Clair Obscur: Expedition 33

I just wanted to share something personal. I played Expedition 33 around the one-year anniversary of losing my daughter. I didn’t expect it to hit as hard as it did, but it became something much more than a game for me. The way it portrays grief, identity, and what it means to exist... it made me feel seen. It reminded me that grief is normal...that pain doesn't have to be hidden, and that healing, while never simple, is possible. I know people appreciate games with emotional depth and meaning, and I just wanted to say Expedition 33 is one of those rare titles that goes beyond entertainment. For me, it was a small step toward healing.

[b] This game is the best of 2025. [/b] It doesn’t introduce something entirely new, but what it offers is impressive: the gameplay is a fusion of Souls, Paper Mario, and Final Fantasy, and combined with its graphics, it becomes both creative and very fun. As for the story, I’ve seen similar plotlines and twists before, but the story here is far superior. That’s not surprising, since this game comes from developers who are passionate gamers and truly love the industry. You can see this on their official site, where each person’s bio lists their favorite games and they combined all the games they love into one. The first thing that stands out is the theme menu, and the more you progress in the story, the more you realize that the soundtrack is a masterpiece. sometimes I stopped fighting bosses because I feared ending those battles before I finished enjoying the ost. Another aspect I really like is that the lyrics narrate the story: understanding the words changes your perception of the ost. The lyrics themselves evoke vivid imagery, so I highly recommend reading them after you complete the game (there are some spoilers in the lyrics). “Une vie à t’aimer,” “We Lost,” and “Rouge d’Iris” are the best boss themes for me, but “One-Winged Angel” and “The Extreme” remain my favorite first and second boss themes. What completes this masterpiece is the world itself, it’s stunning with its creatures, dungeons, and overworld. I loved seeing giant creatures in the mountains, and each dungeon is outstanding, this world painted by great artists. It’s no wonder, since this world springs from a story and journey filled with lovable characters and emotional experiences. I was immersed in the dialogue, voice acting, and cutscenes, it felt like watching a high-quality movie, not a typical game cutscene. I appreciated how my perspective of the story evolved as I progressed, and how courageous the writers are to include major twists that significantly alter the story’s direction without fear of ruining it. Normally, the final act should be the most beautiful part, but they don’t link optional content directly with the main story. The game expects you to complete the story before tackling optional content, but I did the opposite and I’m glad I did. I don’t think I would have appreciated the ending as much if I had done the optional content afterward. Even though it’s optional, it’s on par with the main story and gives you full satisfaction of all the game’s content. The only issue is that the story feels like it doesn’t progress in the final act if you tackle optional content first. Without forgetting the main element "gameplay" it’s turn-based with parry and shooter mechanics. Parrying is satisfying and requires quick thinking; this is the first game that makes the enemy’s turn more fun than your own. The shooter aspect is excellent: shooting differs depending on where you hit. There are weak spots that, when hit, deal very high damage. Pictos and Luminas add a lot of strategy and freedom in gamplay and creating builds that stargie you want to each characte, this is the best feature in game. But there are some things I don’t like. First, the game introduces many features that could have been exploited better, like status effects that reduce aiming precision and make it hard to aim; this status effect occurs only once, and other status effects could have been used more. Second, the game doesn’t really require much strategy in battle, most of my turns ended very quickly because it was obvious what I should do at the start of my turn. In summary, I liked the gameplay and didn’t get bored at all, but it could have been much better. Also, the bosses and enemies here are lovable and well-designed in both gameplay and visuals. That’s all I want to say about the game. You don’t need to play previous Expeditions especially Expedition 60 to avoid confusion about the story. Otherwise, grab la baguette, le croissant et l’éclair, and play this game for those who’ve played this game before and said: Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is a masterpiece

Review after 100% completion. Also why are you reading reviews instead buying it already......? A SUBLIME game in EVERY damn sense! You Sandfall deserve a place in the LOUVRE for developing a "gem". The combat combines well implemented QTE with engaging turn based action, offering something for everyone. Even the nerve racking GLORIOUS end-game bosses are extremly enjoyable (You even have options to buff EVERY boss/monster to your heart content). And if you are here for the awesome history instead a challenge just go and adjust the difficulty for a still meaningful but more forgiving fights, Clair Obscur offers something for everyone and it does it in the best way possible. Now the voice acting, soundtrack, art design....EVERYTHING is MAJESTIC! This is ART and a stark reminder about why videogames are the future of entertainment and history telling. Stop reading and buy Clair Obscur already.....Oh! The game message? "For those who come after" wich basically means making the world (in this case video game industry) a better place than it was before for EVERYONE.

