Humor in video games is often a tricky element to get right, requiring a delicate balance that many developers struggle to achieve. When humor misses the mark, it can feel forced and easily lead to involuntary eye-rolls. However, when executed effectively, it can significantly enhance a game’s tone, add personality, and even deepen the development of its characters and world. Sandfall Interactive’s upcoming debut RPG, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, appears to be a game that understands this delicate balance, successfully walking a line that many others often cross.
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 might not be the kind of game that will have players roaring with laughter constantly, but it seems to know just how much comedic relief to inject to ensure players are met with genuine, warm smiles at regular intervals throughout its narrative. This approach stands in contrast to the humor found in many JRPGs that serve as its inspiration. The humor in that genre can often be over-the-top or exaggerated to a point where it becomes not just unfunny, but occasionally grating. Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, conversely, demonstrates a keen awareness of when to lighten the mood with a joke and when to maintain a serious tone.
Humor Grounded in Character and Context
Balancing humor is challenging in any genre, but it’s particularly difficult in the JRPGs that have influenced Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. JRPG comedy often relies on tropes like puns, slapstick, and exaggerated reactions, which can sometimes land well but frequently swing wildly between serious dramatic moments and outright zany antics. This is precisely where Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 seems to excel. It navigates the inherent darkness of its world and its heightened emotional stakes by weaving in warm, fitting humor that feels organic to the characters and the situations they face.
Much of the character interaction where this humor shines takes place during moments at camp, though players can also experience these exchanges while exploring the world. While Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 does feature some inherently silly characters, such as Esquie and the Gestrals, the game’s most effective humor often emerges naturally from the interactions between characters. These moments arise as the companions try to find moments of light and life amidst their impending doom and what appears to be a hopeless mission. The backdrop of a dark, sunless horizon actually helps ensure that any humor born from these interactions feels authentic and earned, rather than feeling forced or out of place.
Walking the Line Between Absurdity and Authenticity
To be clear, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 isn’t entirely devoid of absurdity. The Gestrals, for instance, bring a decent amount of weirdness, portrayed as somewhat unintelligent, forgetful beings who enjoy fighting and trading. A prime example is the “Gestral Beach” challenges, one of which hilariously rewards players with a unique swimsuit item for the character Monoco. However, these more overtly absurd moments are presented sparingly, fitting within the game’s world where weirdness is permissible due to the setting, but everything remains grounded by the game’s internal rules and established tone.
Ultimately, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 succeeds in finding humor in places where many games might stumble. Instead of simply inserting jokes for the sake of being funny, the game uses humor to reinforce its characters and the challenging world they inhabit. This sense of restraint is a key part of what makes the game’s tone so effective, especially when contrasted with the often over-the-top antics prevalent in many JRPGs. The result is a game that feels more sincere, more human, and more relatable. It’s unafraid to be silly at times, but it never allows that silliness to undermine the importance of its story or the gravity of its world.
