Amidst all of the Summer season Sport Fest bulletins and shadow drops, there’s nonetheless one recreation holding my consideration like none different: Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. Particularly, its postgame, which incorporates extra content material than some AAA full releases.
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is split into three acts (missed alternative to not have 33 acts), however there’s a lot extra to do after you beat the story’s ultimate boss. Whilst you can discover the continent and all its late-game reveals instantly after Act 2, the really useful route is as an alternative to move straight to Lumiere and its climactic showdown. The story’s ultimate boss gained’t scale with you, so should you wait and stage your crew up some extra, what ought to be a problem turns into a trifle, particularly with how highly effective Maelle turns into (even post-nerf).
After seeing one of many recreation’s two endings (or each — simply go forward and reload a current save to make a distinct ending alternative), the sport will put you again outdoors the ultimate boss’ area. From right here, you’re free to discover the continent, additional Verso’s relationships with companions at camp, battle the sport’s hardest fights, and uncover a number of secret story bosses. Clair Obscur has a large postgame hiding behind its “Act 3” descriptor.
Picture: Sandfall Interactive/Kepler Interactive
Now that Esquie can fly, there are many sky islands to seek out floating across the fractured continent — and loads of them will probably be pink “hazard” areas as you may have a lot of leveling as much as do if you wish to battle all the pieces. Fortunately, the Countless Tower is right here for that. The Countless Tower — whose location was proper there teasing you as flightless Esquie might solely swim previous it earlier — is now accessible and delivers on its identify. It affords 33 (after all) battles of accelerating issue. My get together’s ranges began within the low 70s after I entered and wanted to be just below 90 for me to complete the Tower, making the battles a enjoyable option to grind in addition to to get Nevron toes for Monoco and a few high-level Pictos. And grinding you’ll must do if you wish to battle all the sport’s bosses (and gather all of the trophies); the boss on the backside of Renoir’s Drafts is undoubtedly the hardest within the recreation, and can nonetheless show fairly the problem once you hit stage 99.
A fading model of Clea stands sentry within the Countless Tower. After popping up in the course of the flashbacks following Act 2, she lastly will get to grow to be extra of a personality within the postgame. Her voice shines in dialogue with Maelle on the Countless Tower, teasing her sister whereas later providing her view on the grief that has consumed the Dessendres.
Clea, or reasonably yet one more model of her, once more makes an look upon finishing the Flying Manor, a high-up sky island not too distant from the Countless Tower. Just like the Countless Tower, the Flying Manor has a number of powerful boss fights to tackle earlier than you possibly can work together with Clea (and hearken to her theme, which is likely one of the soundtrack’s greatest). The model you meet is kind of tragic and is sweet for one of many recreation’s harder boss fights, and positively one of the enjoyable. In case you thought the tears had been completed flowing after rolling credit, you’d be improper; be ready for some very heavy emotional story content material on the finish of the Flying Manor.
Picture: Sandfall Interactive/Kepler Interactive
Even down on the bottom, there’ll be a number of new areas Esquie can now attain. By the exit to Forgotten Battlefield, you’ll discover two journal entries which might be a few of the extra illuminating entries within the recreation. After beginning as a dirty liar, Verso could have spilled many of the beans to your crew at this level, however there are a number of main occasions from his previous he’s holding near his vest, and the “Julie” and “Verso” journals will construct out his character and lay his coronary heart naked. Don’t miss them.
As Verso, proceed talking with companions at camp. Not solely will you unlock essentially the most highly effective gradient assaults, however progressing their storylines — notably Maelle’s — proves important to getting essentially the most out of Clair Obscur. Plus, you don’t wish to go away Noco hanging, so get speaking to Monoco!
However not all the pieces in Clair Obscur’s postgame is doom and gloom; there are nonetheless loads of gestral retailers to seek out, a ultimate gestral seashore to beat, and Petanks to interrupt. Even after credit are rolled, Clair Obscur gained’t cease. Like its expeditioners, it’s relentless in urgent ahead and providing up new content material so that you can take pleasure in. Whilst you can greatest its ultimate boss after 40 or so hours, Clair Obscur has nearly one other recreation’s value of content material to take pleasure in after its credit roll. The battles will problem even the very best of gamers, and new story revelations will present extra context to the video games’ narrative — alongside extra emotional intestine punches. Regardless of how onerous a postgame enemy hits, Clair Obscur’s narrative hits even tougher.