I almost NEVER give a game a perfect score, but Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is a true MASTERPIECE and has earned a 10/10 from me!

[h2]Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 [/h2] Absolute cinema Even though I already knew people were excited about the game when I played it, I still underestimated it and was genuinely, pleasantly surprised when I finished it. At this point, I think it’s my top contender for Game of the Year. https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3475040698 The mixed combat system, where turn-based gameplay is combined with real-time parries and dodges, really boosts immersion. It has become the game’s unique and recognizable style, and I’m sure other developers will start copying it. Narratively, the game is on another level. I thought I had figured out the main twist a few times, but I was wrong and far from the truth. It’s hard to talk about this without spoilers, but I think it perfectly shows how the "white-collar" types who inevitably show up in most studios and publishers as they grow and become successful end up ruining them. They think in numbers and safe decisions, but that has never been what creativity is about, which is what games are supposed to be. https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3501690738 The music and art style deserve special praise. There aren't many characters, but each one feels alive and full of personality. Everything is crafted with care and creativity, despite the game's modest budget. It all comes together in a way that feels truly impressive. You don’t even need to mention the fact that many of the major decisions are made by investors or people who don’t even play the games they publish (hello Ubisoft). https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3504361687 For regular players, the smart move is to vote with your wallet. Don’t buy or support corporate, toothless games and then complain about the state of the industry. It’s better to give bold games a chance and support them with your money. That’s how we’ll get more masterpieces like Clair Obscur.

[b]Let me introduce to you the GAME OF THE YEAR of 2025![/b] This game is so good, [b]they made a better version of Only Up![/b] so casually inside the game, which was infinitely more enjoyable than the original one! This game truly is a gem, with many nice details and such a deep and creative story. This game was truly a love project by the developer team, it's so easy to see when actually playing it.

Absolute masterpiece of a game. This game proves that it doesn't matter if it's a small or big studio if you have a passion for making games and make the game for the gamers then you can make something amazing. I don't really play turn based games but the only two exceptions were this and Metaphor: ReFantazio and both of them are masterpieces. Expedition 33 is definitely my GOTY and playing it was such a mysterious feeling. The story, the characters, the wonderful music and the fluent combat system made it into something amazing and I had a really wonderful time 💖

[h1]Thank God These Devs Left Ubisoft[/h1] First things first, THANK GOD these devs left Ubisoft.. If they stayed, we’d probably be playing a 500-hour open-world game with endless fetch quests and microtransactions But instead, we got this. A masterpiece Who knew leaving Ubisoft was the secret to making a game that’s actually so good? [h1]Turn-Based Combat[/h1] This game is so ridiculously good it should be illegal As a fan of turn-based combat (yes, I’m that person) this felt like i was playing olympics of RPGs.. Every battle is a satisfying mix of strategy, magic, and 'how did I not see that coming?' [h1]Graphics and Mechanics[/h1] The graphics? Holy crap. It’s like the game was painted by some kind of wizard who’s too good at their job. I can’t believe my eyes The mechanics? Also flawless, It’s like they actually thought about how to make everything feel smooth What a concept!!! [h1]The Story That Will Make You Feel All The Things[/h1] The story? Don’t even get me started It’s so good, I wanted to throw my phone at the wall from how emotional I got Plot twists? Yes, please Character development? Chef’s kiss [h1]The Characters That Made Me Feel Things[/h1] The characters?! Okay, Maelle? I love her. Her voice sounded way too familiar, and then I realized: it's Shadowheart from Baldur’s Gate 3 my favorite character Honestly, the casting gods were smiling down on this on.. I’d let Maelle take me to the moon and back. [h1]Final Thoughts: Would 100% Let This Game Ruin My Life Again[/h1] Overall? This game made me feel things. Good things. No, great things. Play it. Or don’t. I honestly don’t care. I’m just over here living my best life with Maelle and the Paintress 1000/10 Would absolutely let this game ruin my life again.

