Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 - Latest Updates and Community Impact
With a current average player count of 27,652, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 continues to captivate its dedicated fanbase with immersive gameplay, deep storylines, and a steady stream of quality-of-life improvements. The developers have been actively listening to community feedback, delivering meaningful updates that enhance both performance and player experience. In this article, we dive deep into the two most recent patches, v1.4.0 and v1.3.0, examining their key features, fixes, and what they mean for players moving forward.
Patch v1.4.0: Introducing Battle Retry and Enhanced Visual Performance
Released recently, Patch v1.4.0 marks a significant milestone for Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. The highlight of this update is the much-anticipated Battle Retry option, a quality-of-life addition that has been one of the community’s most requested features. Now, after a defeat, players are greeted with a convenient pop-up window offering the option to immediately retry the battle, eliminating the need to navigate menus and streamlining the gameplay loop.
Beyond gameplay convenience, the patch also brings substantial performance and visual enhancements. Leveraging cutting-edge technology, the update adds Frame Generation and Low Latency Mode support for both NVIDIA DLSS and Intel XeSS on compatible GPUs. This means smoother frame rates, reduced input lag, and an overall more responsive and visually polished experience for players with supported hardware. The developers have also indicated ongoing work on integrating FidelityFX Super Resolution (FSR), promising even broader optimization options in future patches.
Quality of Life and Accessibility Improvements
Patch v1.4.0 also focuses heavily on improving usability and accessibility. The Lumina Cost Display in the Pictos menu now clearly shows the resource cost of each ability, allowing players to plan their strategies more effectively. Additionally, an optional autoplay feature for dialogues outside of cutscenes has been introduced, which can be toggled both in the settings and during conversations, catering to players who prefer a more cinematic or hands-off narrative experience.
Audio settings have been refined with the introduction of separate volume sliders for exploration and combat phases, giving players granular control over their sound environment. This is particularly useful for those who want to emphasize ambient exploration sounds or focus on combat audio cues.
Accessibility has also been enhanced with the addition of icons to Lune’s Stains, improving readability for colorblind players and ensuring that critical combat information is conveyed clearly to all users.
Combat and Gameplay Fixes
Several combat-related bugs have been addressed in this update. Notably, Lune’s “Thermal Transfer” skill will no longer grant an extra turn unless the Stain consumption requirements are met, ensuring fair and balanced gameplay. Additionally, a bug that caused characters to gain immortality when combining the Second Chance pictos with Healing Boon and Protecting Death has been fixed, preserving intended challenge levels.
Other miscellaneous fixes include resolving issues with the Rocher crystal despawning in the Stone Wave Cliffs, correcting player teleportation errors upon loading saves, and fixing the Fog effect on the Flying Manor that previously obscured the screen on Steam Deck devices. Achievements related to journals vanishing after loading save files have also been restored, preserving player progression and satisfaction.
Patch 1.3.0: Story Mode Balancing and New Features
Before v1.4.0, Patch 1.3.0 brought its own set of impactful changes, focusing primarily on balancing and expanding gameplay options. One of the most exciting additions was the ability to rematch Simon after defeating him, adding replay value and an extra challenge for players seeking to test their skills further.
The patch also revamped the Story Mode difficulty to make it more accessible. Parry and dodge windows were increased by 40%, and incoming damage was reduced by 10% to 50%, depending on the scenario. These adjustments help new players or those looking for a more relaxed experience enjoy the rich narrative without excessive frustration.
Challenge Modifiers and Customization
From Act III onward, players can now activate Challenge Modifiers at flag checkpoints, allowing them to tailor the difficulty to their liking. Options include limiting maximum player damage to 99,999 or 999,999 and multiplying enemy HP by factors ranging from 2x to an intense 100x. This feature caters to veterans seeking a hardcore experience and adds significant replayability.
Extensive Bug Fixes and Polish
Patch 1.3.0 was notable for its sweeping bug fixes-297 in total-covering a wide range of issues from collision detection and terrain glitches to scripting errors. Key fixes included ensuring Verso gains Perfection correctly when in reserve, eliminating memory leaks caused by the Simoso weapon, and resolving performance drops from repeated resting on certain levels.
Cutscenes now scale properly on ultrawide and non-standard resolutions, improving visual consistency across different setups. Additionally, French voiceover audio issues were corrected, and the rolling credits were updated with new creature voiceovers and refined sections, reflecting the developers’ commitment to polish and localization.
System and Settings Enhancements
On the systems side, audio can now be muted or unmuted while the game runs in the background, and mouse and joystick sensitivity controls have been improved for smoother input customization. Players can also manually rename save files using the EXPEDITION_XX format, adding an organizational tool for those managing multiple playthroughs.
The patch also introduced the first-ever items to the Steam Points Shop, including unique trading cards and emoticons, giving players new ways to express themselves and celebrate their journey in the Clair Obscur universe.
Looking Ahead
With these two recent patches, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 has demonstrated a strong commitment to enhancing player experience through both technical improvements and thoughtful gameplay adjustments. The introduction of advanced GPU features like DLSS and XeSS Frame Generation, combined with accessibility and QoL updates, shows a developer team attuned to modern gaming standards and community needs.
As the team continues to explore additional features such as FidelityFX Super Resolution support and further gameplay refinements, players can expect the game to evolve in exciting ways. Whether you are a newcomer or a seasoned expeditioner, the latest updates offer compelling reasons to dive back into the shadows and light of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33.
Stay tuned for more updates and happy exploring!