Clair Obscur: Expedition 33’s Hidden Final Fantasy 7 Easter Egg Sparks Fan Frenzy

When Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 launched on April 24, 2025, it captivated gamers with its Belle Époque-inspired world, gripping narrative, and innovative turn-based combat infused with real-time mechanics. Developed by Sandfall Interactive, this debut title from a small French studio sold two million copies in its first week and earned a 92 rating on Metacritic, positioning it as a frontrunner for 2025’s Game of the Year. Its unapologetic homage to classic JRPGs like Final Fantasy and Persona has drawn comparisons to genre giants, with fans dubbing it “the best Final Fantasy game” in years. But it’s a recently discovered Easter egg referencing Final Fantasy 7 that has set the gaming community ablaze, leaving players like Reddit user Emotional-Pea9897 exclaiming, “I wondered why this looks so familiar.” This subtle nod, spotted by fan InterestingSafety612, not only pays tribute to one of gaming’s most iconic titles but also underscores Clair Obscur’s deep roots in JRPG history. Let’s dive into the discovery, its significance, and why it’s fueling excitement among fans.

The Easter Egg: A Visual Echo of Final Fantasy 7

The Easter egg, shared by InterestingSafety612 on Reddit, is a visual reference to Final Fantasy 7’s iconic logo—a meteor hurtling toward a city, symbolizing the catastrophic threat of Sephiroth’s Meteor spell. In Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, a scene in Act 2 features a striking image: a glowing, ominous object descending over Lumière, the game’s central city, framed against a painterly sky. When InterestingSafety612 posted a side-by-side comparison, the resemblance was undeniable. The composition, with its ethereal light and looming menace, mirrors Final Fantasy 7’s logo, evoking the same sense of impending doom. Fans flooded the thread with praise, with Emotional-Pea9897 noting how the familiarity tugged at their nostalgia, cementing Clair Obscur’s status as a love letter to Square Enix’s 1997 masterpiece.

This isn’t the only Final Fantasy nod in Clair Obscur. Another Easter egg, discovered earlier, involves the minigame “Double Dyads,” a card-based challenge reminiscent of Final Fantasy 8’s Triple Triad. Found in Gestral Village’s bazaar, Double Dyads lets players collect cards featuring characters and enemies, with rules echoing Triple Triad’s strategic depth. These references, woven seamlessly into the game’s world, show Sandfall’s reverence for the series that shaped their vision. The Final Fantasy 7 logo homage, however, stands out for its emotional weight, tying Clair Obscur’s narrative of sacrifice and survival to Final Fantasy 7’s themes of loss and resistance against an unstoppable force.

Clair Obscur’s JRPG Heritage

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is set in Lumière, a city inspired by Belle Époque France, where the Paintress awakens yearly to paint a number on a monolith, erasing everyone of that age into dust. As the number counts down to 33, Expedition 33—a group of volunteers led by Gustave—embarks on a doomed mission to kill her and end the curse. The game’s combat blends turn-based strategy with real-time elements like dodges, parries, and Quick Time Events, drawing inspiration from Final Fantasy 10’s tactical depth and Sekiro’s rhythmic precision. Its art style, rejecting anime aesthetics for a realistic yet painterly look, evokes Western RPGs while retaining JRPG soul, a choice that has resonated with players tired of homogenized visuals.

Sandfall Interactive, a team of about 30, has been open about their influences. Creative director Guillaume Broche, a self-professed Final Fantasy 8 fan, cited classics like Final Fantasy 7, 8, 9, and 10 as childhood inspirations, aiming to recapture the magic of turn-based RPGs. Posts on X highlight Broche’s journey from a bored Ubisoft developer to crafting Clair Obscur with a writer found on Reddit and a composer from SoundCloud, underscoring the game’s passion-driven origins. This authenticity shines through in the Easter eggs, which feel like personal tributes rather than marketing gimmicks. The Final Fantasy 7 reference, in particular, resonates because it connects Lumière’s existential threat to Midgar’s struggle, inviting players to reflect on both games’ shared themes of defying fate.

Why the Easter Egg Matters

The Final Fantasy 7 Easter egg is more than a visual callback—it’s a bridge between generations of RPG fans. Final Fantasy 7, released in 1997, redefined gaming with its cinematic storytelling, memorable characters like Cloud and Aerith, and a world that felt alive. Its logo, with the meteor looming over Midgar, became a cultural touchstone, symbolizing a narrative that dared to confront loss and environmental collapse. For Clair Obscur to echo this image in 2025, nearly three decades later, is a bold statement. It acknowledges Final Fantasy 7’s enduring impact while asserting Clair Obscur’s ambition to carry the JRPG torch.

