Remastered Oblivion's Release Boosts Clair Obscur: According to Expedition 33's Publisher, "No Negative Impact Found, Possible Positive Benefits Detected"; Sparking Interest and Conversations in the Genre.
While Clair Obscur: Expedition 33's release coincided with The Elder Scrolls: Oblivion Remaster, it didn't seem to harm Sandfall's hit at all. Clair Obscur, in less than a week, garnered over 1 million sales and an all-time critical reception. Matt Handrahan, Kepler's senior portfolio director, believes the unique identity of Expedition 33 is the reason behind its success. Handrahan noted that while both games have different appeals and audiences, the Western-style RPG and the Japanese-style RPG are quite distinct.
"Clair Obscur and Oblivion Remastered are like apples and oranges," Handrahan admitted. "While they belong to the same genre, the narrative experience, player agency, and design philosophy are completely different." Bethesda's catalogue has a different set of mechanics compared to contemporaries from the Land of the Rising Sun.
Especially since Western-style RPGs have veered away from traditional turn-based combat. This shift is partly due to incorrect genre conventions, but also due to their roots in the CRPG's preference for real-time pause and the like. On the other hand, Japanese RPGs are known for their handcrafted setpieces and tactical combat.
Handrahan added that factors such as the price point, Game Pass inclusion, and Oblivion's impact on the gaming industry's focus on RPGs helped Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 gather attention. Even the proximity to the Elder Scrolls reboot didn't seem to harm the smaller game.
In fact, Handrahan points out that the release of two significantly different RPGs highlights the diversity within the genre. While shadow-dropped games can be risky for indie developers, he is glad Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 managed to carve a niche for itself.
It's a game that demands over 60 hours of your attention and plunges you into a mind-bending plot filled with strict narratives. The town of the gaming industry was indeed big enough for the two of them.
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Dive Deeper
Western-style RPGs (WRPGs) and Japanese RPGs (JRPGs) differ in terms of narrative focus, player agency, and design philosophy. Western RPGs favor immersive simulations, open-ended customization, and individual agency. Japanese RPGs emphasize character-driven stories, pre-set protagonists, linear progression, and handcrafted setpieces.
Writer's Background
Harvey Randall, our article's author, has a long-standing affection for games since he first begged his parents for a World of Warcraft subscription at age 12. He writes for various gaming sites, including PC Gamer. Harvey enjoys RPGs, soulslikes, roguelikes, deckbuilders, MMOs, and weird indie titles. He also dabbles in tabletop RPGs in his offline time. Maybe ask him which system he prefers, but we won't hold our breath.
- In the realm of entertainment, two significantly different RPGs - Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 and The Elder Scrolls: Oblivion Remaster - managed to thrive separately.
- Despite releasing around the same time, Clair Obscur's unique identity catered to a different audience, ensuring its success.
- Western-style RPGs, like Clair Obscur, deviate from traditional turn-based combat, leaning more towards real-time pause mechanics.
- On the contrary, Japanese RPGs are renowned for their handcrafted setpieces and tactical combat.
- A passionate gaming enthusiast, Harvey Randall, has written extensively about these differences in various gaming publications.
- Randall appreciates games that offer immersive simulations, open-ended customization, and individual agency, which he experiences in WRPGs.
- He also indulges in tabletop RPGs when he's not powering through digital ones, and his fascination spans across diverse genres, from soulslikes and roguelikes to deckbuilders and MMOs.
- As the gaming industry is teeming with excitement about the launch of new titles, Randall can't wait to see what the future holds for sports-betting, movies-and-tv, pop-culture, sci-fi-and-fantasy, sports, and entertainment.
- Social-media allows gamers like Randall to share their thoughts and experiences, shaping the culture and discussion around games.
- Intriguingly, weather forecasting apps may impact the gaming landscape, as gamers alter their schedules based on weather conditions to optimize their playtime.
- As gamers eagerly follow the updates in the gaming scene, they engage in sports-betting on events like NBA, NCAABasketball, and even the release of highly anticipated games.
