François Meuris, producer and developer at Sandfall Interactive, revealed the navigation philosophy behind their upcoming project in an exclusive interview with Eurogamer. According to him, the deliberate omission of a mini-map was a fundamental design choice—it "ruins the magic of exploration". When players constantly see objective markers, they become blind followers rather than true discoverers. The developers wanted players to explore the world organically, just as the game's title suggests.

This decision also has a logical narrative explanation: since all 32 previous expeditions failed, it makes sense that new explorers wouldn't have any maps.

Meuris admitted drawing inspiration from FromSoftware's approach, where trusting the player is part of the experience. However, the developers have included some navigational aids—a compass for orientation and a world map that only unlocks at specific rest areas.

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 launches on April 24, 2025.

Main image: steamcommunity.com

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