Parrying Was Not Easy”: Clair Obscur Expedition 33 Devs Used Sound to Fix a Key Part of the JRPG’s Combat

[wasabi]

Sandfall Interactive found a clever way to make parrying in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 feel intuitive without being intrusive. Early on, players struggled with timing their parries, so Olivier Penchenier, the technical and sound designer, worked on embedding timing cues directly into the attack sound. This first iteration, called “the sweep,” was a subtle high-pitched sound aligned with the attack impact—but it wasn’t always consistent because different moves had variable timings.

Later, the team developed the Glissant Rush, inspired by the musical term glissando. This added a predictable audio cue aligned to reference hits, giving players a clear sense of when to parry. The beauty of the system is that it’s both precise for gameplay and harmonious with the music, so players learn the timing almost musically without breaking immersion.

Ultimately, Sandfall created a system that’s intuitive, rhythmic, and aesthetically seamless, showing how subtle sound design can greatly improve gameplay while teaching players a touch of music theory along the way.