Clair Obscur Dev Discusses the Absence of a Mini-Map

Here’s a fresh take on the article you provided. Get ready for a bit of chaos in the delivery.

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You know that funny feeling when you dive into a game and suddenly you’re lost in its world? That’s kinda what Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is aiming for by ditching the mini-map. Yeah, sounds crazy, right? But here’s the thing—they want you to soak up every bit of their otherworldly levels. Some folks love it, others… well, let’s just say they find it a bit of a headache.

The CEO and creative brain over at Sandfall Interactive, Guillaume Broche (hope I’m spelling that right), straight up said mini-maps make games boring. Like, he played Final Fantasy 10 and spent more time staring at the mini-map than the actual game. Kinda defeats the purpose of exploring, doesn’t it? They’re going for a vibe piece here, inspired by classics like Dark Souls that depend more on visual and spatial memory than pinning your eyes to a tiny screen corner.

Of course, it’s a bit tricky—they know you’ll miss stuff, secret paths, hidden treasures, whatever—but Broche argues that it’s exactly how it’s supposed to be. Exploration has its highs and lows. Remembering a path you didn’t take can be kind of magical, making the whole experience stick with you. It’s like, missing out becomes a part of the story. Weirdly poetic, if you ask me.

On the flip side, some gamers aren’t entirely sold on this. They’d rather not roam aimlessly, and they think some navigation tweaks—a waypoint here or there—wouldn’t hurt. A little guidance amidst the chaos, ya know? There’s some truth there, especially since the onboard camera angles can get a bit… awkward. Still, the absence of a mini-map seems to be this big philosophical hill Sandfall’s willing to die on. And whether that hill’s worth climbing depends on how much you value immersion over accessibility.

It’s been a wild success though, despite—or maybe because of—these quirks. Released in April, it’s been turning heads, and sparking debates. Typical human nature, huh? Some crave the nostalgic rush of relying on memory and environment, while others just want a straightforward path. And like, that’s cool. Choices, people, choices. Which side of the line are you on? 🤔