Missing Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 already? Here’s 9 games that will fill the hole left by the RPG’s end
If you're here, and you're reading this, bring it in for a hug. I'm in the same boat as you. Ever since I finished Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, I've been looking to fill that void. Expedition 33 is a special game, made by a talented dev team that took inspiration from other games in its genre and iterated on them to make something unique and unforgettable. The early GOTY favorite may go down as one of the better RPGs ever made. But, as the game is a product of those who came before it (like all of the Expeditions before 33 paving the way for them...oh God), there's plenty of other titles like it that you can play to see where the game's history is rooted in. Here's a short list of a few other games like Expedition 33 that may scratch the gommage-shaped itch for you. Table of contents More games like Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Final Fantasy X/X-2 Remaster Cassette Beasts Personal 5 Royal Final Fantasy VIII Remastered Metaphor: ReFantazio Sea of Stars Octopath Traveler Super Mario RPG Lost Odyssey More games like Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Image via Sandfall Interactive Final Fantasy X/X-2 Remaster Image via Square Enix Long, deep, emotional storyline rooted in family issues? Check. Turn-based JRPG? Double-check. The HDR remaster of PS2 classic Final Fantasy X is widely available on basically everything, and it should be at the top of your list if you haven't played it before. Or just even if you haven't in a long time. Cassette Beasts Image via Raw Fury This recent indie hit combines JRPG turn-based gameplay with Pokémon-like monster catching and leveling for a true sleeper gem. Personal 5 Royal Image via SEGA The Persona series has been an RPG staple for decades, and Persona 5 Royal may be at the top of the list for the franchise, featuring its iconic visual style, characters, and music. Final Fantasy VIII Remastered Image via Square Enix If you want to play the favorite JRPG of Expedition 33 creative director Guillaume Broche, then look no further. While not as widely loved as FF7, FF10, or even FF9, FF8 deserves its place with its brethren among the best JRPGs of all time. Metaphor: ReFantazio Image via SEGA Persona 5 developer ATLUS followed up on P5R with this instant classic in 2024, instantly solidifying itself among the pantheon of GOATs in the genre with its mature, timely theme. Sea of Stars Image via Sabotage Studio If you missed out on this wonderful game a couple years back, now's as good a time as any, especially with its Throes of the Watchmaker DLC releasing on May 20. It features similar reactive combat as E33 in its delightful battle system. Octopath Traveler Image via Square Enix Square Enix's gorgeous 2D RPG and its eight main characters with branching paths twisted the JRPG genre on its back when it launched as a Nintendo Switch exclusive in 2018. It's now available on most platforms and is a must-play, especially for E33 fans looking for more reactive turn-based battling. Super Mario RPG Image via Nintendo This lighthearted, Nintendo-flavored take on JRPG's got remade in 2023 and is always a good time to revisit, or try out for the first time if you didn't experience it either time around. Lost Odyssey Image via Microsoft Game Studios Expedition 33 creative director Guillaume Broche name-dropped this game as his inspiration for his title's reactive turn-based combat, meaning it's another spin on E33's QTE style of battling. The post Missing Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 already? Here’s 9 games that will fill the hole left by the RPG’s end appeared first on Destructoid.
If you're here, and you're reading this, bring it in for a hug. I'm in the same boat as you. Ever since I finished Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, I've been looking to fill that void.
Expedition 33 is a special game, made by a talented dev team that took inspiration from other games in its genre and iterated on them to make something unique and unforgettable. The early GOTY favorite may go down as one of the better RPGs ever made.
But, as the game is a product of those who came before it (like all of the Expeditions before 33 paving the way for them...oh God), there's plenty of other titles like it that you can play to see where the game's history is rooted in.
Here's a short list of a few other games like Expedition 33 that may scratch the gommage-shaped itch for you.
Table of contents
More games like Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
Final Fantasy X/X-2 Remaster
Long, deep, emotional storyline rooted in family issues? Check. Turn-based JRPG? Double-check. The HDR remaster of PS2 classic Final Fantasy X is widely available on basically everything, and it should be at the top of your list if you haven't played it before. Or just even if you haven't in a long time.
Cassette Beasts
This recent indie hit combines JRPG turn-based gameplay with Pokémon-like monster catching and leveling for a true sleeper gem.
Personal 5 Royal
The Persona series has been an RPG staple for decades, and Persona 5 Royal may be at the top of the list for the franchise, featuring its iconic visual style, characters, and music.
Final Fantasy VIII Remastered
If you want to play the favorite JRPG of Expedition 33 creative director Guillaume Broche, then look no further. While not as widely loved as FF7, FF10, or even FF9, FF8 deserves its place with its brethren among the best JRPGs of all time.
Metaphor: ReFantazio
Persona 5 developer ATLUS followed up on P5R with this instant classic in 2024, instantly solidifying itself among the pantheon of GOATs in the genre with its mature, timely theme.
Sea of Stars
If you missed out on this wonderful game a couple years back, now's as good a time as any, especially with its Throes of the Watchmaker DLC releasing on May 20. It features similar reactive combat as E33 in its delightful battle system.
Octopath Traveler
Square Enix's gorgeous 2D RPG and its eight main characters with branching paths twisted the JRPG genre on its back when it launched as a Nintendo Switch exclusive in 2018. It's now available on most platforms and is a must-play, especially for E33 fans looking for more reactive turn-based battling.
Super Mario RPG
This lighthearted, Nintendo-flavored take on JRPG's got remade in 2023 and is always a good time to revisit, or try out for the first time if you didn't experience it either time around.
Lost Odyssey
Expedition 33 creative director Guillaume Broche name-dropped this game as his inspiration for his title's reactive turn-based combat, meaning it's another spin on E33's QTE style of battling.
The post Missing Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 already? Here’s 9 games that will fill the hole left by the RPG’s end appeared first on Destructoid.
