"Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Aims for Intense, Brief Experience, Producer Reveals"

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 has emerged as a standout title in today’s gaming landscape, offering a fresh perspective that contrasts sharply with the trends dominating the AAA space. In a recent interview with GamesIndustry.biz, key figures from Kepler Interactive — the publisher behind Sandfall Interactive, the game’s developer — shed light on what makes this title unique and how it resonates with players seeking more meaningful experiences without unnecessary length.

Kepler’s portfolio director Matthew Handrahan emphasized the value of brevity in modern game design, drawing a parallel to current conversations in the film industry. “Brevity should be more of a virtue in gaming,” he remarked. “Something can be better by being shorter — something that's being discussed in film at the moment. Every film seems to be two-and-a-half hours long, and I think most people are like, 'Can they all be a bit shorter, please? Because we have other things to do with our lives.'”

Sandfall Interactive’s COO and producer François Meurisse echoed this sentiment, explaining that from the outset, the team aimed to create an "intense and short" experience. While early estimates placed the main quest at around 20 hours, the final product averages closer to 30 hours for completion, with extended playthroughs reaching up to 40 hours depending on exploration and side content. However, even at the higher end, Clair Obscur remains significantly shorter than many sprawling RPGs or open-world epics.

Current estimates from HowLongToBeat suggest a main story run of approximately 27 hours, 41 hours for Main + Sides, and a completionist playthrough clocking in at around 61.5 hours. While not a brief indie title by any means, the game still offers a tightly crafted journey without padding. As Handrahan put it, *Clair Obscur: Expedition 33* “really respects the player's time.” He noted that the game avoids any “sense of bloat or extraneous things that are put there just to make it larger and larger and larger.”

Meurisse further elaborated on the idea that gameplay length doesn’t necessarily equate to value. “The value that players get from games does not align systematically with the length of the game,” he explained. He referenced *Inside*, one of his favorite titles, which delivers a powerful two-hour experience that many consider polished, intense, and even life-changing.

Clair Obscur: A Focused Experience Praised by Critics

IGN’s 9/10 review of *Clair Obscur: Expedition 33* also touched on the game’s pacing and structure. The reviewer noted having completed the main story along with a fair amount of side content in roughly 35 hours. They praised the game’s efficiency, stating: “That length speaks to how Clair Obscur doesn’t waste a moment — there isn’t really any filler along the critical path and it doesn’t get bogged down in drawn-out exposition.”

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Review - Screenshots

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Ultimately, *Clair Obscur: Expedition 33* stands out not only for its narrative depth and artistic direction but also for its commitment to delivering a focused, high-quality experience. It signals a potential shift in how developers and players perceive value in gaming — prioritizing quality over quantity and respecting the player’s time above all else. You can read more about these insights in the full interview over at GI.biz, where the broader implications of this evolving mindset are explored in detail.