Instead of hiding or ignoring its biggest influences, like Persona and Final Fantasy, the team behind the upcoming flashy turn-based RPG Clair Obscur: Expeditions 33 embraces them head-on. "We are definitely not hiding that there are influences from the big Japanese genre," creative director Guillaume Broche tells PC Gamer magazine in a new interview.
The Persona franchise is an inspiration Broche cites, specifically with what the team is doing in terms of the "camera movements and the menus." Considering how the Persona franchise is often lauded for its dynamic and stylized UI, it is hardly surprising.
However, it's not just about copying what came before but figuring out how to do it in the team's own way. Broche mentions, "When we were trying to find our own direction, we thought OK, we want something really unique and that stands out.
What has not been explored??" He goes on to say, "We looked at different eras of history, and we looked at Belle Epoque France.
And we were like 'I don't think it's been really explored that much." The game's blend of turn-based and real-time mechanics has drawn a lot of other comparisons to the Final Fantasy series, and for good reason.