- Publisher: Kepler Interactive
- Release Date: Apr 24, 2025
- Also On: PC, PlayStation 5
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Dec 9, 2025If you ask us, we would place Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 in the same category as generational games such as Final Fantasy VII (1997) and Chrono Trigger (1995). It is in good company, as both games are classics and belong to the cream of the crop of role-playing games. Memorable games that still resonate with an entire generation of players years, even decades later. Fans of the genre, enjoy this. Because a debut game with these qualities, showered with superlatives, is a rare occurrence.
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May 29, 2025Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is clearly inspired by many sources - the character modifications of Final Fantasy VIII’s Junction system, Persona's combat user interface and camera work, and the Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice parry and dodge mechanics - but the way Sandfall Interactive uses these inspirations together with the story, the characters, and the music is unique. No microtransactions, no subscription pass, no major features trapped behind future patches; Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is a single-player complete experience, with a New Game Plus to keep players coming back. Meanwhile, its exceptional music, writing, voice acting and visuals make it as aesthetically pleasing as it is mechanically satisfying and interesting. Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is a Game of the Year frontrunner.
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May 6, 2025Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 came out of nowhere with barely any hype and super low expectations, but it completely caught the gaming world off guard. It dives deep into philosophy and storytelling in a way most games don’t even try. On top of that, the gameplay is surprisingly deep and complex, and the visuals are absolutely gorgeous, it makes you wonder how a small team on a tight budget pulled off one of the best turn-based RPGs we’ve seen in years.
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Apr 23, 2025Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 brings a sumptuously stylish world, intricately woven narrative and top-notch combat to the table, and it's a winner on every level. The additions to combat make for fights that feel proactive, engaging and exciting at all times. The world is a constant revelation of incredible new regions and vistas, and the story will keep you hooked in until its emotional resolution. Sandfall Interactive's debut is a masterpiece, really, an odyssey that'll stick in your mind long after you're done, and one of the most enjoyable and fresh RPGs we've played in aeons.
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Apr 23, 2025A sumptuous, spellbinding work of art that never forgets its status as a game, offering rich and exhilarating gameplay.
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Apr 23, 2025I absolutely adore Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. It’s the first game in some time that I’ve found myself utterly lost in, so much so that I genuinely did not want to put the controller down. Any minor gripes there might be to have (some areas can get a little confusing to navigate at times, though none are so big that it remains a problem for long) are easily outnumbered by the sheer brilliance of the full product from start to finish. Combat, presentation, exploration, story; it’s all so damn good that I cannot recommend highly enough that you go play this game. We’ve still got a long way to go this year, and a few big hitters to come, but man, it’ll take something special to give Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 a run for its money.
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Apr 23, 2025Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is destined to become a classic, with a deep and well-written storyline, a spectacular soundtrack and top-notch graphics, along with a well-tuned combat system. One of the best JRPGs around.
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Apr 24, 2025Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is a hybrid of tactical combat and real-time interaction that reinvents traditional turn-based systems with dodging, parrying, counters, and timed attacks. Through a highly stylized visual approach, dynamic storytelling, and a deeply flexible party system, Clair Obscur delivers a refreshing take on the genre, backed by a hauntingly beautiful soundtrack and surprisingly poignant character moments.
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Apr 23, 2025Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is an inventive, beautiful experience like few others. Being the debut title from a studio and a new IP, it is an incredible achievement. Go in with as little knowledge of the story as possible. Whether you download this on Game Pass or plan to buy it, experience it. If you’re anything like me, you’ll be full of wonder and tears as you fight to stop the Paintress from ever painting death again. Tomorrow Comes.
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Apr 24, 2025Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is a fantastic RPG that pays tribute to the genre's classics while doing its own thing with a genuinely intriguing story and a dynamic turn-based combat system that becomes increasingly complex as you progress through its campaign. It is truly a testament to why new IPs and new studios deserve a chance to shine and leave their mark on the industry.