Juegazo, mi GOTY. Que historia, que personajes, ya estoy siguiendo a los de SANDFALL para ver cual es su siguiente juego.

This game is really amazing. Music and battles are real good. Best game so far of 2025 : )

Absolute goddamned cinema. Expedition 33 is the GOTY of 2025, and I dont even idgaf what else comes out in the remainder of the year. This game is astonishingly good. It's beautiful, heartfelt, and I found it deeply affecting. I won't get spoilery in this review, but the way the game approaches the very nature of storytelling, and the many roles that art as a whole plays in our lives, was deeply interesting. This game got hella layers. I don't often go on reddit and the steam forums to read people's interpretations of game narratives, sadly not many games warrant that type of further investigation, but the way Expedition 33 was written and the larger lore surrounding it, made it a fascinating experience to go on a bit of a deep dive. The music, the writing, the worldbuilding, the performances, the art direction, holy shit all of it is really good stuff. A brand new, [b]wildly[/b] original IP to boot. I tend to complain about all the remakes, remasters, rehashes and reboots quite a lot, but I dont think even I realised how starved I was for something new and fresh until this came along. I do not buy games on or around release date, because the industry has well and truly fucked me a few too many times, but this is one of those rare instances where I'm really happy I did. Combat is pretty unique, and it took me almost 10 hours to really click with it. On the top layer you have all the tactical turnbased stuff which can get deliciously strategic, but it is [i]constantly[/i] underpinned with realtime mechanics. The parry windows in particular are punishing, and missing a parry can have pretty severe consequences based on how you built your characters. Enemy animations are purposefully designed to trip you up, but once you realize how crucially important the sound cues are it becomes more manageable. Your eyes will deceive you, but your ears wont. Mostly. The realtime mechanics often play out like a rhythm game almost. There is a definite and measured flow to it, and even as a person who generally hates souls-likes I found this combat system engrossing. And very, very satisfying when I pull off a huge counter. https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3478038438 Options and synergies are plentiful, and respeccing your builds isn't too costly so I had a lot of fun trying all kinds of different strategies. Character building was really fun, in part because everyone has their own unique mechanic. My one gripe with the game's systems was the inability to downgrade weapons. The perks on them are often major and can massively impact your character builds, however upgrading them is costly and once you've committed a lot of resources into a particular weapon it becomes suboptimal to start using a different one, even if it has better or just different perks. What really stuck out to me the most about it all was how much I came to care about these characters. The writing and voice work are really top tier. Sandfall is a relatively small studio, but they've delivered a level of quality that puts massive AAAs to shame that are literally 10 times their size. Honestly, there are not a lot of games that manage to engage me emotionally as much as Expedition 33 did. I really loved how the dialogue just flows. Characters can interrupt eachother, or talk over eachother. RPGs really seem to struggle with stilted voice direction so I was pleasantly surprised with how polished that aspect of the game is. Combined with the outstanding facial animations and that intensely beautiful soundtrack Clair Obscure grabbed me tightly by the balls and didn't let go for a second. My fave character turned out to be Verso, bless his duplicitous little heart. You learn about him by observing him. You learn who he is by looking at his actions throughout the game and putting it together yourself. Actually this holds true for most of the characters, and even the world surrounding them. There's no exposition dumps. There's no narrator at the beginning, telling you the 100 year history of this world. Characters can straight up lie, and not in that bullshit 'press x to doubt' way - I mean [i]really[/i] lie, to others or to themselves. They can change their minds, or their motivations, and this is so rare to see in a video game. Whenever you do learn something new, it's always strongly reflected through the lens of one of the characters. The character work in this game is really something else. Learning about Esquie and Monoco's origins turned me into a puddle. Maelle is a two for one, very good deal. Lune? I love her. A woman of commitment and sheer fucking will. Fuck! They're all complicated, flawed, interesting characters and don't even get me started on the antagonists we'll be here until next week. The level of originality oozing from every square inch of this game really is commendable. The worldbuilding on display here is often breathtaking, and there is sooo much fine detail in it all if you slow down to take it in - as I frequently had to in order to appreciate the scenery. https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3471344383 Talking of the bigger picture, one of the main reasons I enjoyed it so much is that the game isn't afraid to stew and simmer. It stretches out and revels in dramatic tension and doesn't feel the need to immediately pop that balloon. Maybe I'm just over-sensitive to this sort of thing because I just finished Dragon Age The Veilguard before jumping into Clair Obscure, and Bioware constantly, and I really mean constantly, seemed downright afraid to let narrative pressure build up. There was always some character quipping 'Oh, that looks really bad! omg!" and not once did they just let that tension build. Even during dramatic scenes, they had to jump in with some comic relief and break both any remaining immersion that may have been there, and worse, any sense of sincerity or vulnerability in the scene. That's not to say that Expedition 33 doesn't have moments of levity, but they always fit and feel appropriate, as opposed to the bullshit that Bioware was shoveling. I don't think there was a single joke in the game that didn't land. Overall though the game takes itself very seriously, and is committed to itself in a way that makes the audience commit to it as well. At least I sure felt that way. When a character faces almost certain death and starts making snide remarks about how expensive the drycleaning bill is gonna be afterwards, I mean thats fine sometimes, I get it, it can be fun. That style of writing has just become so tiringly overused. Expedition 33 has a moment right in the beginning with Gustav after landing on the continent where I think most other games would have done something similar. Gustav went in a different direction, which immediately set a certain tone for the game. As that scene played out, with The Veilguard still fresh in the back of my mind, I smiled to myself and hoped that the rest of the game will be just as good. And as I got deeper into it, it just kept getting better. https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3477314766 It took me right around 50 hours to get close to 100% completion; I'm pretty sure the only things I haven't finished were some collectibles. A lot of games seem to think that the more time they take to get through, the better. Expedition 33 is such a perfect example of why that's usually wrong. I didn't get so deeply invested into this game because I spent 150+ hours playing it. I didn't fall in love with these characters because I collected 50 boar pelts across each region of the map or whatever the fuck. I didn't need to clear out a gazillion samey dungeons or tread through a hundred filler questlines to feel like I've experienced an epic journey. I have experienced an epic journey, because that is just how the game was written. I'm so excited to see what Sandfall comes out with next. I'll be there day one, and that puts them in very sparse company.

