Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 vs Atomic Heart 2 (Working Title)

• Perspective: Third-Person
• Multiplayer: Single-Player Only
• Setting: Belle Époque-inspired Fantasy World
• Platforms: PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Game Pass
• Unique Feature: An innovative blend of strategic turn-based combat with engaging real-time actions like parries, dodges, and aim-based targeting.

• Engine (Speculative): Unreal Engine 5
• Expected Platforms: PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S
• Expected Setting: Facility 3826 ruins, Limbo (Digital Dimension)
• Protagonist: Major Sergey 'P-3' Nechaev
• Status: In Development (Unannounced)

• Party Members: The game revolves around a core party of characters who travel and fight together. Up to three characters can be active in combat at one time, and players can swap them in and out at camp sites. Their different abilities and mechanics create complex synergies.
  Various (Human, Gestral, etc.)

• Splintered AI Constructs: Instead of a single companion, P-3 might interact with multiple, smaller AI constructs within Limbo, each offering different abilities or perspectives on the world.
  Artificial Intelligence

• Logs of Past Expeditions: Found in abandoned camps and ruins. These journals and audio logs detail the journeys and ultimate fates of the 32 previous expeditions, providing lore and clues.
• Colours of Lumina: A special collectible currency found throughout the world. These can be given to a character called 'The Curator' to increase the party's total Lumina points, allowing more Pictos bonuses to be activated.

• Memory Fragments: Found within Limbo, these collectibles would likely be visual or auditory fragments of P-3 and Ekaterina's shared past, piecing together their backstory.
• Corrupted Data Logs: The sequel's version of 'Chirpers,' these would be fragmented data logs from rogue AIs or trapped consciousnesses, providing lore about the nature of Limbo.

• Existentialism
• Mortality
• Hope vs. Despair
• Found Family
• Adventure
• Belle Époque
• Fantasy
• Time Limit
• Quest for a Future

• Consciousness & Identity
• Digital Worlds
• AI Ethics
• Free Will vs. Determinism
• Surrealism
• Psychological Horror
• Evolved Soviet-Futurism
• Redemption

• Gustave's Blade & Pistol: Sword and Firearm Combo
  Gustave wields a one-handed blade for melee attacks and a pistol for ranged attacks. His gameplay revolves around landing hits to charge his 'Overload' ability for a massive single strike.
• Maelle's Rapier: Fencing Sword
  Maelle uses a rapier and her combat is built around switching between Offensive, Defensive, and the powerful Virtuose stances, each providing different bonuses to damage and defense.
• Lune's Elemental Magic: Magic
  Lune is the party's primary magic user. She accumulates elemental 'stains' with her attacks, which can then be consumed to empower other abilities or exploit enemy weaknesses. She is also the main healer.
• Sciel's Foretell: Magic / Debuff
  Sciel's abilities revolve around applying 'Foretell' stacks to enemies, which trigger delayed magical effects. Her power is enhanced by consuming 'Sun' and 'Moon' charges.

• Evolved Polymer Glove: Primary Tool / Ability Hub
  An upgraded version of the glove, with new core abilities designed to interact with the digital world of Limbo, such as reality-warping, data corruption attacks, and more advanced elemental powers.
• Polymer Morph-Weapons (Speculative): Melee / Ranged Hybrid
  Hypothetical weapons made of programmable polymer that can shift form between melee and ranged modes, offering greater tactical flexibility.
• Advanced Railgun: Special Weapon
  An upgraded version of the first game's Railgun, featuring faster charging, higher damage, and potentially an alternate fire mode that creates a temporary energy shield.

• Character-Specific Outfits: Armor is primarily cosmetic in the form of different outfits for each character. The Deluxe Edition provides the 'Flowers Collection' and two unique outfits. Defensive stats are primarily managed through character attributes and the 'Pictos' system rather than traditional armor pieces.

• Modular Exoskeleton: A speculative evolution of the first game's upgrade system, allowing players to equip different modular components to P-3's suit, each providing unique passive bonuses, active abilities, or resistances, allowing for more defined 'builds'.

