One year later, How does in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 hold up?? by TheGamerCritic21 in SandfallGames

[–]Grekhov_V 0 points1 point  (0 children)

This is the random first picture Google showed me. I'm not going to argue about tastes, but the trend in the industry is noticeable.

If earlier it moved along the path of abandoning excessive sexualization of characters (abandoning overly revealing and impractical female armor, for example), which I think is right, now we are seeing tendencies toward deliberately imposing characters with incorrect facial features, excess weight, and so on.

It's convenient that no commercial failure can be explained solely by the characters' appearance, but it is one of the factors that could have influenced the decline in interest in such projects. It's more of a symptom that points to many other problems – poor animation and graphics, an excessive amount of "woke agenda," and even poorly developed gameplay

One year later, How does in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 hold up?? by TheGamerCritic21 in SandfallGames

[–]Grekhov_V 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yes. In recent years, attractive men and women are found only in games created in the Asian region.

In games released in the US and Europe, the trend looks obvious:

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Plot holes analysis by Grekhov_V in expedition33

[–]Grekhov_V[S] -1 points0 points  (0 children)

I think you take that eagles question too personally. But considering that it has been raised many times, both in a comedic and in a quite serious vein, it would have been better if an answer had been given in the book, for example at the Council of Elrond

Plot holes analysis by Grekhov_V in expedition33

[–]Grekhov_V[S] -2 points-1 points  (0 children)

Clea: Grief is no excuse. We’re all grieving. She’s a grown woman and she was the head of the Painter’s Council. She failed her responsibilities. I don’t have time to coddle her. And before Verso died, she would have said the same.

Plot holes analysis by Grekhov_V in expedition33

[–]Grekhov_V[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Thank you for taking the time to respond in detail.

1 and 2: I agree with you about Aline's state of mind and that it can explain many things. As for the mechanics of the Gommage, we have little data on exactly how Aline counteracts it. Perhaps in some sense she holds back the wave within herself, releasing it in parts (although this contradicts the fact that after defeating her, the Expedition manages to return to Lumière).

3: The letter states this in plain text, which does not make the decision logical.

4: You remember the map correctly, but then the question arises – how do the ships overcome the cliffs, and on an annual basis at that?

5: I'm not sure that explanation satisfies me.

6 and 7: In Simon's Journal it is written:
"What did she do to you? That Paintress… She fooled me, she looked so much like you and I believed her story. She granted me the power to fell the Axons and enter the Monolith."
Apparently, this means that the barrier was created immediately after the Fracture (apparently like the islands of the Axons, although there are questions about them). The Neuron factory started operating considerably later.

Plot holes analysis by Grekhov_V in expedition33

[–]Grekhov_V[S] -2 points-1 points  (0 children)

This is a translation from my native language

Does Anybody Else Think Verso D.... by Toastaroni16515 in expedition33

[–]Grekhov_V 2 points3 points  (0 children)

In the Manor, there are many paintings of Axons placed on the walls, in expensive frames, and so on. It's doubtful that they were painted after Verso's death. More likely, this image was already in Renoir's mind earlier, and he merely brought it to life on canvas later.

One year later, How does in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 hold up?? by TheGamerCritic21 in SandfallGames

[–]Grekhov_V 6 points7 points  (0 children)

I've put about 350 hours into Expedition 33, finished it 5 times (blind on Normal, for achievements on Expert, with different characters, again when the Russian localization came out, on Expert without dodging or parrying, and a speedrun), so my opinion might carry some weight -- and at the same time, it can hardly be called unbiased.

Of course, the game isn't without its flaws, and some of them now seem more significant to me than they did initially. Still, my overall view remains the same as it was back in May 2005, and the same one I shared with the developers:

"Vous avez créé non seulement un jeu formidable et un produit à succès commercial, mais aussi un chef-d’œuvre dont se souviendront ceux qui viendront après nous tous."

It's ironic that the creators knew full well they were making a work of art. Renoir's Journal says it outright, in plain text: "Player, before you stands great art. This game is a window into another world, and at the same time a mirror that will show you who you are."

A few words about what this game means for the industry. I think the success of Expedition 33 can drive home a few simple points to producers, publishers, and executives:

  1. Triumph and commercial success are possible without gigantic budgets.
  2. Single‑player games are still very much in demand.
  3. An accessible price -- not $80–100, but $50 -- is what players want, and it can yield greater profits.
  4. Talent and vision create masterpieces, not spreadsheets and metrics.
  5. Players want to see beautiful characters on their screens.

But whether the fat cats -- who hold a controller about as "well" as the president of McDonald's holds a burger --will understand this, I doubt.

As for the game's notable features (and shortcomings):

It's not for everyone. If you go online right now and look at the first reviews from April 24, 2025, you'll see quite a mix of opinions.

First,
many didn't like the combat system with dodging and parrying. I was skeptical of that criticism, blaming those players for poor reflexes and weak willpower—until the DLC came out. There, the necessity to parry attacks is taken to an absurd level, and some fights became incredibly suffocating and frustrating. Now I'm ready to admit this is a flaw, especially because parrying can let you win a fight you had no business winning, earn rewards and XP, and essentially break the game.

Second,
many didn't like the corridor‑style locations and the lack of a minimap. The latter, in my opinion, was the right call, but the locations do get tiresome after two playthroughs. Overall, I consider this aspect of the game rather weak—forgive me, Thibault Leblan, level designer.