There are some games, such as KCD2, where i do believe further improvement is impossible in the context of the ''Game'' medium. You can read my review on KCD2 and how much i liked it, despite getting some comments of being ''Cringey'' as i've insulted the word ''Gamers'' In rare circumstances, we get art like this. It isn't only a game to play, it is an experience to be behold. As a game, the gameplay is really fun. Even though i usually hate turn-based games, especially the ones in 202x, this is the only game where i fully believe the decisions were completely necessary and contributed to overall experience. Most, if not every, decision is very well thought, even to the granularity of the achievements. The builds you're able to make allow you to ease through even the hardest of bosses, and the game still gives you the ability of making the game harder if you like a challenge. World is built thoughtfully and with love, with beloved easter eggs, pictures of the team and more. As a book, this game provides you with findable journals throughout the game. Some funny, some serious, some emotional and some progressive. Every note, even though short, gives intricate detail to the respective expedition. You do not only go through the words, but also feel the emotion. As an album, it emphasizes on orchestral style that leans heavily on classical, with hints of most of the music genres out there with a special focus on metal/rock or opera depending on the context you're given. I do not think there is a single medium to include this many songs in it, and to have every single one of them as contextual masterpieces. As emotions, you're given one of the best painted figures to accompany you throughout the story. Game hugs you with a heartbroken relationship, realistic characters, hopeful scenarios, metaphorical creatures and many more. You feel Gustave's love for Sophie as if it was your own, and you Whee through the Continent with Esquie's materialistic but emphatetic comments. As a movie that tells a story, this game starts as a hopeful but unrealistic expedition, turned into a 5D chess, enhanced by artful cinematics, colorful patterns and a masterfully crafted palette. It starts off as an Indiana Jones-esque expedition, continues with Mulholland Drive-esque dream sequences while keeping the action alive, and finishes off similar to either Dead Poets Society, or Shutter Island, whatever your decision is. And you are given this decision. This thing isn't just a game, it is a movie, it is an album, it is a book, it is something that has the rare ability to argue that it is above known mediums. Congratulations to the team, as they have achieved to create something that transcends mediums. If you're gonna give someone flowers, you should probably do it before they wither and die.

