Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is basically a fever dream for anyone who grew up on the turn-based RPGs of the early 2000s, but it’s got this weird, gorgeous European art style that makes every frame look like a painting. Then you get to the Flying Waters. It’s one of those segments where the game stops being a simple "walk from point A to point B" adventure and starts testing if you’ve actually been paying attention to the traversal mechanics.
You’re basically navigating a gravity-defying aquatic labyrinth. It’s strange. It’s beautiful. It’s also incredibly easy to get turned around in if you aren't tracking your verticality.
Honestly, the Expedition 33 Flying Waters walkthrough isn't just about finding the exit. It’s about not missing the gear hidden in the literal bubbles of water floating in the sky. If you rush, you’re going to be under-leveled for what comes next. Sandfall Interactive didn’t put these floating pools here just for the aesthetics; they are vertical puzzles that require a bit of finesse with the grapple and timing.
Entering the Aquatic Gravity Zone
When you first step into the Flying Waters, the scale hits you. Hard. The music shifts, and suddenly you’re looking at spheres of water suspended in mid-air. The first thing you need to realize is that the game treats these as localized gravity wells.
Jump in. You’ll swim. Jump out at the right angle, and you’ll launch toward the next platform.
The trick to the early section is the "Look Up" rule. Most players get stuck because they are looking for a path on the ground. There isn't one. You have to use the grapple points attached to the floating ruins. If you’re playing on a higher difficulty, the timing on the grapple mid-air is tighter. You can’t just mash the button. You have to wait for the prompt to turn gold, or you’ll lose your momentum and fall back to the last checkpoint.
I’ve seen people complain that the camera gets wonky here. It kinda does. To fix that, try not to fight the auto-camera during the swim transitions. Let it lead you.
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The Middle Reach and the Hidden Cache
About halfway through the Flying Waters, the path splits. You’ll see a massive, rotating sphere of water to your left and a series of smaller, fast-moving bubbles to your right.
Go right first.
It looks like a death trap, but it’s actually the way to the "Siren’s Call" accessory. This item is crucial for Gustave because it boosts his reactive parry window. In a game where the "Active Time Battle" system relies heavily on your ability to parry in real-time, this is a game-changer.
To get it, you have to chain three grapples in a row without touching the water. If you fall into the water, the momentum resets. It’s frustrating. You’ll probably miss it twice. But on the third try, you’ll realize the rhythm is actually synced to the background track. Listen to the beat. Grapple on the snare.
Once you have the accessory, swim back to the main rotating sphere. This is the "hub" of the area. From here, you can see the Paint-Stained Door in the distance. That’s your goal.
Navigating the Vertical Currents
The verticality in the Flying Waters is the hardest part of any Expedition 33 Flying Waters walkthrough. You aren't just moving forward; you're moving "up" through layers of liquid.
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There’s a specific puzzle involving three water columns. You have to freeze the middle one using Maelle’s ability. If you don't freeze it, the current is too strong to swim against.
- Step 1: Reach the platform overlooking the columns.
- Step 2: Wait for the debris to clear the path.
- Step 3: Trigger the elemental pulse.
If you time it wrong, the ice shatters and drops you into a combat encounter with three "Drowned Sentinels." These guys are a pain. They have a high resistance to physical damage, so make sure Lune has her magic pool topped off. Use Earth-based spells if you have them. Water enemies in this game hate being "grounded."
That One Boss Fight (The Fluid Echo)
Right before you exit the Flying Waters, you run into the Fluid Echo. It’s not a "main" boss in the grand scheme of the story, but it’s a massive gear check.
The Echo mimics your last used skill. If you just spammed heavy physical attacks with Gustave, the Echo is going to hit you back with a physical AOE that can wipe your party in two turns.
The strategy here is manipulation.
Force the Echo to mimic a weak support spell or a low-damage debuff. Have Maelle use a minor speed buff, then let the Echo copy it. While it’s wasting its turn buffing itself, unload your ultimate moves. It’s a bit of a cheese tactic, but in the Flying Waters, where your movement is already restricted, you take what you can get.
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Don't Forget the Paint Fragments
Expedition 33 is all about the "Paint." In this area, there are four fragments hidden behind waterfalls that look like solid walls.
One is located directly under the first bridge. You have to literally jump off the edge and grapple backward to see the opening. It’s devious. Most people miss it. These fragments are used to upgrade your skill trees back at the camp, so leaving without them makes the upcoming "Paintings" much harder to survive.
The second fragment is inside the rotating sphere mentioned earlier. You have to stay inside the water for exactly ten seconds without moving. A secret prompt appears. It’s a classic RPG trope, but it works.
Wrapping Up the Expedition 33 Flying Waters Walkthrough
By the time you reach the final platform, you’ll see the exit portal shimmering. It looks like a ripple in the air.
Before you step through, check your inventory. You should have the Siren’s Call, at least three Paint Fragments, and the "Salt-Encrusted Key." If you don't have the key, you missed the chest in the third water column area. Go back. You’ll need that key for the locked gate in the very next zone, and backtracking from there is a nightmare.
The Flying Waters is a test of patience. It’s about understanding that the environment is your enemy just as much as the monsters are. The gravity shifts can be jarring, but once you stop trying to play it like a standard 3rd-person platformer and start playing it like a 3D puzzle, it clicks.
Actionable Next Steps
- Check your Parry Window: Before entering the next zone, equip any gear that increases your reaction time. The enemies following this area have multi-hit combos that require 4-5 consecutive parries.
- Upgrade Lune’s Magic: Focus on Earth or Lightning elements. The "Wet" status effect from the Flying Waters carries over into the next transition, making your Lightning spells deal double "Conductive" damage for the first few fights.
- Save your Paint: Don't spend your fragments immediately. Wait until you unlock the third tier of Maelle’s tree, which becomes available shortly after this walkthrough ends.
- Calibrate your Camera: If the swimming felt clunky, go into settings and turn down "Camera Auto-Follow" to about 30%. It prevents the snapping motion when you exit the water bubbles.
The transition out of the Flying Waters leads directly into the "Submerged Cathedral." If you thought the water puzzles were over, think again, but at least the gravity goes back to normal for a bit. Keep your eyes on the ceiling—the best loot in Expedition 33 is rarely at eye level.