• Default Expedition Gear: Each character has a unique default outfit that reflects their personality and role (e.g., Gustave's engineer attire, Maelle's practical duelist gear).
• Deluxe Edition Outfits: The Deluxe Edition includes 'The Flowers Collection' (providing six floral-themed outfits and hairstyles for each character) and two exclusive outfits, 'Clair' for Maelle and 'Obscur' for Gustave.

Character progression involves leveling up to increase base attributes and earning skill points to unlock active and passive abilities in unique skill trees. A 'Pictos' system allows players to equip items that provide powerful passive bonuses. Once enough battles are won with a Pictos equipped, its bonus can be permanently unlocked for the whole party using 'Lumina' points, allowing for deep build customization.

The game features large, explorable zones rather than a single seamless open world. Players lead the expedition through diverse and wonderous regions, including lush forests, scenic cliffs, and bizarre underwater areas where one can walk on the ocean floor. The world is filled with secrets, unique enemies, and traveling merchants.

• Gustave: Playable Character / Engineer
  The leader of Expedition 33. A resourceful engineer dedicated to protecting his people. He feels the immense pressure of the mission. Voiced by Charlie Cox.
• Maelle: Playable Character / Duelist
  A shy but formidable orphan who joins the expedition to forge her own destiny. She is the youngest member and an expert with her rapier. Voiced by Jennifer English.
• Lune: Playable Character / Researcher
  The daughter of prominent researchers, Lune is the expedition's chief scholar and strategist, driven to solve the mystery of the Paintress. Voiced by Kirsty Rider.
• Sciel: Playable Character / Warrior
  A cheerful farmer-turned-teacher who masks a painful past. She is a calm and committed warrior who has accepted the harsh realities of their world. Voiced by Shala Nyx.
• Monoco: Playable Character / Gestral Warrior
  A member of the Gestral race, who are immune to the Paintress' curse. Monoco joins the expedition for the thrill of battle, which his people view as a form of meditation.
• Renoir: Key NPC / Ally
  A man relentlessly driven to save his family, who will make any sacrifice necessary for victory. Voiced by Andy Serkis.
• Verso: Mysterious Stranger
  An outsider of unknown origin who closely tracks the expedition's every move for his own mysterious reasons. Voiced by Ben Starr.

• Major Sergey 'P-3' Nechaev: Playable Protagonist
  Returning as the protagonist, but his personality and goals are now shaped by the revelations about his wife and his past. His primary mission is personal, not political.
• Ekaterina 'Left Twin' Nechaeva: Central Narrative Figure
  P-3's wife, whose consciousness is trapped within the Limbo dimension. Rescuing her is expected to be the main driving force of the plot.
• Chariton 'Charles' Zakharov: AI Companion / Potential Antagonist
  The manipulative AI from the first game. His fate was left ambiguous, and he could return as either a reluctant ally, a splintered consciousness, or a primary antagonist.

• The Final Expedition
  The main story quest follows Expedition 33's year-long journey to find and destroy the Paintress before she can paint the number '32', which would erase them from existence. The narrative is linear and story-driven.
• Character Quests
  Optional side quests that delve into the backstories and personal motivations of each party member, allowing players to get to know them better and unlock unique rewards or abilities.
• Exploration & Discovery
  Exploring the world to find hidden paths, secret bosses, and powerful 'Pictos' that grant permanent passive bonuses to the party.

The game was released with a Standard Edition and a Digital Deluxe Edition. The Deluxe Edition includes the base game, 'The Flowers Collection' (six outfits and hairstyles for each character), and two exclusive custom outfits: 'Clair' for Maelle and 'Obscur' for Gustave.

• Q: What kind of game is Clair Obscur: Expedition 33?
  A: It is a turn-based RPG with a unique combat system that incorporates real-time actions, such as parrying, dodging, and aiming for weak points. It is set in a new fantasy world inspired by Belle Époque France.
• Q: Is Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 an open-world game?
  A: No, it is not a seamless open world. The game is structured around exploring large, linear levels and zones as the expedition progresses on its quest.
• Q: What makes the combat unique?
  A: Unlike traditional turn-based RPGs, players must actively defend during enemy turns by timing dodges and parries. On offense, players can chain combos with rhythmic button presses and use a free-aim system to target specific enemy body parts.
• Q: Is the game on Game Pass?
  A: Yes, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 was available on day one on Xbox Game Pass.