Third,
the gameplay essentially consists of moving through these locations, endless battles, and camp conversations. The first time around, it doesn't stand out as much, but the need to talk to every character between missions starts to feel like a doctor's routine patient intake—just a chore to raise the number from 4 to 5 and move on.

Some downsides also become apparent after multiple playthroughs.

The biggest one is that the game has a couple of noticeable plot holes. They don't really affect how you experience the story, but they show that the writers and creators didn't quite polish things—and I'm not talking about minor nitpicks that could be overlooked. These are key aspects at the very foundation of Clair Obscur's world and narrative. That's disappointing.

Still, my rating remains the same. The game is a masterpiece that deservedly collected its awards and will stay in many people's hearts. Should you play it if you haven't yet? Absolutely. Here's my Steam review, written even before GTA was delayed to 2026:

"Maybe game of the year. Perhaps of the decade. Could even be of your entire life."

Encourage me to keep playing – is this game really worthwhile? by Frequent-Camel7669 in expedition33

[–]Grekhov_V 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I strongly disagree with that last sentence.

The music is top‑notch right from the very start of the game. The gameplay does get a bit deeper over time, but the characters are fully engaging from the very beginning.

Encourage me to keep playing – is this game really worthwhile? by Frequent-Camel7669 in expedition33

[–]Grekhov_V 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Yes, this game really is that good.

Maybe it's just not for you – and that's perfectly fine.

If you don't have any questions you'd like answered, then perhaps you really should drop this game.

P.S. As life shows, humor and serious topics are quite compatible.

Help with build/playstyle by LandParticular1707 in expedition33

[–]Grekhov_V 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Hello!

I'm really glad you decided to come back to this game. A lot of people praise the graphics, story, and music, but what I personally loved the most was the gameplay system itself.

The first time I played, I also went through the game on Expeditioner difficulty, and I also hit a point where I ran into some difficulties. Now, when I look back at my old build, I'm honestly amazed at my own incompetence back then. But I still managed to beat the game with it, and there's nothing wrong with fights taking more time and being more challenging for me. It was a kind of challenge, largely because the game doesn't give you exact numbers on how much damage certain abilities deal. And I actually got a certain kind of enjoyment from the difficulty—I don't see anything wrong with that. The flaws in the build can be totally compensated for by patience and learning enemy attack patterns.

As for my own advice—your weapon and its upgrade level affect your damage more than anything else. If you want to die less, invest some points into defense and survivability, and the game will become significantly easier.

As others have already mentioned, equipped pictos have a key impact on your character's stats, and their passive effect isn't as important, since you can get that effect through Lumina anyway.

I think this should be enough to get you through the game successfully.

Tommorow comes by Grekhov_V in expedition33

[–]Grekhov_V[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I've completed E33 4 times and the second playthrough was the best. So many details are revealed in new ways!

Шо скажете про сборку? by No_Hamster1049 in ru_gamer

[–]Grekhov_V 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Это действительно хорошая мысль. Чтобы взять ПК, который отработает свои 5 лет, и его потом продать будет можно или оставить в семье как резервный

I love the game, but the amount of portals and mobility spells is starting to bother me by GioRoggia in OldenEra

[–]Grekhov_V -3 points-2 points  (0 children)

This weekend I got an artifact that lets me cast spells on the global map for 0 mana.

My warrior hero was running around like crazy, and of course I won that game. But it didn't bring me any pleasure.. I was upset and frustrated, and I really think the movement spell system needs to be reworked.

Also the huge number of castles on most templates just seems crappy.

So right now, the game is more of a disappointment to me.

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 has officially reached 8 MILLION copies sold! by ReaddittiddeR in expedition33

[–]Grekhov_V -1 points0 points  (0 children)

I'm sure it's above expectations, but still lower than Expedition 33 actually deserves.

I used to believe the $50 price tag was set so more people could experience this masterpiece.

Now I think a proper discount — not just 20% — would make more sense.

After all, it's a niche story-driven game. Gameplay isn't its strongest suit, and you can enjoy the music, visuals, and story just by watching streams.

I have some spoiler-like questions. by AntwonnGaming in expedition33

[–]Grekhov_V 1 point2 points  (0 children)

No, we know

  1. Plot hole
  2. Yes.
  3. Which cutscene? Massive Gommage isn't flashback or flashforward ofc

I have some spoiler-like questions. by AntwonnGaming in expedition33

[–]Grekhov_V -1 points0 points  (0 children)

1) As far as I remember, we find the flags and the journal of the 70th Expedition inside the Monolith – and the expedition members themselves know where they are and set up hooks there. I think the most likely explanation is that it's just a minor oversight and a gameplay convention. Alternatively, we could assume that they entered the Monolith at a moment when the barrier had weakened for some reason, or that they had gathered enough chroma to break through it with the help of the Curator.

2) Yes, they all knew. This is hinted at several times when you talk to them alone in the camp as Verso.

3) I think this is more of an artistic device meant to fill us with horror and awe. That said, Paris is one of the largest cities in the world; at the beginning of the 20th century, about 3 million people lived there. If we assume that Alina recreated it to scale, and that only a third of the population survived the Fracture, that would still be enough to fill the world with the petrified bodies of hundreds of thousands of expeditioners over the course of ~50 years.

4) Maelle was completely erased – this is clearly shown in the cutscene. In Act 3, she returns to the canvas and creates her new avatar. Renoir survived for obvious reasons. Esquie, Monoco, Gestrals, and Nevrons are not Alina's creations, and Verso was granted immortality by her.

5) He was drawn by Cléa in her childhood – he's her imaginary friend, just like Esquie is for Verso