Clair Obscur: Expedition 33's brilliant parry system solves a classic JRPG problem: I can win any match-up on skill alone, so being under-leveled is just a state of mind

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is the sort of RPG that's not afraid to throw some hulking behemoths your party's way from early on. Even besides dedicated super bosses, it's possible to wander into battles against enemies that tower above the battle camera a short ways into the open world, making me feel dizzy to look up at, and like I have about as much chance of winning the match-up as I do understanding what 'Clair Obscur' actually means.

A page from Xenoblade Chronicles' book, perhaps? That distinctly open world RPG is all about meeting your freedom of exploration with the peril of getting stomped by ginormous roaming creatures. Not quite. Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 feels unique in the pantheon of RPGs by how skill-based its battle system truly is. There's always the option to come back later, or grind your way through experience now – but you don't actually have to do so in order to dominate some of the game's toughest enemies. The flexibility is one of the things we loved most about our adventure in our Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 review.

The bigger they are…

On paper, with some of these encounters, my Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 party has been underleveled for quite a lot of brawls. Anyone who has played heaps of RPGs over the decades like me will be more than familiar with the feeling of being totally outclassed in a fight. Your attacks do tiny chips of damage if they even move the health bar at all. One hit from the foe totally obliterates a full health bar. Somewhere, you may have turned right thanks to your treasure sensing radar, instead of progressing along the left branch.

That can still hold true in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. But the implementation of its battle systems mean that if you're skilled enough you can essentially dominate any battle. Dodging and parrying doesn't just reduce damage taken like it might in other games like Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 – in Yakuza: Like a Dragon, for instance, a well-timed block reduces damage – but does away with it completely.

Which means no matter how intimidating the enemy before me, all it takes to stop Gustave and company from getting battered so thoroughly they come with a side of mushy peas is timing my dodges to avoid every hit. Easier said than done, but totally possible. If I'm comfortable with an incoming attack's timing, then parrying both negates the damage, and allows for a free, powerful counterattack as well. Simply bat away damage with enough skill and the enemy will, essentially, destroy themselves.

It's a simple difference to a lot of the competition, but it really makes Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 stand apart from the crowd. Allowing skill to factor in as well as pure stat numbers, even the trickiest encounters become surmountable challenges. Which isn't to say there are no roadblocks.

One fight with a chromatic foe (souped up version of regular enemies) had them just stop taking damage after a few turns – very possibly just a bug. Other enemies hit so hard and so fast, and took so little damage, that the prospect of pushing through was too daunting for my scared little mind to push through. Yet, even these roughest fights all feel potentially possible – tantalizing to be sure.

…the harder they fall

It's enough to ensure that more than a few times when I come across areas that feel higher level than me – perhaps built with the intention that I'd do them later on – I push through anyway. After all, by smashing through enough tough battles and hoovering up XP to quickly level the playing field, there's a tangible and immediate reward to beast mode-ing the baddest enemies out there.

With how satisfying the parry feels to pull off, you feel every bit as powerful as you know you are by going toe-to-toe with the almost-indomitable one hit KO-ers. Plus, even if shaving off slithers isn't completely your bag to win a tough fight, there's a lot of ways Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 allows you to beef up abilities to enhance your chances – like buffing counterattacks. The only caveat is your damage is capped at 9,999 until you approach the endgame.

By the end of the game you'll have forged your party in flames, tweaking their builds to eke out every possible bit of punishment you can dish out, and feel your own skill having increased by getting comfortable with parrying. Swatting away incoming damage and seeing those sweet '9's all over the screen is a thrill like little else, giving me a sense of empowerment that's often few and far between in RPGs – and rarely so immediate. Later, that feeling only builds when much higher numbers start flying back and forth. Now, get ready: 1-2-3-4, parry, parry, parry, parry!

Need some advice on perfecting your parries? Check out our Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 tips! What's next? We've got loads of new games to put on your radar – the year ahead is looking stacked.