• Q: Is Atomic Heart 2 officially confirmed?
  A: Developer Mundfish has publicly stated that they are planning and working on a sequel. However, the game 'Atomic Heart 2' has not been formally announced with a title, trailer, or release date. This entry is speculative.
• Q: What will Atomic Heart 2 be about?
  A: It is expected to follow the story after the first game's 'Trapped in Limbo' DLC, with protagonist P-3 venturing into the surreal digital world of Limbo to save his wife, who was one of the Twins.
• Q: What engine will Atomic Heart 2 use?
  A: While unconfirmed, it is widely expected that the sequel will be developed on Unreal Engine 5 to take advantage of next-generation graphical and gameplay features.

Developed in Unreal Engine 5, the game boasts a breathtaking and unique art style inspired by Belle Époque France and surrealist art. It features stunningly beautiful landscapes, fantastical creature designs, and highly cinematic combat animations.

The game features a full, emotional orchestral score composed by Lorien Testard, designed to enhance the beauty and tragedy of the world. It also has a full English and French voice cast featuring prominent actors like Charlie Cox, Andy Serkis, and Ben Starr.

The combat UI clearly displays the turn order on the left side of the screen, allowing for strategic planning. Real-time defensive prompts appear during enemy attacks. Outside of combat, the UI is clean, with a focus on immersive exploration. Menus for skills, equipment, and the Pictos system are stylized and easy to navigate.

The game includes three distinct difficulty modes (Story, Expeditioner, Expert) that adjust enemy power and the timing windows for real-time defensive actions. It also features fully customizable subtitles and support for various upscaling technologies to ensure smooth performance across a range of hardware.

• OFFICIAL AND EXTRAPOLATED SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS for Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. This information is based on the official PC specifications from the game's Steam store page, adapted to the requested JSON structure. As a visually ambitious title built on Unreal Engine 5, the game is demanding, particularly on the GPU. Laptop and future-generation GPU listings are extrapolated based on performance benchmarks and technical analyses. The official requirements target 1080p/30fps on Low for Minimum and 1080p/60fps on High for Recommended.
• Laptop Performance Note: Laptop versions of the listed desktop GPUs require comparable performance, which is highly dependent on the laptop's TGP (Total Graphics Power) and thermal design. For a demanding Unreal Engine 5 title like this, ensuring the laptop has a high-TGP GPU and robust cooling is critical for a stable framerate.
• Laptop Consideration: G P U T G P: A high TGP is essential. A low-power variant of a recommended GPU may perform significantly worse and struggle to meet target framerates, especially at higher resolutions.
• Laptop Consideration: Cooling Thermals: Unreal Engine 5 can heavily stress both the CPU and GPU. A laptop with an advanced cooling solution will be necessary to prevent thermal throttling during long gameplay sessions and intense, visually complex combat.
• Laptop Consideration: C P U Power Limits: While the game appears more GPU-bound, a capable laptop CPU with good power delivery is needed to handle UE5's features and avoid stuttering during asset loading and complex scenes.
• Laptop Consideration: M U X Switch Optimus: A MUX switch or NVIDIA Advanced Optimus is highly recommended to minimize latency and ensure the GPU's full performance is utilized, which is vital for the game's real-time combat elements.
• Optimization Detail: Upscaling Tech: The game is built on Unreal Engine 5 and supports NVIDIA DLSS, Intel XeSS, and Epic's native TSR. Notably, AMD FSR is not officially supported at launch, though mods may enable it. Upscaling is highly recommended for achieving stable framerates at 1440p and is essential for 4K.
• Optimization Detail: Key Settings Impact: As a UE5 title using Lumen for global illumination and reflections, these settings, along with Shadows and Post-Processing, will have the most significant performance impact. The game has been noted to have some shader compilation stutter.
• Game Name: Clair Obscur: Expedition 33

