Long before Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 director Guillaume Broche was humbled by the success of the J'RPG, he was humbled in a somewhat different way by one of its biggest inspirations – namely, the first boss of Final Fantasy 8.
Over the past 12 months, Broche hasn't been shy in naming heaps of the JRPGs that have helped shape Clair Obscur, from the stunning UI of Persona to the vibes of Final Fantasy. In a new interview with The Washington Post, however, he digs into how Final Fantasy 8, his first JRPG, shaped what came after. He was just as taken with the character art and romantic tone as the rest of us were, sure, but struggling with the combat arguably left the biggest impression, as he could "barely read" at the time.
