Clair obscur alluded to: My loved ones “JRPG” hours since Final Fantasy 10

Clair Obscur can be one of the best role -playing games this year, says Dennis.

If as in the case ofA developer publishes his game debut, which looks fantastic in the first trailers from the bombast graphic to fresh gameplay approaches, then I always have light skepticism. Too often over -ambitious games such as biomutant have recently promised a lot and ultimately noticed little.

After I was able to play the first work of Sandfall Interactive for four hours, I can give the all -clear. Even more! Since Final Fantasy 10, I haven't had so much fun with a classic 3D “JRPG”, which from its excellently staged and gripping story to the fresh approach of a round-based combat system.

A grippingly staged story that I want more about

What Clair obscur tells in his history is dark. Even very dark. The linchpin of the plot is the so-called painter, who draws a number on a monolith every year. For example, if an 18 is painted, all young people of this age die. The overarching goal is therefore quite “simple”: we should uncover the mystery behind this cruel ritual and stop the painter-and that should happen with a group of elite soldiers, the so-called expedition 33.

Without anticipating the initial action, it should only be said so much: After playing the demo, I wanted to find out more about the mystical fantasy world inspired by the French Belle Époque, which is not only due to the gripping premise.

Naughty Dog sends greetings

At this point my praise could hardly be greater. How the plot of Clair obscur is presented in elaborately staged and excellently animated cutscenes is first class.

Here the role-playing game from genre sizes like Final Fantasy or Persona really does not have to hide. The name Naughty Dog also came to my head with the brilliant in English (and optionally French). However, there will be no German setting as a small drop of bitterness.

Clair obscur has so far played like a classic, linear JRPG

On the other hand, I was much less surprised by the building of the game, which is strongly at classics likeororiented.

There are many smaller, round -based skirmishes, but now and then I stumbled into particularly strong opponents. For example, if the huge Golem was defeated, there was a strong sword for close fighter Gustave as a reward. If you want to make the main path less demanding, you are better looking around.

Briefly to the level of difficulty:In total, you have three stages to choose from, but you can change your decision at any time. If you play on “normal”, you should not shy away from a challenge or alternatively search the sections for a new Gear. If the end boss is still too tough, you hardly suffer any damage in the story mode if you wish.

If the sun -drenched and extremely pretty forest section was done after a good 90 minutes, the path then led to the next bio via a freely accessible and easily zoomed -out world map. A rather surreal backdrop, in which I seem to march on the sea floor under whales and fishing.

However, it does not swim and the air does not run out of my troop either. I did not find out what this quasi-underwater world is all about. In any case, the whole thing looks great and gives me hope that the developers let off steam with fresh ideas away from the sand and snow landscapes that are so often seen.

A sea that is above us. Clair obscur dissolves in the demo of classic biomes.

This round -based combat system is just fun

However, my biggest highlight of the demo so far starts when I put on with the varied monsters that pull their circles on the paths.

Here is the information that you like incan walk past enemies - there are no annoying random encounters. If you fall over the hat on the bizarre figure in your back or you quickly fry one from the front, a first strike is triggered and you are first in the turn of the battle.

Sandfall has caught a classic, round -based combat system at first glance for Clair Obscur, as you are used to from many JRPGs. You can carry out a normal attack with the weapon that gives you skills. You will use the points won in the next round for special attacks or spells.

For example, you mark a goal so that its defense value sinks, elementary magic is bretting on your opponent or lightning as a magician Lune. If necessary, found or purchased items can also be used, for example to revive a fallen fighter.

However, the special spice in the skirmishes arises from real-time elementsthat fit perfectly into the combat system. At this point, the note that I am usually big fan of the rather quiet, round-based combat systems and can do less with real-time systems, such as those from the Xenoblade series.

But Sandfall succeeds in feeling the perfect mix.

It starts with the use of a musket. You can also use skills points to freely indicate vulnerabilities of opponents and to distribute proper damage. However, you have to find out the sore points for every type of opponent, which creates a motivating learning curve over time.

Thanks to found (weapons) perks, a hero can only equip three at the same time, you also get the chance to set fire to set up opponents with ranged attacks, for example. If the opponent is generally susceptible to fire, the good thing doesn't have much to laugh about. This in turn means that every monster is like a small puzzle that we can solve step by step.

Incidentally, the emphasis here is “ability”. You can alternatively rely on your reactions in the opposing attacks, where we come to the second clever real-time component.

Our squad can cut and also avoid magical attacks, block them or parry them with the perfect timing, which in turn initiates a powerful counter strike.We do not control our heroes, but only press the corresponding button, but the fights seem to be structured quite structured despite plenty of action on the screen and at the same time not too passive.

For everyone who thinks of less fun quick time events when reading, it should be noted that opponents have multiple attacks that we recognize, read and also have to counter. The learning of the opposing attacks creates a nice flow over time that is even more fun, since the skirmishes simply look excellent and are spectacularly staged.

In order to cause even more damage with the special attacks or to generate more life points with the healing magic, timing is also required. Anyone who presses the corresponding buttons at the right moment benefits. However, failed entries never have a demotivating effect. So it is not the case that the healing then fails to fail or your sword swingers unmotivated into the empty skin. Only the extra boost does not go.

The mix of calm actions and fast reactions motivates immensely and rarely have I experienced such liquid and chic fights in a JRPG.What the trailers promise has been kept completely so far.