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May 12, 2025Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 may not be perfect, but for a first game from the team at Sandfall Interactive, it’s a remarkable achievement that tells a wonderful story while offering incredibly engaging combat and worldbuilding. This is an RPG I won’t soon forget and one that lapsed fans of the genre should absolutely check out.
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May 3, 2025Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is a stunning game. It is emotional, beautiful and utterly captivating. And that all means it is an absolute no-brainer as to whether you should be playing.
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Apr 23, 2025Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is a breathtaking and emotionally rich JRPG with one of the genre’s best combat systems, crafted with such artistry it rivals the classics it’s inspired by.
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Apr 23, 2025Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 wears its passion and inspiration on its sleeve and does right by it. You can tell in every inch of the game, much like last year’s Astro Bot, that the team truly cared about it and loved the games that inspired it. With phenomenal performances, great graphics, rich narrative, engaging gameplay, and beautiful soundtrack, Sandfall Interactive has solidified itself as a force to be reckoned with this year and one to definitely keep tabs on in the future. Despite some flaws, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is one of 2025’s best games and is most certainly the best RPG of the year so far.
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Apr 23, 2025Perhaps talking about GOTY may be a bit hasty, but it's almost certain that it's a title that will be among the candidates.
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Apr 23, 2025Driven by their passion for role-playing games, the young team at Sandfall Interactive has transformed this first attempt into a stroke of genius. With the tip of their brush, dipped in paint materialized thanks to the talent of their teams, the Montpellier studio has proven that a video game with a modest budget can overshadow the greatest RPGs. I had high expectations for Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 and the adventure has met all my expectations, managing to constantly amaze me thanks to its universe and its gameplay and continually surprising me through its storyline. Few video games have moved me so much. There is a before and after Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 and some of its scenes will never leave me. No, Sandfall Interactive's title is not a daub, it is a fresco as sublime as a Renoir painting.
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Jul 23, 2025A debut that leaves you wanting more. Whether you're a turn-based veteran or diving in for the first time, Clair Obscur is an easy recommendation — especially if you're into dark worlds and storylines.
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Jun 2, 2025Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is absolutely, without doubt, a notable title, and probably going to be one of the ten best of the year, even though I do have some issues with it. Overall, it’s something to be studied and learned from, and it’s got a lot to teach the rest of the industry.
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Apr 23, 2025Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is probably one of the most impressive $40/£40 games I’ve ever played and puts a lot of full price games to shame. Thanks to some really unique battle systems and combat variety, Expedition 33 is a turn-based RPG to remember. It’s bloody gorgeous too! Oof!
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May 6, 2025Although Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 stands out for its artistic direction and dynamic turn-based combat, it doesn't fully convince me. Maybe I've become more demanding, but it feels like the game is always trying to give me the upper hand. The gameplay mechanics are already familiar and feel more like an update than an innovation. It needs some polishing in certain areas—maybe then I'll give it another chance.
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| This publication has not posted a final review score yet. | |
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Apr 28, 2025Expedition 33 is built upon the conventional anchors of its genre. But its grandiose tale, bolstered by a downright robust combat system, turns it into something much more than just a scrappy underdog.
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Apr 23, 2025With Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, Sandfall Interactive came up with a masterpiece. Beautiful, powerful, original, captivating... this turn-based adventure RPG has brilliantly modernised the classics that inspired it and surprises the player where you least expect it. Seeing a small independent team come up with such an ambitious title is a real breath of fresh air for a video game industry that seems to have been going round in circles for several years between niche games that never find their audience and big productions that are becoming increasingly uniform in order to reach as many players as possible. "To say goodbye is to die a little", and that is the issue when you love something like this game: you eventually have to say goodbye. When it is time to put down the controller, one thing remains clear in our head: is not creating a true masterpiece out of a game dealing with art the most beautiful mise en abyme there is?
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