Western Roll-Praying Game fans already have a handful of big releases this year, such as Aveod and Just Elder Scrolls Fourth: Olivion Remaster. But gamers are looking for the novel’s RPG that is trying to break the mold then Claire is vague: The expedition launched on April 24 – and the producer of the game explained to me what the players were for.
At GDC 2025, I got the first hour of 33 of 33, which was created by the French Studio Sandfall interactive. With a shocking story about interactive turn-based war and death, combined with a fantastic world and beautiful music, the expedition 33 gamers seem ready to capture what something different in their hanging story-based games.
Previously, I chatted with the Sandfall Interactive co-founder and expedition 33 Producers Franois Muris about the impact, war and art that went to accept the Veniable JRPG Jenner of a French studio.
David Lamb (CNET): This is the first time I was able to get my hand in the game and when I was switching to Windows in the war or duding the enemy attacks it feels so speeding for any RPG – the dynamic menu. What were the inspirations of the team?
Franois Muris (Sandfall Interactive): The game has some great [Japanese RPG] Inspiration, like the old final fantasy – for example the final fantasy 10. For example, there are also some major inspirations from more modern JRPGs like Persona 5.
From Persona, we have taken this inspiration that is necessary for every click activity, but there is no unnecessary gameplay manipulation to get what you want to do. Each button triggers some camera movement by clicking you. When you see some people playing it makes it almost action-based. We wanted to get this responsive turn-based feeling that makes the best of the turn-based games mix with a real-time feeling.
DL: I really enjoyed how interactive the war system is. How did you maintain a paradise and dodging balance, especially for players who may not be good in any case?
FM: So the defense system is quite demanding, but there are several defense options. This is easier when you face a new enemy, for example, learning their patterns and starting with dodge, which is more forgiving in scheduling. And when you get the right time for the perfect dodge, you can try parity.
We are very balanced now, but there are different play styles and player types here. And we have a wide variety of tools, different skills, different characters – so if you do not like to parry, or if you are not the best dazz in the world, you can equip some specific passive effects or tools in harmony with your play style.
For example, I prefer dodgers than mercury, I may have passive effects to give me additional action points with dodges than Pari. Or I can focus on specific buildings to trigger the effects of some stability on the monsters and to deal with heavy, heavy damage and not rely too much in the defense system. And if it isn’t anything I into [quick-time events] Attacks – You can enable automatic QTE to settings.
DL: Another thing that is pretty interesting about the game is the art style. In the demo, I am running with a stone crooked head with a white, almost clownish face. What did this industry inspire the design?
FM: For the whole game, we had another Bell Epok, Art deco inspiration, so France was mixed with high imagination in the early 20th century. This is one thing we wanted for at the beginning of this expedition, for the decoration of the expedition, for the manore.
Now, it is like a type of weaving expedition, an unprecedented continent, which is quite barbaric. Our Art Director chose various inspirations for different enemies and the environment – for example, the references to the enemy you mentioned are like more clay sculptures and organic shapes.
DL: This is a good seg – what does a French studio bring to JRPG? What is French in the game?
FM: So of course lumier [the city where the game begins and expeditions set out from]Eiffel Tower [in it]The And yes, there are plenty of reactions to taking French oaths, some names, art inspiration, some clothing patterns.
Complete the challenges can unlock some very French clothes.
DL: I think that the fair has been kept as a big villain in the end, or at least what you are looking for is a unique French enemy and we are nothing that we have seen so much in JRPG.
FM: Yes, probably not. The pathrace will reveal some privacy all over the game.
DL: What else do you feel like to bring 33 JRPGs to which we haven’t seen before?
FM: Of course, it is an RPG at the root, but the game is more than the staff of the defense system or even some status systems or deckbilding inspirations for stuff for staff. We have taken several inspirations of what we liked on the games we like, but we try to create our own way with the guidance, unique stories and unique characters.
DL: Can you tell me more about music? War music is especially great, I like to jump in the fight and listen to a coral element. However, there are parts that are somewhat French with the organs in the background.
FM: So Lorian [Testard]Our composer, a full composition [original soundtrack] For games OST is huge, it will be several hours long and worked with us from the very beginning of development in 2021. He really composed the music along with creating the game. And Alice Duport-Periare, he is a composer and singer-he has a great voice, he is a classical singer. And we have about 45 minutes orchestra recording with the French orchestra.
DL: We are going to the end of our time to chat, and I just wanted to concentrate on the repeated death theme of the game because the age limit for survival is low and low every year. What is the inspiration of that door theme?
FM: About the countdown, I think Gillium [Broche, Sandfall Interactive CEO and creative director] One morning wake up and even though this idea could be great. The idea of the expedition, however, is the special inspiration behind it is a French novel known as La Hord Du Contravent, [in English: The Horde of Counterwind]The It was not translated in other languages, but it is now a Cult classic in French, published in 2004.
It is a great novel about a group of warriors, like a campaign of 20 or 30 people that try to find the source of the world, which always flows from west to east. Each campaign fails and they send a new one. We loved the idea that you tried to overcome what the best team did before you, they reached at what point they had on earth, how did they fail and you will succeed?
DL: Okay, the last question: Do you most interested in experience when players take up the game for the first time?
FM: Oh – I mean, everything, gameplay, map of the world. But personally the story is great. I can’t wait to discover the fate of characters, to share theories about it, to reach the end of the story. The story, its twist, progress towards the stage – it makes me cool. Some voice cast [performances] Made me cry so I can’t wait to hear their response.
Clare Verso: Expeditions were published for PC, Xbox and PS5 on April 33.
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