• ENTIRELY SPECULATIVE SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS. These are hypothetical projections for a next-generation title built on Unreal Engine 5, and do not represent official information.
• Laptop Performance Note: A future title like this would demand a high-performance gaming laptop. Actual performance will vary significantly based on the final game's optimization and the laptop's specific hardware configuration.
• Laptop Consideration: G P U T G P Impact: Maximum TGP for the laptop's GPU would be essential to handle the advanced graphical features of Unreal Engine 5.
• Laptop Consideration: Advanced Cooling Thermals: Next-gen games will require laptops with cutting-edge cooling solutions to prevent thermal throttling and sustain performance.
• Laptop Consideration: C P U Performance Sustain: A powerful multi-core mobile CPU (future Intel Core Ultra / AMD Ryzen equivalents) will be critical for complex physics, AI, and potential world-state changes between reality and Limbo.
• Laptop Consideration: R A M Configuration Speed: 32GB of high-speed RAM is expected to become the new standard for high-end PC gaming.
• Laptop Consideration: Display Panel G P U Pairing: A high-resolution (QHD+) and high-refresh-rate display paired with a top-tier GPU and upscaling (DLSS/FSR) would be the target for a premium experience.
• Laptop Consideration: M U X Switch N V I D I A Advanced Optimus: This would remain a critical feature for reducing latency and ensuring the best possible performance from the dedicated GPU.
• Laptop Consideration: Driver Updates O S Optimization: Regular driver updates and an optimized OS will be crucial.
• Optimization Detail: Upscaling Tech: Next-generation versions of NVIDIA DLSS and AMD FSR would be essential for achieving high framerates at demanding resolutions.
• Optimization Detail: Key Settings Impact: Advanced lighting models (Lumen), high-fidelity shadows, complex geometry (Nanite), and volumetric effects would be the most demanding settings.
• Game Name: Atomic Heart 2 (Working Title)

• Upscaling Tech: The game is built on Unreal Engine 5 and supports NVIDIA DLSS, Intel XeSS, and Epic's native TSR. Notably, AMD FSR is not officially supported at launch, though mods may enable it. Upscaling is highly recommended for achieving stable framerates at 1440p and is essential for 4K.
• Key Settings Impact: As a UE5 title using Lumen for global illumination and reflections, these settings, along with Shadows and Post-Processing, will have the most significant performance impact. The game has been noted to have some shader compilation stutter.

• Upscaling Tech: Next-generation versions of NVIDIA DLSS and AMD FSR would be essential for achieving high framerates at demanding resolutions.
• Key Settings Impact: Advanced lighting models (Lumen), high-fidelity shadows, complex geometry (Nanite), and volumetric effects would be the most demanding settings.

• G P U T G P: A high TGP is essential. A low-power variant of a recommended GPU may perform significantly worse and struggle to meet target framerates, especially at higher resolutions.
• Cooling Thermals: Unreal Engine 5 can heavily stress both the CPU and GPU. A laptop with an advanced cooling solution will be necessary to prevent thermal throttling during long gameplay sessions and intense, visually complex combat.
• C P U Power Limits: While the game appears more GPU-bound, a capable laptop CPU with good power delivery is needed to handle UE5's features and avoid stuttering during asset loading and complex scenes.
• M U X Switch Optimus: A MUX switch or NVIDIA Advanced Optimus is highly recommended to minimize latency and ensure the GPU's full performance is utilized, which is vital for the game's real-time combat elements.

• G P U T G P Impact: Maximum TGP for the laptop's GPU would be essential to handle the advanced graphical features of Unreal Engine 5.
• Advanced Cooling Thermals: Next-gen games will require laptops with cutting-edge cooling solutions to prevent thermal throttling and sustain performance.
• C P U Performance Sustain: A powerful multi-core mobile CPU (future Intel Core Ultra / AMD Ryzen equivalents) will be critical for complex physics, AI, and potential world-state changes between reality and Limbo.
• R A M Configuration Speed: 32GB of high-speed RAM is expected to become the new standard for high-end PC gaming.
• Display Panel G P U Pairing: A high-resolution (QHD+) and high-refresh-rate display paired with a top-tier GPU and upscaling (DLSS/FSR) would be the target for a premium experience.
• M U X Switch N V I D I A Advanced Optimus: This would remain a critical feature for reducing latency and ensuring the best possible performance from the dedicated GPU.
• Driver Updates O S Optimization: Regular driver updates and an optimized OS will be crucial.