Expedition 33 is a French JRPG with Paper Mario-style combat and some of the most beautiful surreal visuals I've ever seen in a game
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The trailer, which you can see below, has a pretty intriguing setup with its beautiful surreal landscapes. But the real selling point might be the JRPG-style combat, which appears to be turn-based but with real-time actions you can do to dodge certain attacks and the like in the style of a Paper Mario.
“In this evolution of JRPGs, real-time actions enhance the heart of turn-based combat,” the devsexplain. “Build your party and level up six characters. Craft unique builds for your expeditioners that fit your playstyle via gear, stats, skills, and character synergies. Open an active dimension in combat - dodge, parry, and counter in real time, chain combos by mastering attack rhythms, and target enemy weak points using a free-aim system.”
That all sounds like music to my ears, and given the lack of big-budget turn-based options in the JRPG space these days, Expedition 33 seems like it’s perfectly positioned to fill that gap.
This game was technically announced some time ago as Project W, the first project from Sandfall. “With a focus on single-player experiences, we want to deliver incredible stories with intriguing characters in gorgeous fantasy worlds,” the studio explains on itsofficial website. Judging by this first reveal trailer, it certainly appears that the studio is making good on that mission statement.
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