After opening the game I spent almost an hour listening to the main menu because good GOD my eardrums were getting the best eargasm ever. All jokes aside this game is amazing not just because of the soundtrack (which is the best I ever heard in a decade) it's the beautiful scenery, fun turn based combat, and game play loop that really makes this game shine. I would recommend everyone to give this game a try and I feel like I've been spoiled to DEATH spending 50 dollars, hell I would also encourage buying the deluxe edition because the devs deserve all the money and support making this masterpiece.

You've heard it all before. This game is perfection in ever way. From music, to visuals, to gameplay, fun factor, voice acting, story. Magical. Just a clear 10 across the board. One of those games that makes you not want to stop. We haven't had many games this impactful in a long time. In fact they happen once in a decade, this decade we got 2 of them in a row. On top of it being a 10, this game has done a lot outside of itself. It has mixed up the genre and made it a lot more exciting. No longer do you have to wait for every enemy to take a turn, you're in the action the whole time, even more so while defending. It's simply genius and has reinvigorated the genre, or perhaps produced a spin-off that will most certainly be copied. This game also hit the AAA industry hard, in a good way, it has flipped the script. Inexpensive, amazing, no microtransactions or other predatory practices, no need for any kind of messaging that isn't congruent with the world. It has achieved everything gamers have been asking, and AAA studios been denying is possible. All with the 33 developers that poured their hearts and souls into it, and filled up ours. Looking forward to what this studio does next, and to other studios learning an important lesson.

A French team has made by far the best JRPG of all time. I love Atlus, Falcom, Level-5 and AliceSoft, but man, they’ve never even come close to making a game as good as Expedition 33. I had lost all hope after playing Metaphor: ReFantazio and seeing how painfully bad that game was, but thankfully, Sandfall saved the day and made JRPGs great again.

It's an accessible, beautiful game that - at its core - is like things you've played before, but truly is unlike anything you've played before. Play it on the biggest screen you have in the highest fidelity possible. Without irony, the game is Absolute Cinema.

The game is insanely beautiful and runs very well, I haven't encountered frame rate drops or bugs so far. The combats are always satisfying and the exploration is rewarding. The voice acting and cutscenes are particularly good. Even if it's not your kind of game, you should give it a try. Basically, if you have a soul and like gaming, you'll enjoy this masterpiece.

This is what passion looks like! Game of the year winner , if not i care not for any other. Expedition 33 woke up in me what i thought was forever gone. Sandfall Interactive deserves the support from every gamer out there , what an amazing developer team. I hope all those massive triple A studios are watching 'cause this is how it's done. For Those Who Come After !

I play games to be all Wheeeee, not Whooo. But from the very beginning, this game makes you go Whooo all the time through its storytelling. Perhaps that is the intention, as Wheeeee from experiencing one of the most artistically crafted games balances out that Whooo. In any case, the conundrum of this WheeWhooWheeWhoo situation is something I strongly recommend for everyone to go through and find out themselves.

