue, I needed a laugh or two, and the Gestrals delivered. The game lets you talk to each one, and every time they open their mouths, it’s all nonsense and no substance, which is exactly what I needed.
They’re just a perfect addition to the game, and honestly, I’m obsessed. I go out of my way to talk to them, even when the story around my party gets darker and heavier.
click to enlarge+ 3And they’re not limited to just one role. Sometimes I’ll run into Gestral merchants on the road who’ll toss in an extra item if I can beat them in battle. Or I’ll meet a Gestral doctor rambling about his debilitating illness. One was even obsessed with gambling, and that absolutely cracked me up.
It’s clear Sandfall Interactive made a deliberate choice to include these lighthearted moments amid the doom and gloom. Nobody really knows what Gestrals are or where they came from, but they’re clearly mythical creatures in Clair Obscur’s world. I’ve only just finished Act 1, and it still feels like the game is just getting started.
click to enlarge+ 3Ten hours in, I’m genuinely enjoying my time with Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, even with a few issues, like the glaring lack of a minimap in its confusing levels. Still, that hasn’t stopped the game from selling over 1 million copies since launch and putting nearly every gamer in a chokehold. It’s got a great story, a fascinating cast, and turn-based combat that feels like a love letter to the golden era of RPGs.
For more articles like this, take a look at our Features and Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 page.