Role-playing games have never been for the faint of heart. The genre has always foregrounded epic adventure, the bonds between comrades, and unforgettable twists. Last year’s awards season darling, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, was no exception. Sandfall Interactive’s acclaimed RPG invites players into the beautiful and brutal world of Lumiere, where a mysterious entity known as the Paintress erases all citizens of a certain age once per year.
Don’t let the berets and the jaunty striped shirts fool you: Expedition 33 is no sun-dappled stroll through the Parisian summertime. It tells a somber and affecting story about grief, escapism, and perseverance. You’ll assume the story is headed in a specific direction, only to realize you had it all wrong. It’s a roller-coaster ride that’s left an indelible mark on the hearts of millions. And once it’s all over, you’ll probably be looking for something to match its dizzying highs and heartbreaking lows.
If you have a Nintendo Switch 2 or Xbox Series X, you’re in luck. One of 2024’s best RPGs is finally coming to both platforms. Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth has been a PS5 console exclusive for more than two years, but that’s finally about to change. The second part of the FF7 Remake trilogy comes to Switch 2 and Xbox on June 3. And from what we’ve seen of the Switch 2 version, it’s already shaping up to be a very impressive port.
Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth reimagines one of gaming’s greatest plot twists
Rebirth is the second installment of a three-part remake of Square Enix’s beloved and enormously influential PlayStation 1 RPG, Final Fantasy 7. The original game sees Cloud and his companions on a mission to save the world from the nefarious Shinra corporation and the enigmatic super-soldier Sephiroth. The remakes ratchet up the ambitions of the original game by several orders of magnitude: the visuals are dazzling, the environments teem with detail, and the relationships between the characters are drawn more richly than ever.
