Game Dev Veteran Criticizes Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 for Inexperienced Team’s Shortcuts

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 has drawn attention for its impressive quality, despite being created by a relatively inexperienced team. This indie game has shown that smaller studios can rival major players in the gaming industry. Adrian Chmielarz, a 34-year veteran in game development, has publicly expressed his surprise at the team behind Expedition 33.

Critical Insights from Industry Veteran

Chmielarz, currently the creative director of Witchfire, noted that many developers at Sandfall Interactive, the studio behind Expedition 33, were new to the game development process. He mentioned, “I learned that the guys behind Expedition 33 hired a lot of newbies, people who didn’t make a game before.” This revelation challenged his understanding of what is possible for new teams.

Experience Combined with New Talent

• Adrian Chmielarz: Notable game developer since 1992, co-founder of People Can Fly, known for Painkiller and Bulletstorm.
• Guillaume Broche: Sandfall’s creative director, previously with Ubisoft.
• Core Team: 30 members, half of whom were first-time developers.

Despite the inexperience, Chmielarz noted, “Here we have a game that looks AAA to me, it’s just phenomenal in every aspect.” He praised the storytelling, gameplay, and audio-visual quality of Expedition 33, emphasizing its coherent design.

Smart Design Choices in Expedition 33

Chmielarz highlighted several design strategies that contributed to the game’s success. He pointed out that certain shortcuts were effectively utilized to achieve AAA-like quality with limited resources. For instance, characters in the game lack facial details, reducing the animators’ workload.

Cinematic Techniques and Simplified Interactions

Another technique noted was the production of cutscenes, which are largely staged like theater plays. “99% of these cut scenes are actually theatre plays,” Chmielarz explained. This approach minimized the need for complex character interactions with the environment, streamlining the animation process.

In summary, Expedition 33 showcases an impressive blend of innovative thinking and practical design decisions. While many developers in the studio were inexperienced, Chmielarz believes that their clever use of shortcuts has enabled them to create a game that appears more substantial than it actually is. As the landscape of game development continues to evolve, Expedition 33 serves as a testament to what can be achieved with fresh talent and smart design.