How Long To Beat Clair Obscur: Expedition 33?

For players embarking on Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, the question of “how long to beat” isn’t just about scheduling-it’s a strategic consideration in a game where time itself is the antagonist. This visually stunning turn-based RPG, set in a world inspired by early 20th-century France, tasks players with halting the Paintress, a divine entity who annually erases everyone of a specific age. With its blend of Persona-style combat, sprawling optional zones, and narrative depth, understanding the game’s time demands becomes crucial for both casual adventurers and completionists. Whether you’re here to sprint through the story or savor every hidden journal entry, this guide breaks down the hours needed to conquer Sandfall Interactive’s debut masterpiece.

Main Story: A 30-Hour Race Against the Erasure

The Developer’s Promise

Sandfall Interactive estimates that most players will complete Clair Obscur: Expedition 33’s core narrative in 30 hours. This aligns with firsthand accounts: Kotaku’s reviewer finished the main questline in 35 hours while dabbling in side content, and a Game Rant writer rolled credits at 27 hours. The story unfolds across three Acts-Gustave, Verso, and Maelle-each escalating in scale as you trek from the fractured city of Lumiere to the Paintress’ monolith.

Pacing and Narrative Density

Unlike open-world bloated contemporaries, Expedition 33 maintains a tight focus. Acts 1 and 2 introduce core mechanics and character arcs within 15-20 hours, while Act 3’s climactic battles and revelations demand another 10-15. The pacing avoids filler, with even minor NPC dialogues advancing themes of mortality and rebellion. As one Redditor noted, “20-30 hours is plenty for a game that respects your time”.

Completionist Run: 60+ Hours of Chroma-Soaked Exploration

Side Content Breakdown

For those determined to 100% the game, prepare for a 60-hour odyssey. Beyond the main quest, the Continent hides:

48 Optional Zones: From the Red Forest’s Gestalt villages to the Forgotten Battlefield’s axin lairs, these areas house unique bosses like the mask-swarm Meron and the dancer Kristoff.
200+ Collectibles: Journals detailing past expeditions, cosmetic outfits, and Luminia-infused “Pictos” that reshape combat strategies.
Post-Game Challenges: New Game+ unlocks harder difficulties and a secret ending tied to relationship levels with companions like Sciel and Monoco.

The Grindiest Tasks

Two achievements test patience: reaching Level 99 (requiring 10+ hours of Nevron farming) and uncovering all 18 Lost Gestrals. The latter involves solving environmental puzzles across shifting biomes-a process IGN’s review called “delightfully old-school in its obscurity”.

Act-by-Act Time Investment

Prologue: Lumiere’s Last Gasp (2-3 Hours)

The opening segment-set during the Gage festival-serves as a narrative tutorial. You’ll master parry timing against tutorial enemies, bond with protagonist Gustave’s apprentice Sophie, and witness the Erasure firsthand. While linear, hidden journals here hint at later twists.

Act 1: Gustave’s Gambit (8-10 Hours)

Post-prologue, Act 1 focuses on assembling Expedition 33’s roster and navigating coastal regions. Key time sinks include:

Beachfront Combat Tutorials: Mastering real-time dodges during turn-based skirmishes
The Curator’s Forge: Crafting your first Lumina-enhanced weapons
Maze of Whispers: An optional dungeon with a boss that drops critical skill tomes

Act 2: Verso’s Vendetta (12-15 Hours)

The longest Act introduces open-world traversal via airships and relationship mechanics. Players report spending 5+ hours alone in the Gestalt Village, participating in volleyball tournaments and bartering with paintbrush-shaped traders. The Act culminates in a multi-phase boss fight against Renoir, which demands perfected parry chains.

Act 3: Maelle’s March (10-12 Hours)

The finale accelerates toward the Paintress’ tower, but secret areas like the Manor’s time-shifted library can add 3-4 hours. True ending seekers must complete all character-specific quests here, such as recovering Verso’s family heirlooms.

Factors That Speed Up or Slow Your Playthrough

Difficulty Settings

Story Mode: Halves enemy HP, letting players blitz to credits in 25 hours
Expeditionary (Hard): Doubles boss phases, extending playtime by 10-15 hours

Exploration Style

GPS-Dependent Players: Following quest markers shaves 5 hours off completionist runs
Organic Explorers: Those who scour every pixel for journals average 70+ hours

Guide Usage

Blind Runs: Missing hidden Gestrals or maze solutions can add 8-10 hours of backtracking
Walkthrough Veterans: Efficient collectible hunting trims 15 hours off 100% attempts

Post-Game and New Game+

The 20-Hour Epilogue

After the credits, players unlock:

Axin Raids: Superbosses like the three-headed Hydra require Level 75+ teams
Paintress Simulations: Rematches with tweaked mechanics, rewarding cosmetic dyes
Relationship Epilogues: 12 character-specific endings, each needing 2-3 hours of dedicated interaction

New Game+ Offerings

Carrying over skills and gear, NG+ introduces:

Chroma Surge Mode: Enemies gain randomized buffs, demanding adaptive strategies
Black Journal Fragments: Collectible lore pieces that alter key story beats
Speedrunners have cleared NG+ in 18 hours, but full completion here pushes total playtime past 100 hours.

Platform-Specific Considerations

Steam Deck Performance

While playable, the Deck’s 90-minute battery life (vs. 6 hours for other RPGs) may fragment sessions. Cloud saves help, but expect 10-15% longer playtimes due to reloading.

PS5/Xbox Optimization

DualSense haptics and Quick Resume shave minutes per session-helpful for achievement hunters. The IGN review noted these features saved 2-3 hours over a 60-hour run.

Is It Worth the Time?

For Story Lovers

At 30 hours, Expedition 33 delivers a tighter narrative than Persona 5’s 100-hour sprawl, with comparable emotional payoff. The final confrontation’s branching dialogue-affected by choices as early as Act 1-justifies replaying key chapters.

For Completionists

60 hours feels lean compared to bloated open worlds, but the lack of procedurally generated content ensures no two zones feel samey. As Push Square notes, “Even collectible hunts feed into the liberation narrative”.

For Trophy Hunters

The Platinum’s 70-hour demand is tempered by clever design:

Missables Warning: Only 3 trophies (all Act 3 journals) can’t be regained post-game
Shared Progress: Difficulty trophies stack, avoiding redundant playthroughs

Time-Saving Tips from Veterans

Act 1 Stockpiling: Hoard Lumina orbs until Act 2’s skill tree unlocks
Gesture Fast Travel: Unlock Monoco’s airship early to bypass Act 2’s swamp5
Combat Shortcuts: Binding parry to L1/R1 halves boss fight times
Trending Ingredient Focus: Bulletin board trends give 20% price boosts-exploit these for faster gold farming