# **Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 and Unreal Engine 5 – A Two-Sided Coin**
In just a few months, **Clair Obscur: Expedition 33** is anticipated to debut, set to be one of the most thrilling RPGs of 2025. Created by the French team at **Sandfall Games**, the game is slated for launch on **April 24, 2025**, for **PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC**. A key highlight of the game’s development is its application of **Unreal Engine 5 (UE5)**—a potent yet at times contentious game engine.
While UE5 has garnered acclaim for its innovative technology, it has also faced some criticisms regarding its complexities. In a recent conversation with **CreativeBloq**, **Tom Guillermin**, CTO and co-founder of Sandfall Games, provided his perspective on the benefits and drawbacks of utilizing UE5 for **Clair Obscur: Expedition 33**.
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## **The Benefits of Adopting Unreal Engine 5**
Sandfall Games initially began development with **Unreal Engine 4 (UE4)** but transitioned to **UE5 in 2022**. Guillermin noted that this change was a **”game-changer”** that introduced several significant advantages:
### **1. Enhanced Lighting and Geometry**
– The incorporation of **Lumen**, UE5’s dynamic lighting system, enabled **realistic global illumination and reflections** that would have been challenging to achieve manually.
– **Nanite**, UE5’s virtualized geometry system, permitted the crafting of **high-resolution environments** with an unparalleled degree of detail.
### **2. Lifelike Characters with MetaHuman**
– The **MetaHuman** framework helped the team to create **realistic character models** with minimal effort, drastically enhancing the game’s visual fidelity.
These functionalities allowed **Clair Obscur: Expedition 33** to reach a graphical quality typically associated with a much larger development team.
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## **The Hurdles of Transitioning to UE5**
In spite of these benefits, the move to UE5 came with its own set of challenges. **Numerous UE4 plugins were not compatible**, compelling developers to devise innovative solutions.
### **1. Revamping Lighting Systems**
– **Nicholas Maxson-Francombe**, art director at Sandfall Games, clarified that **current lighting configurations had to be entirely redone**.
– Following the switch to UE5, **caves turned excessively dark**, and **specific visual filters failed**, necessitating extensive revisions.
### **2. Time-Intensive Modifications**
– The requirement to **reconstruct assets and lighting systems** consumed crucial development time.
– Nevertheless, **Epic Games’ assistance**—which included **monthly asset packs**—enabled Sandfall Games to **”operate beyond its own weight class.”**
Despite these challenges, Guillermin recognized that UE5’s **robust tools** allowed a smaller studio like Sandfall Games to attain AAA-level visuals.
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## **Unreal Engine 5: A Tread Between Quality and Scope**
While UE5 provides **state-of-the-art technology**, it also raises **high expectations** among gamers. Guillermin cautioned that **the engine can become a trap** because players **anticipate AAA quality in every aspect**, from **game length to content richness**.
### **1. Balancing Quality and Quantity**
– **Clair Obscur: Expedition 33** will offer **approximately 30 hours of gameplay**.
– Guillermin described this as **”a trade-off between quality and quantity”**, ensuring the game remains refined without overstretching the team’s resources.
### **2. Purposeful Use of Technology**
– Maxson-Francombe highlighted that **every visual element should support the game’s artistic vision**, rather than being included solely to showcase UE5’s features.
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## **Conclusion: Unreal Engine 5 as a Potent yet Challenging Tool**
Despite the obstacles, Guillermin maintains that **Unreal Engine 5 is an essential asset for the future of game creation**. The engine’s **comprehensive documentation and example projects** make even sophisticated implementations attainable for smaller studios.
However, as **Clair Obscur: Expedition 33** showcases, **developers must meticulously balance technical aspirations with practical limitations**. While UE5 facilitates breathtaking visuals and sophisticated mechanics, it also necessitates **careful strategizing and resource oversight** to steer clear of development pitfalls.
As the April 2025 premiere date nears, **Clair Obscur: Expedition 33** symbolizes both **the potential and the hurdles posed by Unreal Engine 5**—a tool capable of elevating games to new heights while also presenting considerable challenges along the journey.