There are probably a lot of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 players who didn’t meet Simon. He embarked on the first expedition with Verso and is one of his oldest friends. He’s also very well hidden and is comfortably the game’s most challenging boss.
Multiple phases, incredibly powerful attacks that are wildly unpredictable, and enough health to tank even the toughest hits all make him a nightmare to deal with, and it’s the reason fewer than 16 percent of players have beaten him.
Now, in a new Q&A, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 director Guillhaume Broche has revealed the inspiration for the character, sharing that he’s based on one of Elden Ring’s most vicious foes.
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33’s Simon Is A Malenia Regen
I vividly remember my first battle with Malenia in Elden Ring. It didn’t go well. And neither did my second, third, fourth, or fifth. In fact, it took a full respec and many more attempts before I actually beat her. It’s no surprise, then, that Simon, who handed me almost as many ass-whoopings, is based on the Goddess of Rot.
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Another tally in the win column for Clair Obscur.
Asked where the inspiration for Simon came from in a new Q&A transcribed by Sushi, Broche said, “When we played Elden Ring, Malenia had quite an aura, even though she had a simple design. We wanted to bring that simplicity to one of the hardest bosses. The idea is that he is kind of downplayed in the beginning, he seems weak, and then becomes absolute hell in phase 2.”
He continued, “We wanted to explore what an old expeditioner would look like. He’s an old friend of Verso’s from Expedition Zero.”
It’s a fascinating comparison, and one that makes total sense, even if it’s not immediately apparent.
The idea is that he is kind of downplayed in the beginning, he seems weak, and then becomes absolute hell in phase 2.
For those masochists out there who didn’t find Simon challenging enough, Sandfall Interactive has your back. As part of its recent update to celebrate its many Game of the Year wins, the team added Simon, The Divergent Star. It’s effectively Simon on steroids, and it looks frankly impossible. I’m gonna give this one a skip.
- Released
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April 24, 2025
- ESRB
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Mature 17+ / Blood and Gore, Strong Language, Suggestive Themes, Violence
- Developer(s)
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Sandfall Interactive
- Publisher(s)
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Kepler Interactive
