I’ve been on an RPG binge since finishingClair Obscur: Expedition 33back at the beginning of May. Playing some new-to-me titles, likeAvowedandOctopath Traveler, and some of my favorite classics, likeFinal Fantasy XandXenosaga.Expedition 33takes manyinspirations fromFinal Fantasy,Persona,The Legend of Dragoon,Sekiro, and more, and combines them to create a profound new experience. But while replaying a forgotten classic, I found it also has many ofExpedition 33’s foundations.
The 2001 hidden gem,Shadow Hearts, has been out of the RPG limelight since 2001, and the series ended in 2006. I’m fortunate enough to still have a PlayStation 2 copy of the game, as the originalShadow Heartsis one of therarest and most collectible gamesnow, rendering it unplayable to most people. Upon revisiting the game,I’m convinced several of its elements must have also inspiredExpedition 33’s creation.
Shadow Hearts Is An Underrated RPG
Lovecraftian Horror Combined With Real-Time Turn-Based Gameplay
Shadow Heartsstars Yuri Hyuga as he is sent to a Shanghai-bound train by a voice in his head to rescue a young woman named Alice Elliott from a warlock named Roger Bacon. The game features a colorful party, whose six members range from a covert spy to a vampire and virtually everything in between. The game’s horror atmosphere and creepy creature designs resonated with a lot of fans, despite mixed reviews onMetacriticfor its lack of innovation.
Thebiggest standout feature of the game, though, is theJudgement Ring system. When choosing any command, including using items, from the command-based gameplay menu, players must stop the spinner in the ring at various points to execute combo attacks, as well as potentially get a bonus for well-timed button pushes. The Judgement Ring is also used during puzzles, negotiating with merchants, and playing some mini-games.
Expedition 33 Has A Lot Of Similar Design Elements
Greater Than The Sum Of Its Parts
What really surprised me about playing the game 24 years later is that the game’s core design hasa lot ofsimilarities toExpedition 33. Both games have six party members, both games combine real-time and turn-based elements, both games' levels are mostly linear, both games have merchants with additional mechanics, and both games have stories that are dark. Additionally, both titles have three acts for their story structure.
With so many similarities, and withShadow Heartsbeing a great game in its own right, it somewhat saddens me that the game often gets overlooked when fans discussExpedition 33’s influences. A spiritual successor toShadow HeartscalledPenny Bloodwas successfully crowdfunded years ago, but legal issues between the developers and Kickstarter have prevented the game from getting a publisher, meaningit may never see the light of day.
A prequel rougelike toPenny Blood, calledPenny Blood: Hellbound, was released in Early Access on Steam in 2023, and fully released in December 2024.
Still, the originalShadow Heartstrilogy exists, despite how difficult the games are to find for a reasonable price now. We seem to be in a turn-based renaissance in recent years, so hopefully fans ofClair Obscur: Expedition 33will get a chance to experience some of these other classics and more to come.
