Now that 2025 has been and gone and we’ve all collectively played the truly wonderful Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 at least five times (it isn’t just me, right?), the RPG blues are likely beginning to settle in. I have personally been craving a little more of its unabashed genius and reinvention of the RPG genre as a whole, although I appreciate they are some rather lofty desires that are unlikely to come true any time soon. So, I’ll settle for something that encapsulates the brilliance and spirit of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, or, at the very least, something that dares to shake things up ever so slightly to offer the world a new perspective on a very old genre.
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Fortunately, there is a game like that, one that will perhaps not quite settle into the same gold-embossed shoes of its predecessor and attain the status of the best RPG ever made (we’re ever so cruel to the indie space, after all), but will undoubtedly steal the hearts of those who have the genuine pleasure of playing it. I am referring to the extremely exciting upcoming 2026 RPG, People of Note, a clever, rambunctious, and innovative turn-based title with a musical twist. It feels like the best of every RPG merged with the riotously peppy spirit of its musical inspirations, and I am immensely excited about that. More importantly, however, there’s a little Clair Obscur magic happening here that is sure to dispel those RPG blues and get us feeling the same highs as when Sandfall Interactive’s legendary game released last year.
People Of Note Is Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 With A Musical Twist
I’m rather enjoying this era of experimental RPGs that take the tired tropes of yesteryear and give them a thorough reinvention to help spice things up. Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is certainly the most prolific example of a recent game in the genre doing this, but it has been happening quietly in the indie scene for quite some time. Chained Echoes, Undertale, and Sea of Stars spring to mind as key examples, but so too does CrossCode, with its fun mash-up of MMO and traditional RPG mechanics, the hyper-stylish Wolfstride with its excellent take on mech combat, and Tenderfoot Tactics with its bizarre overworld and unique approach to the Mount & Blade formula. However, I’m not here to shower praise onto these fascinating RPG titles, but rather to express my undying affection for People of Note and everything it is offering.
People of Note is doing for RPGs what Hi-Fi Rush did for action titles by showcasing the brilliance of combining turn-based rhythm-focused combat with hyper-stylized visuals and a thoroughly engaging narrative filled with memorable characters. Its turn-based combat is punctuated by a flurry of clashing musical genres, all expertly woven together to create an immensely satisfying fusion of music that is so unbelievably hype-inducing you can’t help but want to get involved in more battles. Timing attacks to the beat to buff attacks is a fun, albeit not new, way of incorporating its rhythm game influences and helps make combat feel significantly more involved.
It is predominantly this aspect that makes People of Note the perfect game for Clair Obscur fans, as it mirrors the timing and reaction speed needed to parry attacks or dodge at the very last second. However, the customizability of characters’ abilities, coupled with the importance of placement on the battle timeline to maximize buffs and damage, also feels very reminiscent of Clair Obscur’s approach to its combat complexity. Sure, none of this is particularly new, nor was it in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. However, much like 2025’s GOTY winner, when combined with the many other innovative or creative aspects of the core gameplay loop, it makes for an immensely enjoyable and, most importantly, rewarding experience.
We Need More Creative Turn-Based RPGs
Of course, there’s plenty more going on with People of Note than just its music-infused combat. The narrative, for example, is extremely well-written, at least what I have seen of it thus far, and further bolstered by People of Note’s vibrant and distinct art style. Peppered throughout are puzzles that evoke the RPGs of the PS2 and DS era for me, a nostalgic twist you don’t see much of nowadays, and exploration, while somewhat straightforward, is nevertheless rewarding at every turn. People of Note’s excellence is apparent throughout every layer of its design, something I grew exceptionally fond of during my many sessions with its generous demo.
Experiencing all of that novelty made me appreciate just how needed creative RPGs are. In an era of AAA turn-based RPGs stagnating and resorting to preying on our collective nostalgia, games like People of Note feel incredibly important. Even if it falls under the radar a tad, which I sincerely hope it does not, its propensity for creativity will undoubtedly inspire someone else to push for the same level of innovation and hopefully continue getting the ball rolling until it spirals into an avalanche of great ideas that forces the likes of Pokémon to finally start implementing some of these ideas, too.
Of course, as necessary as they can be to the betterment of their genre, games such as People of Note are frequently overshadowed by online discourse surrounding bigger titles like Crimson Desert and GTA 6. I’ve seen far too many indie RPGs fall to the wayside due to poor timing or simply as a result of not enough people knowing of them. Which is why I find it so important to spotlight the many amazing RPGs releasing this year, including People of Note. I encourage anyone even vaguely interested in exploring a music-driven RPG with expertly crafted turn-based combat and a cast of memorable characters at its core to try out People of Note’s demo. Even if it does not spur on the turn-based RPG revolution as I hope it will, at the very least, People of Note will offer folks like me an exceptionally good time, and that’s pretty swell.
Are you going to try out People of Note? Leave a comment below and join the conversation now in the ComicBook Forum!
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