Clair Obscur Expedition 33 Drew Inspiration from Surprising Anime—Soul Eater Creator’s Fire Force: “Because It Was a JRPG, We Tried to Find a Mix”

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The audio team behind Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 leaned heavily on Fire Force for inspiration, especially when it came to combat sound design. The key points are:

  1. Stylized impact over realism – Just like Fire Force, many sounds aren’t meant to mimic real-world physics. Instead, they act like musical elements, giving attacks weight, rhythm, and drama.

  2. Bass-driven power – Guillaume Broche, the creative director, loved the idea of heavier, bass-heavy hits. What started as a playful experiment with Fire Force clips quickly became a core part of the game’s sound identity.

  3. Shaping the game’s direction – Joffres and Playez note that once they started implementing these sound ideas, Guillaume’s feedback (“let’s do more of that”) influenced the overall combat design, not just the audio. Essentially, the game’s style, pacing, and impact were partially molded around how satisfying the attacks felt and sounded.

  4. Discovery through highlights – Interestingly, Playez hadn’t watched all of Fire Force—he picked up the inspiration from clips of fight sequences, showing how a small spark of influence can guide the creative process.

So, the weight and musicality of combat in Expedition 33 is a deliberate, anime-inspired choice, not just a random sound effect tweak—it’s part of what gives the game its distinctive, punchy JRPG feel.