By The Phantom Thieves return
It’s widely recognized that Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 creative director Guillaume Broche is an ardent admirer of Japanese RPGs — however, the Sandfall Interactive CEO has highlighted one particular game in a fresh interview.
“Specifically, I regard Persona 5 as the finest game globally concerning UI and combat aesthetics,” states Broche, conversing with Japanese outlet Denfaminicogamer (as translated by Automaton).
He adds: “The manner in which the camera transitions dramatically with every action from the user, making it seem like you’re observing a film, left a significant mark on me.”
It’s difficult to dispute that, isn’t it? Atlus has been releasing some of the most visually stunning titles over the past few decades, and many would likely concur that Persona 5 stands out as the highlight in terms of design identity. That said, the newer Persona 3 Reload and Metaphor: ReFantazio undeniably present strong competition.
If you’ve experienced Clair Obscur, you’ll undoubtedly recognize the influence — particularly in how the combat camera alters based on your chosen actions. However, Broche stresses that he is not merely looking to extract elements from other titles and recycle them.
“In the West, there are occasions where games simply replicate aspects of successful titles superficially, trying to duplicate their triumph. Unfortunately, this leads to lesser replicas — and that’s precisely the kind of game I aimed to avoid creating,” he clarifies.
Considering how artistically breathtaking Clair Obscur is, and acknowledging Broche’s admiration for classics like Persona 5, we can firmly assert that the team at Sandfall Interactive undoubtedly has exquisite taste. It will be extremely intriguing to see what the studio’s forthcoming game entails.
What are your thoughts on Broche’s remarks? Do you believe the influence is evident in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33? Don’t forget to share your insights in the comments section below.
[source news.denfaminicogamer.jp, via automaton-media.com]
Robert (or Rob if you’re informal) serves as an assistant editor at Push Square, and has been an enthusiast of PlayStation since the 90s, when Tekken 2 introduced him to the remarkable world of gaming. He remains dedicated to his fighting games, but role-playing titles are his true love. The Witcher, Persona, Dragon Quest, Mass Effect, Final Fantasy, Trails, Tales — he has experienced them all. Perhaps a little excessively, some might argue.