One of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33's defining features, aside from its exceptional storytelling and engaging combat, is its distinct "Frenchness," as phrased by none other than lead programmer Tom Guillermin.
The in-game city Lumiere is blatantly inspired by the real-life city of Paris, France, and more generally, the game's world design is clearly influenced by the Belle Époque period of French art. Less eloquent, but equally French, are the mimes wearing red berets and baguette costumes.
Talking to Polygon, Guillermin explained how so much of Clair Obscur's explicitly French identity came about by sheer happenstance.
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"Actually we went really over the top, but in an unexpected way," Meurisse said, adding that some folks "were even pissed" that Clair Obscur didn't initially have a French-language dub. In response, Sandfall released the Baguette Trailer in October 2024 as a "self joking way" to announce the French language option that's in the game today.
"And this wasn't even planned to be in the game at first. It was just really a joke when we're discussing specific marketing," Meurisse said of the "mimes and red berets with baguettes" Frenching around in Clair Obscur. "It would be harder to embrace our Frenchness even more," he added.
The only to be more outwardly French, in Meurisse's mind, would be to "put snails and frogs everywhere in the next game," and frankly, hell yeah.
"We received a lot of 'JRPGs are back' comments," says Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth director, but the success of a turn-based game like Clair Obscur: Expeditition 33 isn't going to warp Square Enix's plans
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