Expedition 33’s Belle Epoque Fantasy

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is memorable for many things, but it’s exceedingly difficult to forget its art style and presentation. Inspired by France’s Belle Epoque era (late 1800s to early 1900s), it incorporates ornate, flowing Art Nouveau design into its architecture and then blends it with characters and beings whose appearances are rooted in dark fantasy, surrealism, and early impressionist techniques to offer players one of the most visually distinct and celebrated worlds in gaming history. In fact, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33‘s art style and presentation are so distinguished that the game managed to go home with the award for Best Art Direction at the 2025 Game Awards—although that was far from its only achievement that night.

But when a game’s visual language is that specific, that recognizable, it naturally invites both imitation and reinterpretation, even in spaces beyond gaming. LEGO, for instance, offers creative fans the perfect opportunity to pay homage to Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 with MOC builds that reflect the game’s fantasy world in all its elegance and unease. Whether it’s a direct imitation of iconic images from the game like the Paintress’ Monolith or a build that captures France’s Belle Epoque era, there are plenty of custom LEGO creations out there that look like something that would fit right in with the world of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33.

LEGO Paris Steampunk 1889 Diorama

Created by Castor-Troy-France and Dominic

One of the more impressive Belle Epoque-inspired LEGO MOCs out there is a Paris steampunk 1889 diorama built by Cast-Troy-France and Dominic. Understating the obvious, this build is massive, as it attempts to capture the essence of 1889 Paris with a steampunk twist. The buildings are incredibly detailed, there are hordes of people wandering the streets, and many of Paris’ most famous landmarks are visible—like the Notre-Dame Cathedral—making it look like something that could come straight out of a game set in Paris, or one with a setting loosely based on the city.

Cast-Troy-France and Dominic’s LEGO build wasn’t directly inspired by Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, especially considering the game’s art style and presentation stray from the steampunk design that RPGs like Final Fantasy tend to lean into. However, it nonetheless captures the magic of Paris’ Belle Epoque era and therefore strongly resembles the presentation Expedition 33 is known for.

Belle Epoche

Created by Thomas van Urk

When it comes to custom LEGO builds that really do look like something that players could find in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33‘s world, “Belle Epoche” by Thomas van Urk fits the bill. It’s not a very large creation, but it was nonetheless clearly inspired by the Art Noveau style the RPG was inspired by. Without any explicit details from the creator about what it is, it appears to be a recreation of a Belle Epoque Paris street corner, but with an immense amount of detail baked into it. The ornate upper facade with arches, decorative stonework, and small balconies mirror Art Noveau Parisian design, the ground-floor storefront with red awnings feels like a cafe or boutique one might find along a Paris boulevard, and the muted tan, white, and gray palette gives it that limestone look typical of Paris buildings.

According to van Urk, Belle Epoche was built during the COVID-19 lockdown in 2020 and isn’t based on any specific building, so it was “completed relatively quickly.” However, the creator did state that it was inspired by the architecture in Brussels, which is actually one of the birthplaces of Art Noveau, largely thanks to architects like Victor Horta.

The Verdant Atelier

Created by eiko21

One LEGO MOC directly inspired by Belle Epoque Paris is “The Verdant Atelier” by eiko21, and functions more like a condensed expression of Art Noveau design principles. The flowing, organic curves around the windows and balcony railings are classic Art Nouveau, almost plant-like in how they twist and wrap. The green accents paired with the cream facade give it that elegant, nature-inspired palette one would expect from late 19th-century European design. The large curved windows and asymmetrical shapes also reflect how Art Nouveau architecture often broke away from rigid symmetry at the time. Finally, the climbing flowers on the side blend architecture and nature, which is a core element of the style.

According to the creator, the face of the building is a study in “The Whiplash Curve,” a hallmark shape of Art Nouveau design that refers to a long, flowing, S-shaped line that suddenly changes direction, almost like the snap of a whip. While it wasn’t directly inspired by Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, it feels like it could have been, and it’s a perfect example of passionate creators who enjoy recreating history with their LEGO builds.

Clair Obscur LEGO Diorama

Created by Frostdragn000

Breaking away from MOCs that are solely inspired by Belle Epoque Paris, Frostdragn000’s Clair Obscur LEGO diorama is a unique build that features various characters and iconic images from the game itself. Representing something of a vertical slice of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33‘s world, it captures some of the game’s most memorable moments in a fairly condensed build. The centerpiece of the MOC is undoubtedly the Paintress, seen with her face buried in her lap beneath the “33” symbol known for appearing on her Monolith. However, moving around the build, players can find Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 characters like Renoir, Alicia, Verso, and Maelle, all engaged in different activities.

Apparently, Frostdragn000 hadn’t even played Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 until it won Game of the Year 2025, which convinced them it was worth trying. “Man, what a game,” they said, going on about how it remained in the mind for months after they finished it, ultimately leading to them creating a tribute to Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 with their knack for custom LEGO builds.

The Paintress’ Monolith

Created by PhenixDark

A final Clair Obscur-inspired LEGO build is much simpler than the rest, but nonetheless features what is perhaps the most iconic image from the game: the Paintress’ Monolith. What’s unique about this particular MOC is that it was built by PhenixDark ahead of the game’s release, if that says anything about how striking the image of the Monolith is. That also means that, at the time, the creator didn’t know just how significant that image actually was, making it a rare case where the visual alone carried enough weight to inspire something this detailed. Clair Obscur: Expedition 33‘s Gustave, Lune, Maelle, and Sciel are all featured in the build as well, and it was intentionally designed to reflect the “unique artistic direction of the game.”

Released

April 24, 2025

ESRB

Mature 17+ / Blood and Gore, Strong Language, Suggestive Themes, Violence

Developer(s)

Sandfall Interactive

Publisher(s)

Kepler Interactive