The best part of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is it explains nothing

I’m weary of exposition in video video games. Don’t get me improper — I really like when a sport has well-developed world-building and lore. However I don’t love getting right into a dialog with an NPC who doesn’t speak like an actual particular person and simply monologues at me about their fictional faith or hometown like they’re studying from a Wikipedia entry. It’s been a refreshing change of tempo to play Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, the debut sport from Sandfall Interactive that’s out as we speak. I’m 15 hours in, and I’ve but to run into any extraneous exposition.

I haven’t seen something I’d describe as “exposition” in any respect but, as a matter of reality. Clair Obscur requires you to place collectively the plot based mostly on context clues. And the expertise may be very disorienting, particularly as a result of it’s a online game and it is a medium the place I’m so used to being spoon-fed story beats and world-building details to the purpose of boredom. Even one thing like Dying Stranding, identified for its distinctive and weird world, is chock-full of characters explaining precisely the way it works each step of the way in which. (Now, really understanding any of these explanations is one other story, however they’re there.)

On the outset of Clair Obscur, protagonist Gustave walks via his hometown to fulfill up together with his buddy Sophie, who’s 34 years outdated, an earthly proven fact that she and others point out with unusual solemnity. She’s about to take part in some type of occasion known as the Gommage, apparently, however after all you’re solely going to place that collectively from characters saying that phrase in passing. Nobody’s really ever going to inform you what it’s. As a substitute, you’ll simply watch as Gustave accompanies Sophie — who can also be an ex-girlfriend of his, by the way in which, which is one other reality you’ll have to simply piece collectively from informal dialogue — to the Gommage. Sporting a particular outfit and being adorned with flowers is seemingly a part of it; Gustave provides Sophie a flower so as to add to her necklace.

As you stroll round city, chances are you’ll discover that no one older than 35 or so is current, in any respect. It is a world filled with younger adults and youngsters solely. And each NPC you speak to has one thing existential or downright miserable to say. You would possibly stroll by an enormous pile of furnishings; contributors within the Gommage are making a gift of all of their worldly possessions, a tooltip will clarify whenever you click on on it. Hmm.

Finally, the Gommage really occurs. The residents of this place all stroll collectively to the shoreline to rejoice it. Distant throughout the water, a towering construction has the glowing quantity “34” emblazoned upon it. When the Gommage begins, a long-haired, menacing determine seems in entrance of this construction. With a wave of her hand, the determine replaces the quantity “34” with “33.” And as she does so, each flower-wearing particular person again on the mainland — together with Gustave’s buddy — evaporates right into a mist-like haze of flower petals.

Though Clair Obscur by no means says it outright, the quantity 34 seems to correspond with the age of each one who evaporates in that method — and now, all the 33-year-olds on this world are subsequent in line to be destroyed by this mysterious phenomenon. In a later scene, a personality says this has been happening for “70 years,” and different characters’ references to the quantity “counting down” counsel that it maybe started with all the 103-year-olds, then the 102-year-olds, and so forth, all the way in which right down to 33, the present quantity. Once more, none of that is spelled out to you. You simply need to put it collectively.

That’s how every part’s been to date. Characters speak in regards to the different creatures on this world and the character of their actuality in the way in which that individuals would in the event that they have been already dwelling it; they don’t hassle to cease and painstakingly clarify what’s happening. Most video video games with a fancy fantasy setting discover purpose to incorporate these types of explanations by giving the protagonist amnesia or a fish-out-of-water backstory in order that there’s all the time somebody asking questions and getting exposition in response. However Clair Obscur merely hasn’t been doing that. It’s a daring selection, and it’s one I actually respect.

I haven’t completed Clair Obscur but; like I stated, I’m about 15 hours in. However I do know that I’m hooked, and the massive purpose why is that I nonetheless don’t perceive every part that’s happening. I’m piecing it collectively, although, each step of the way in which. With no boring exposition, each line is necessary; dialogue and environmental storytelling are key to displaying me what’s occurring right here, and I’ve actually had to concentrate. I can solely hope that extra sport writers pay attention to how cool this determination really is, and the way a lot it may possibly repay in relation to holding gamers fascinated by a narrative and its mysteries.