It feels like a lot of recent RPGs have tried to put unique spins on traditional turn-based combat. For example, Final Fantasy 7 Remake and Rebirth took the original game's classic ATB system and incorporated real-time action, and it's a similar story with Trails through Daybreak and its evolved ambush mechanic. Even upcoming Atlus release Metaphor: ReFantazio has a system where you can utilise hack-and-slash gameplay to wipe out weaker enemies, or get the jump on more powerful foes.
It's an interesting trend, and Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is arguably taking it to the next level. Just in case you've forgotten, this is that rather stunning RPG that was announced at the Xbox summer showcase last month, from French developer Sandfall Interactive.
The title's debut trailer gained some traction because of its commitment to showcasing turn-based combat — a rarity when it comes to more realistic-looking projects. "There hasn’t really been any attempt at making a turn-based RPG with high-fidelity graphics for a good while," creative director Guillaume Broche concurs, as part of an interview with the PlayStation Blog.
Broche begins: "At Sandfall Interactive we all have a love for JRPGs like Final Fantasy, the Tales series, Lost Odyssey, and Persona with its awesome UI, rhythm, and dynamic camera. We all have a lot of nostalgia and love for these kinds of games, but also want to see something fresh done with the genre.”
But despite the obvious influence of classic Japanese properties, it's actually action games that could inject some real originality into Expedition 33's turn-based combat. "We were inspired by action games like the Souls series, Devil May Cry, and NieR, and their rewarding gameplay was something we wanted to bring into a turn-based setting," Broche explains. "When you play those games, you have to learn the attacks, timings, and weaknesses for each enemy encounter, and we wanted to translate that challenge into a new genre." Sounds promising, doesn't it?
Broche continues: "The battle system is what we call reactive turn-based. You can take time during battles to establish your strategies, but during the enemy’s turn, you will have to react in real-time to dodge, jump, or parry enemies to trigger a powerful counterattack."
"The attack rhythm system is a mix of different inspirations – we wanted to make something fast paced to fit the vision we had for battle. As soon as I finished the first prototype of the defense system, I knew it was something special," he concludes.
So, we've essentially got your typically tactical turn-based system, but with skill-based action layered on top of it. And like Broche alludes, this doesn't seem especially gimmicky — it sounds like it's a foundational part of battle.