Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Chapter One P3 – “Even Coral Bleeds When Memory Lingers”

Flying Waters isn’t just deep it remembers.

As Gustave and Lune investigate the wreckage of Expedition 68, they find themselves pulled deeper into memory, mystery, and madness. A submerged path leads to the Paint Cages, a forgotten hut, and a strange door that transports them to The Manor, where they reunite with Maelle. But The Curator stands in their way a duel that unlocks her potential and tests their resolve.

Back in the flooded ruins, Chroma pulses through every coral crevice. Noco offers strange wares, Crulers guard ancient weapons, and bosses like the Bourgeon and Goblu stand between you and the truth.

Maelle’s nightmare awaits. But so does your evolution.

Weapons earned. Bonds reforged. The descent continues.

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is a 2025 turn-based role-playing game from French developer Sandfall Interactive and published by Kepler Interactive. Set in a hauntingly beautiful dark fantasy world inspired by the Belle Époque, the story unfolds on the isolated island of Lumière, where each year a mysterious event known as the Gommage erases all citizens whose age matches the number painted by a spectral entity known only as The Paintress.

To stop this annual erasure, the people of Lumière send forth a group of volunteers Expedition 33 on a desperate mission to slay the Paintress before another number is marked, and more lives are lost.

Gameplay blends classic turn-based combat with real-time mechanics such as timed actions and quick-time events. Players guide a party of characters from a third-person perspective, exploring richly detailed environments rendered in Unreal Engine 5.

The concept was born during the COVID-19 pandemic by Guillaume Broche, a former Ubisoft developer, who assembled a 30-person core team and a network of subcontractors to bring the vision to life. Inspired by legendary JRPGs like Final Fantasy and Persona, Sandfall set out to craft a high-fidelity, story-rich experience a genre they felt had been overlooked by modern AAA studios.

Released on April 24, 2025, for PlayStation 5, Windows, and Xbox Series X/S, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 earned universal acclaim, selling over 3.3 million copies in just 33 days.