Music is one of the best elements of the hit RPG Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, but the game's composer was accidentally found on Soundcloud
One of the many reasons why Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 has received so many positive reviews since its release is its enchanting music. Composed by Lorien Testar, the game's soundtrack covers a wide range of genres and often touches on the most touching moments of the narrative, emphasising the emotional depth of each scene with perfectly chosen notes. The developers at Sandfall Interactive accidentally stumbled upon Testar's work on SoundCloud before inviting him to collaborate on the game.
Here's What We Know
The official website of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 official website has a dedicated page detailing the story of Lorien Testar and his journey to working with Sandfall Interactive on their critically acclaimed RPG. On this page, Testar mentions that he inherited his love of video games from his father, spending many hours playing classic games such as The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time and Majora's Mask, as well as the Mario Kart and Mario Party games on the Nintendo 64.
"The most unforgettable soundtracks, like those of The Legend of Zelda, have an incredible ability to breathe life into a world, filling it with unique and deeply moving emotions," writes Testar. "The music becomes an organic part of the adventure, shaping the experience as we travel through these universes.
He also talks about how he spent his free time perfecting his skills in creating music for video games. Every week, he wrote a new track, continuing to hone his musical style while working as a guitar teacher. During this period, he uploaded his music to SoundCloud, where it was eventually discovered by game director Guillaume Broch.
"One day, I shared one of my compositions on an independent video game forum," Testar recalls, "and that's when Guillaume Broche, the game director of Sandfall Interactive, came across my work. He contacted me and asked if I would write the soundtrack for his game. That moment was the beginning of a wonderful collaboration - one that changed my life."
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 was released last week on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S. The game is also available via PC and Xbox Game Pass. Developed by a team of 30 developers, the game drew inspiration from classic RPGs such as the Final Fantasy series. The game follows the eponymous Expedition 33, which sets out to stop the Artist, who draws new numbers every year. These numbers, counted from 100, lead to the death of everyone whose age is equal to the number, which leads to the slow extinction of humanity. Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 touches on many deep themes, one of the key ones being grief and the different ways people experience it.
For more information about the RPG, please read our article here. Even the President of France himself has French triumph on the world stage: Macron celebrates the success of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, calling the authors a shining example of French courage and creativity
Source: Sandfall
