In a recent Twitch stream, Jennifer English revealed that she was able to play Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 thanks to the game’s story mode. The Maelle voice actress was actually responsible for getting the easy mode added to the game after she told Sandfall Interactive that she struggles with challenging RPGs. Here’s why I believe her story is proof that difficulty options in games are more important than ever.
Jennifer English Was Responsible for ‘Clair Obscur: Expedition 33’s’ Story Mode
During press interviews leading up to the launch of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 in April, Jennifer English revealed that she was responsible for getting story mode added to the new RPG. However, the voice actress recently shared more details while streaming a playthrough of Clair Obscur on Twitch. Before launching the game, she explained how her personal request to the studio led to the feature’s inclusion.
“We are playing this on easy mode. Thank you Sandfall Interactive. I said I really want to play this game, and I don’t think I can without it being on easy mode. Please make an easy mode.” The voice actress then hilariously added “Ben Starr calls it the Jennifer English memorial mode.” The YouTube and Twitch page for the clip was flooded with players thanking English for pushing for the mode.
Many comments on the video expressed that they were only able to complete the RPG because of the easier setting that she advocated for. I believe the fact that players like Jennifer English were able to experience the brilliance of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is exactly why we need to normalize studios including an easy mode when possible.
In Defense of Easy Mode in Games
Okay, before you jump down my throat, hear me out. No, I’m not saying studios need to have an easy difficulty option in every game. I actually think this is something that should be up to the developer. So before you get angry, I’m not saying Dark Souls or Sekiro needs an easy mode. I genuinely believe this is a personal choice by the developer, and I don’t subscribe to the idea that we should shame a studio for not including one. I don’t think it’s a crime for a game to lack difficulty options—even if it would be nice.
However, what I am arguing is that games should have an easy mode when possible. In 2025, the gaming industry has never had a more varied demographic of people who play games. Heck, I even have an older relative who recently got into PlayStation. Point being, not everyone is a skilled veteran when it comes to intricate game mechanics. And I’m just saying—it’s a good thing when less skilled players are able to experience Clair Obscur: Expedition 33’s groundbreaking story. I genuinely think its plot is one of the best cinematic stories I’ve experienced this year, and it’s awesome that everyone has a chance to play it.
I would by no means call myself a skilled, hardcore gamer. But I’ve spent thousands of hours “getting gud” in games like Sekiro, Bloodborne, and Elden Ring. So I understand that difficult games are extremely rewarding because of the challenges you overcome. However, a player being able to complete a game on an easier setting doesn’t make your experience any lesser. Again, if a game’s overall design is negatively impacted by an easy mode, then I’m not okay with that. I’m not a fan of that either. But I just mean that, when possible, I think easy modes are a good thing and shouldn’t be looked down on.
‘Elden Ring’ Has My Favorite “Easy Mode”
While we’re on the topic of easy modes, I actually think Elden Ring has one of the most brilliant implementations of sliding difficulty. While the game doesn’t have a dedicated mode, the entire experience is designed around giving players the tools to lower how challenging it is. If you’re struggling to take on Margit, the Fell Omen, just ride off into southern Limgrave and level up by doing side quests. Or go explore Caelid to unlock a powerful weapon like the Moonveil Katana.
Elden Ring includes many clever features that essentially reduce the game’s difficulty. From Ashes of War skills to Spirit Ashes, FromSoftware literally gives you the ability to break the game. I mean seriously—I was able to practically one-shot late-game bosses with a bleed build. Having a clone of my character with the Mimic Tear Ash was just downright silly. But that’s the point: you can do it. So in a sense, Elden Ring has an easy mode. Only FromSoftware makes you work for it, brilliantly integrating it into the game instead of offering a simple toggle option.
Would it be cool if other games did something similar? Absolutely. I’m all for innovative difficulty options that allow players to decide how challenging their experience is through in-game features. However, my ultimate point is that even Elden Ring isn’t immune to difficulty shaming. A large portion of the fandom for the longest time considered Spirit Ashes “cheating”. Which made it all the more ironic when the game’s creator, Hidetaka Miyazaki, revealed that he uses them and confirmed they’re a core part of the game’s design. So yeah, next time you scoff at the idea of easy modes—realize they’re not that bad. Not every game needs them, but depending on how they’re implemented, they’re not the end of the world either.
The post Jennifer English Was Able to Play ‘Clair Obscur: Expedition 33’ Because of Story Mode – Here’s Why Easy Difficulty Options Matter appeared first on VICE.
