Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 has exceeded expectations, captivating players with its immersive narrative and engaging combat mechanics. Over a single weekend, one enthusiastic gamer dedicated 13 hours to exploring its intricacies. Yet, what truly sets this French RPG apart is its remarkable soundtrack, crafted by a single composer.
Unexpected Talent
Lorien Testard, a newcomer to the world of video game music, was discovered by the game’s director, Guillaume Broche, through Soundcloud. Tasked with creating the entire score, Testard delivered an impressive collection of 154 tracks, totaling over eight hours of music. This ambitious project has already garnered significant attention, surpassing 1.5 million streams and achieving the status of the number one selling album on Bandcamp last week.
“I call this the Guillaume effect,” remarks lead writer Jennifer Svedberg-Yen. “He’s very good at finding really cool people.”
Broche’s knack for discovering talent extends beyond Testard. Svedberg-Yen initially sought a voice acting role through a Reddit post made by Broche, who was looking for volunteers to record demo material. Intrigued by the opportunity, she submitted an audition and was subsequently cast as a major character in an early version of the game. However, after several rewrites and role changes, she transitioned into the pivotal role of lead writer.
Serendipity and Strategy
Broche attributes part of his success in assembling a talented development team to the unique circumstances presented by the Covid-19 pandemic, which encouraged many creatives to showcase their work online. “It’s always the same story,” he explains. “I have a list of 15 people to contact, and I’m like, ‘Okay, I’m probably going to get maybe no one at all,’ and every time, the first one is like, ‘Yeah, let’s do it.’
Discovering an exceptional composer on Soundcloud and a gifted lead writer on Reddit not only showcases the innovative approach taken by the team but also serves as a cost-effective strategy. Expedition 33 has managed to compete with titles developed by larger teams with significantly higher budgets.
“We have, I think, an amazing team, mostly of junior people, but they are so incredibly invested in the project and talented,” Broche reflects. “Somehow it worked, which still makes no sense to me after all these years.”
