The director behind Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 has named Kingdom Hearts II as one of the greatest action RPGs ever created, calling out its gameplay as something he has been chasing ever since.
The comment positions the 2005 Square Enix and Disney crossover as a key benchmark for one of 2025’s most talked-about RPGs, even though the two games sit on opposite sides of the combat spectrum.
Kingdom Hearts II is a real-time action RPG built around Sora’s fast attacks, Drive Forms, Reaction Commands, magic, and summons. Expedition 33, on the other hand, is a turn-based RPG with timing-based dodges, parries, and offensive inputs layered on top.
So the influence isn’t about structure. It’s about feel. Snappy controls, readable animations, satisfying defensive play, and combat that looks flashy without losing its mechanical clarity.
Why KH2 still hits
Most fans who call Kingdom Hearts II a combat classic are really talking about Kingdom Hearts II Final Mix, the expanded version included in modern HD collections. That version added Critical Mode, new abilities, the Cavern of Remembrance, Data Organization XIII fights, and the Lingering Will superboss.
The combat is easy to pick up but stacked with depth. Casual players can mash through the story. Advanced players optimize combo routes, manage Drive Forms, juggle magic and summons, and chase Level one Critical Mode runs.
Sora moves fast, attacks land cleanly, and bosses telegraph their moves enough to reward players who learn patterns. That balance is exactly what Expedition 33 aims for in a turn-based shell, where a well-timed parry can mean the difference between full damage and zero.
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 was developed by French studio Sandfall Interactive and published by Kepler Interactive. The game has drawn comparisons to Final Fantasy VII Remake and Rebirth for its hybrid action-RPG flow, and the director’s nod to Kingdom Hearts II slots it firmly into that lineage.
