Picture: Sq. Enix / Sandfall InteractiveClair Obscur: Expedition 33 is likely one of the largest shock gaming hits of 2025 and a standard turn-based role-playing sport that reminded many followers of the golden-era of PlayStation 1 JRPGs they nonetheless pine for. Some have even gone as far as to argue that the subsequent Closing Fantasy sport needs to be extra like Clair Obscur. Perhaps Sq. Enix agrees. The writer not too long ago invited the sport’s builders to its headquarters in Japan. I Didn’t Play Closing Fantasy XVI ‘Proper,’ And That’s OK“Guillaume Broche, Francois Meurisse, Tom Guillermin from Sandfall, and Alexis Garavaryan from Kepler—creators of Expedition 33—visited the Sq. Enix workplace for a creatively wealthy alternate of visions and concepts,” Closing Fantasy VII: Rebirth director Naoki Hamaguchi wrote on social media on Thursday. He even shared an image of everybody standing subsequent to a cardboard cutout of Cloud and his iconic Buster Sword. Producer and longtime Closing Fantasy veteran Yoshinori Kitase was there too. It wasn’t the workforce’s solely cease in Tokyo both. In addition they visited Kojima Productions so they may signal copies of the sport for the Dying Stranding 2 director. Whereas Closing Fantasy has moved towards large open worlds and action-based fight, Clair Obscur options excessive graphical constancy however old-school mechanics like turn-based fight (albeit with some rhythm primarily based parries and dodges) and an overworld map for exploring in-between dungeons. The sport’s builders have additionally not been shy about how a lot of the sport is a tribute to their very own love of older Sq. Enix video games. There are nods to Chrono Set off, Closing Fantasy VIII, and extra all throughout the first hour of the sport. The end result has been message boards, subreddits, and TikTok feeds filled with JRPG followers arguing about what Closing Fantasy can study from Clair Obscur. The debates come as Sq. Enix retools its growth pipeline, and a few followers fear the writer’s marquee franchise has misplaced its artistic imaginative and prescient and gross sales potential amid pattern chasing. The corporate was even requested at a latest shareholder assembly if the subsequent Closing Fantasy would return to being turn-based, given Clair Obscur’s important and monetary success. Sq. Enix stated it was “conscious” of the sport however declined to hash out the design doc for the sequel in public. Whether or not they’re taking the suggestion critically or not, it’s good to see builders from competing groups coming collectively to interrupt bread and study from each other. Whereas all eyes will likely be on what Sq. Enix takes away from the Sandfall Interactive workforce, I’m simply as serious about what classes the Closing Fantasy workforce can impart to the brand new children on the block. .
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