Play it on: PS5, Xbox Series X/S, Windows (Steam Deck N/A)
Current goal: Actually master dodge and parry

I find something new to like about Clair Obscur every time I fire it up. I’m also not alone in finding this French-made turn-based RPG alluring. Kotaku’s very own Kenneth Shepard has given the game some well-deserved praise this week, and I’m hearing people spontaneously talking about it and having friends ask me about it with increasing frequency, so it seems to be catching on. This weekend I’ll be jumping back into this engaging RPG and, if you’re in the mood for something tactical and turn-based, I think you should too.

Clair Obscur frequently feels like the Final Fantasy of the future that I used to imagine as a kid. And yes, much of that has to do with the game’s satisfyingly unique approach to turn-based combat (there’s also an overworld!). Dodging and parrying, which you do in real-time, still feel a smidge unfair in their timing to me, but the ability to aim in real-time at enemy weak points and strategically build up an offense by making successively smart and powerful moves with each turn is a clever remix of a battle style I love—and one I used to expect from Final Fantasy before the series tossed turn-based combat out the window. Now that I’ve wrapped up some footage capture for a recent video of ours, I’m free to dial the difficulty back up to its highest setting for some punishment and satisfying mastery over what is a surprisingly tough game.

The story has yet to really grab my attention though, so hopefully I make some more progress. I don’t have any critiques of it yet, just some unmet curiosity. I’m certainly intrigued by this “let’s go kill a god” story, but I’m in the phase of “okay, game, what are you actually gonna do with this premise?” I’ve a feeling it’s gonna turn out neat, the premise and setting are pretty clever, but I want to be won over by Expedition 33. Even if not, though, this combat will surely satisfy me for many more hours. — Claire Jackson