Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 - Eyes off the Clock

I have a nasty habit of watching the clock when I play games.

I'll check my playtime at the end of each session, either in game or on the console dashboard, and start to calculate how many more days, weeks or months it'll likely take for me to finish, with a bit of help from How Long to Beat.

I'm hyper aware of how much time I put into games, but this awareness doesn't usually hamper my enjoyment of them.

As I near what I believe to be the end, my mind starts to wander and I consider what I'll play next. I'll peruse my digital library and get something downloaded, or grab a physical copy off the shelf and prop it up somewhere near the TV, where I can see it. Now my mind and my eyes can wander. My attention is split between present and future. I start to wish the hours away, even as I enjoy the game at hand.

Not with Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, though. I stopped checking the clock after just a few hours and didn't bother to line up my next game. I had no desire to mind the hours, minutes or seconds; I was happy to let it take its time.

I wasn't rushing the gommage.

I was hooked, thoroughly engrossed by a game that I had not been anticipating at all. I was borderline sick of hearing about it back in May, when everyone was waxing lyrical about the "French Lost Odyssey", lauding small teams, and prematurely crowning it GOTY. Idiots, I thought. Turns out they weren't idiots, at least not in this instance.

I lingered for a solid week in the end-game, before heading to the final boss. I grinded - ground? - levels, attempted side missions, fully explored the world map, and took down optional bosses. I never do that anymore. That's 2001-like behaviour, back when time didn't matter.

I did, however, have a peek at the clock when I hit credits last week. It took a shade under fifty hours all told, which amounted to well over a month of nothing but Expedition 33. Fifty hours in that short of a period is pretty fast for me. To be able to get through it that quickly, I was finding extra moments here and there to play, outside my usual hour in the evening, which is a sure sign that a game has my full and undivided attention.

I wasn't watching the time, I was trying to find more of it. I guess I must've really liked Clair Obscur, maybe even loved it.

I often struggle to talk about games that I love. I'll structure a blog around something inane like clock-watching to invent a way of discussing it without having to write a straight forward review or offer effusive praise. I'd much rather dedicate 1500 words to a 6/10 than a 10/10. I could do a twelve-part podcast series on Binary Domain - actually an 8/10 - but I'd struggle to motivate myself to write a paragraph on the GOAT, Metal Gear Solid 3. I mean, if I wrote a paragraph on Snake Eater right now it'd be the best one you've read in ages, but I probably wouldn't enjoy doing it and it'd take me a week.

Right, let's get this out of the way.

I adored Expedition 33's unique setting from minute one, and was impressed by the trust it puts in the player. It doesn't waste time explaining why things are happening, at least not at first, but instead just jumps straight into the story and trusts that you'll learn from what you see and hear, and then grasp the stakes. Which you will. The characters are wonderfully realised, the soundtrack luxurious, and while it wears its influences on its sleeve, the final product is something quite unique and unforgettable. While it is certainly a little rough around the edges, it is also astoundingly beautiful, thanks to the confident art design. Combat-wise, it expects too much of the player too soon, but once you've gotten to grips with dodging and then parrying, you're rewarded with a deep and satisfying system. The lack of a mini-map can be frustrating, but you'll get over it, just as I did. Some things, however, you won't get over, but now isn't the time for spoilers.

I haven't touched Clair Obscur since hitting the final credits a week ago. My ending was fairly definitive, and as much as I miss it, I don't feel like going back to mop up the optional bosses. I could definitely be convinced to return for DLC, however. Another expedition, another canvas; a group of survivors that lasted a little longer than we thought, and went on a mini-adventure of their own? I'd be up for that.

As I did with Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth last year, I plan to forget about Clair Obscur for a bit so that I can clear my mind, create some distance, and then consider just how good it is. A GOTY contender or an all-timer? It has certainly proven a tough act to follow, as I've struggled to get into much of anything over the last week and a half, my mind still lingering in Lumiere. I'm currently playing Doom: The Dark Ages and Rematch, and have lined up several other options, but I'm mostly just going through the motions, waiting for the Expedition 33 hangover to pass.

Back to watching the clock.