Despite what the internet’s rapturous praise might make you think, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 didn’t revive a dying genre. At least, that’s what Expedition 33’s Verso actor thinks.
Final Fantasy 16’s lead actor and an Expedition 33 cast member Ben Starr is a known JRPG sicko – any Final Fantasy 8 fanatic is welcome here – which puts him in line with the rest of the Sandfall Interactive development team, who have been very loud about their collective love for the genre’s giants.
But even though Expedition 33 was obviously inspired by JRPGs and classic turn-based games, it often gets praised as some sort of subgenre pioneer or savior rather than, I dunno, a really good game in an existing canon. Starr somewhat acknowledges that disconnect in an interview with the Destin channel.
“I’m so lucky that I’m in a videogame right now [Expedition 33] that is celebrating a combat system that is alive and well,” he said. “It hasn’t brought [turn-based battles] back, but I’m glad that people are discovering it again through that.”
He then goes on to shout out some newer gems in the genre. “If you’re loving Expedition 33 right now, go and play Chained Echoes. That is a beautiful, beautiful RPG with a stunning 2D art style,” Starr said of the amazing but overlooked indie game that makes an old-school style feel truly epic. “It’s really, really beautiful. Obviously Octopath Traveler 2. Love it.
“If you’re discovering turn based combat for the first time, and understanding the intricacies of turn based combat and how it can create complex combat scenarios, there is a really rich well of games out there, that are out recently, that can exist,” he continued.
“I understand that a lot people are put off by certain art styles, but you’re sticking with Expedition 33 because it’s an amazing turn based combat system. And believe me there’s some amazing turn-based combat systems, and one of them is Chained Echoes. It’s brilliant. And once you learn the ropes it’s fascinating. It has an amazing story to tell that’s just as heart-wrenching. And the same with Octopath Traveler 2.”
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