Summary

  • Clair Obscur: Expedition 33's unique combat is the highlight of the game.
  • Director Guillaume Broche may have been inspired by Devil May Cry 5.
  • That's based on his old YouTube channel.

There's just no stopping Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, as it's performed beyond everyone's expectations. From selling a million copies on day-one, the best-rated game of 2025 to date, and even becoming the highest-rated user-scored game on Metacritic ever, Sandfall Interactive has outdone itself. Even French President Emmanuel Macron congratulated the team.

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While the gripping story and stunning visuals play a big part in the appeal of the game, the highlight is undoubtedly the combat. It's a unique blend that mixes turn-based combat, real-time dodging and parrying, and flashy animations. Such a unique approach is sure to have been inspired from somewhere, and game director Guillaume Broche's personal YouTube channel may give us a hint.

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33's Combat May Be Inspired By DMC 5

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As spotted by GamesRadar, Broche's old YouTube channel has a meagre five videos and 31 subscribers, but the videos themselves are what do the talking. All five of them are gameplay videos of Devil May Cry 5 and contain high-level gameplay. He even takes on Vergil in a no-hit run on Dante Must Die difficulty. Clearly, he was very good at the game, and it may have even inspired him.

It's evident that he's a big fan of stylistic combat, as the animations in Clair Obscur have revealed. As for the dodging and parrying, the fact that he favours Dante's Royal Guard style might give us a clue as to why he decided to incorporate it into his game. Of course, there's a fundamental difference between the real-time combat of DMC 5 and the turn-based combat in Clair Obscur, but we can see where the inspiration comes from.

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We've seen early footage of what Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 was initially supposed to be. And, while the visuals and setting are vastly different from the final product, it's evident that Broche knew what he wanted the combat to be right from inception. Could DMC 5 really have inspired one of the most popular games of the year? Broche hasn't publicly said so, but his old YouTube page definitely makes it seem that way.

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Clair Obscur: Expedition 33

Turn-Based RPG Fantasy Systems 28 9.4/10 OpenCritic Reviews Top Critic Avg: 92/100 Critics Rec: 97% Released April 24, 2025 ESRB Mature 17+ // Blood and Gore, Strong Language, Suggestive Themes, Violence Developer(s) Sandfall Interactive Publisher(s) Kepler Interactive Engine Unreal Engine 5
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