The discovery has sparked discussions across platforms like Reddit and X, where fans like @ProfNoctis predict Clair Obscur will be “some 13-year-old kid’s Final Fantasy VII,” shaping a new generation’s love for RPGs. Others, like @MsmackyM, praise Clair Obscur for delivering the turn-based experience they craved from modern Final Fantasy titles, which have shifted toward action-based combat. The Easter egg amplifies this sentiment, proving Sandfall understands what made Final Fantasy 7 timeless: its ability to blend spectacle with emotional depth. By recreating the logo’s ominous beauty, Clair Obscur invites players to feel the same awe and dread that gripped them when they first saw Midgar under threat.

The Community’s Reaction

The Easter egg’s reveal has electrified the Clair Obscur community, with fans scouring the game for more secrets. On Reddit, users speculate about other Final Fantasy nods, like whether the Paintress’s monolith draws from Final Fantasy 10’s Sin or if Gustave’s early death—killed by the mysterious Renoir in Act 1—parallels Aerith’s shocking demise. X posts from users like @DashingDavidYT hint at additional Final Fantasy 7 and 8 Easter eggs, with videos dissecting subtle visual cues and musical motifs. The game’s soundtrack, spanning eight and a half hours, even includes piano interactions where characters play unique tunes, a nod to Final Fantasy’s love for musical flourishes.

Some fans, however, express frustration with the constant Final Fantasy comparisons. A Reddit thread on r/FinalFantasy, posted by u/ExactReindeer1093, debates whether Clair Obscur threatens Final Fantasy’s legacy, with some dismissing the hype as “obnoxious.” Others, like u/CtrlAltDepart, argue for enjoying both, noting that Clair Obscur’s success could push Square Enix to revisit turn-based roots. Despite the tension, the Easter egg has united most fans in admiration, with its discovery fueling fan art, cosplay, and YouTube analyses. The hashtag #ClairObscurFF7 began trending on X, with players sharing screenshots and theories about Lumière’s fate.

Beyond Final Fantasy: A Tapestry of Influences

While the Final Fantasy 7 Easter egg steals the spotlight, Clair Obscur weaves a broader tapestry of influences. The game’s Gestral creatures, quirky beings players can collect, resemble The Legend of Zelda’s Korok Seeds, with their whimsical designs evoking Ocarina of Time. A location called “Lost Woods” nods to Zelda’s iconic forest, though it’s a minor area. Persona 5’s influence is evident in the game’s sleek UI and social-bond-like character interactions, while Studio Ghibli films like Spirited Away inspire its dreamlike environments. Even Bloodborne’s gloomy atmosphere and Devil May Cry’s flair appear in late-game character mechanics, blending JRPG tradition with modern flair.

These references, including the Final Fantasy 7 logo, aren’t just fan service—they enrich Clair Obscur’s world. The game’s side content, unlocked in Act 3 with Esquie’s flying abilities, reveals floating islands, gladiatorial arenas, and superbosses akin to Final Fantasy 7’s Emerald and Ruby Weapons. Minigames like Gestral Beach Volleyball, though clunky, echo Final Fantasy’s tradition of quirky distractions, offering rewards like unique Pictos and weapons. This depth, paired with the Easter egg’s emotional resonance, makes Clair Obscur feel like a living museum of RPG history, curated by developers who grew up on these classics.

The Bigger Picture: A New JRPG Icon

The Final Fantasy 7 Easter egg underscores Clair Obscur’s potential to redefine the JRPG genre. With Final Fantasy leaning into action RPGs like Final Fantasy 16 and 7 Rebirth, Clair Obscur fills a void for turn-based purists, earning a 92.52% positive rating on Steam, surpassing Final Fantasy 9’s 92.2%. Its success, driven by word-of-mouth and discoveries like the Easter egg, has analysts suggesting Square Enix might reconsider their approach, especially after Clair Obscur outperformed Oblivion Remastered and Metaphor: ReFantazio in concurrent Steam players. Physical copies sold out, and a live-action movie is in development, signaling the game’s cultural impact.

For Sandfall, the Easter egg is a testament to their vision: to honor JRPGs while forging a new path. The Final Fantasy 7 reference, subtle yet profound, captures this balance, inviting players to celebrate the past while embracing Clair Obscur’s unique identity. As fans uncover more secrets—whether in the game’s 33 collectible records or its hidden manor rooms—the Easter egg remains a rallying cry, proving that Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is more than a homage. It’s a bold, unapologetically French RPG that’s carving its own legend, one nostalgic nod at a time.

Conclusion: A Legacy in the Making

The discovery of the Final Fantasy 7 Easter egg in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is a moment of magic for RPG fans, blending nostalgia with innovation. It’s a reminder of why Final Fantasy 7 endures and why Clair Obscur is resonating so deeply in 2025. As players continue to explore Lumière’s painted world, from its tragic narrative to its challenging endgame, the Easter egg stands as a beacon of Sandfall’s passion and ambition. Whether you’re a Final Fantasy veteran or a newcomer, this hidden gem invites you to look closer, feel deeper, and wonder, like Emotional-Pea9897, why it all feels so familiar. Clair Obscur isn’t just referencing the past—it’s shaping the future of JRPGs, and fans can’t stop talking about it.