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When it comes to game development, small changes can make a big difference, like the parrying sound in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. Timing was a bit of a problem earlier on in Sandfall Entertainment's multi-award winning epic RPG, but the sound design team were able to help remedy the situation, as Olivier Penchenier, the technical and sound designer, explained during a talk at GDC 2026 attended by GamesRadar+.
"We realized that parrying was not easy for the player," he says. "So Guillaume [Broche, director] asked me if something could help the player to get good timing on the attack. I didn't want to have some clear beep or alarm sound saying 'Parry now,' instead, we decided to keep something directly inside the attack sound."
The first iteration of this is known as 'the sweep,' Penchenier explains, a "small, high-pitched sound" that you'd hear right in the scrum of an attack rush. It was timed relative to the moment of impact, but "it was not very consistent," due to variable timings depending on the moves and abilities being used.
Another solution emerged later in development, the Glissant Rush, named for the musical term glissando, where you swiftly slide up or down an instrument from one note to another. "It's a rush with a much more cultural timing for the integration," he states. "We also use a second audio with the same size, and that file contains a reference hit, a bit like a kick, and this file was used as a marker to place the rush in the sequence, because the hits will happen in the same timing every time."
Essentially, the Glissant Rush is a more precise and predictable indicator for players, letting the team signpost exactly when the parry should happen. "It helps both with gameplay timing and also with the mix, because the rush naturally leaves space when the beats arrive," Penchenier says. "So today, both systems coexist in the game. In terms of songs, they actually are very similar. So for the player, it doesn't really change the overall aesthetic."
The next time you manage to land a perfect parry, remember it took a long process to get you there. And the devs are even teaching you some music theory, too.