This game is a masterpiece. It deserves a review. Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is a generational game. I was sure that nothing would ever rival Baldur's Gate 3, but here we are. I think it's the best game I've ever played. The combat, exploration, story and locations are all excellent. And the soundtrack is just otherworldly. Everything is absolutely amazing. I won't spoiler anything but the story really makes you think. And let's not forget that it was created by a team of ~30 people. Let this game be a middle finger to all the greedy gaming corporations trying to squeeze every last penny out of their customers. This is what we want, and this is what we'll support. From the bottom of my heart - Thank you, Sandfall Interactive.

+ Strong points: - A moving and profound story - A plot with surprising twists - Fast-paced and tactical gameplay that works perfectly - A unique and exhilarating playstyle for each team member - Rich customization (Pictos/Luminas, skills, etc.) - Sumptuous and captivating artistic direction - A cast of impeccable and well-developed characters - A catchy soundtrack that grabs your heart - A beautiful balance in the tone of the story, dark and light - Weak points: - A storyline that sometimes overloads us with information - The final structure of Act II is a bit cumbersome and tedious - The Pictos/Luminas menu lacks legibility and ergonomics Summary: Driven 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. An unmissable work of art, this is the RPG not to be missed this year. " For those who come after. " 18/20

Expedition 33 piqued my interest from the moment they showed the first trailer; the reason it caught my eye was mainly the real-time interactive mechanics implemented into the turn-based combat - QTEs when you're doing your attacks to get extra power out of them, and the dodge/parry when you're being attacked. If you don’t like the idea of a turn based game, you should absolutely still try this because it doesn’t feel like it’s turn-based when you play it. A lot of turn based games would have you sit like a moron whenever the enemy has their turn, but not this one. It's highly interactive, you're never sat there watching like a moron when an enemy is swinging or shooting at you. Some people on twitter and such have compared it to Souls/Sekiro because of the dodging and parrying, but I’d say that’s a stretch. While the enemies have rhythmic combos like Sekiro, that's about where the similarities end. It's possible to beat each individual fight without taking a single point of damage, but you won't. The way it does compare to Souls/Sekiro is in the npc/enemy designs, they’re all so creative, you could easily see some of these appearing in their games. Even beyond the enemy designs, the levels and environments you traverse will regularly make you stop and stare like you’re seeing the gates of heaven opening up before you - it’s impossible to describe it in any other way. Visually the game is stunning - in every aspect. When you're watching trailers for new games, something you see all the time is the devs slowly walking around panning the camera to show off the environment they've made - but you rarely ever do that when you're actually playing any game. Expedition 33 is the exception - I found myself slowly walking or stopping multiple times in basically every level, mouth agape like as if I was catching flies. I've never seen any other game or other piece of media or art that blows you away in the way this game's environments did. Every frame feels like a piece of art or a painting; you’ll need a new keycap for your f12 key by the time you’re done. Build variety and the way you play each character is as deep as you’d ever want, each character is extremely flexible and can either be a DPS monster, support, tank or an amalgamation of any combination of those 3. Character builds are as deep as diving into the depths of the Mariana Trench from the peak of Mount Everest. They all have their own unique gimmicks which you’ll use to maximise their damage or utility. There are 4 components to each build, the character itself (each has a unique gimmick), the character's weapon (used to amplify or modify a character's gimmick), Pictos (Stat boosts & abilities), and Lumina (More stat boosts & abilities). As you progress the number of Luminas and Pictos does become overwhelming with how many you get, but this still lends itself to the flexibility of builds. There are side levels and even some silly minigames. The side levels still feel like complete packages in the sense that the characters will discuss things about the place and add to the world's lore. The minigames are all fantastic too - just the right amount of challenge while not being obnoxiously hard - except one. Level 3 of the volleyball game can suck me. Music can make or break an atmosphere or moment, and the OST in this game elevates every moment into the clouds and beyond - it always matches the vibe perfectly and just sounds so amazing. I would put this up there with the other best soundtracks I've heard, comfortably next to Nier Replicant and Nier Automata. If you've played those games you know that's high praise. Expedition 33 deserves to be next to those two in the video game music halls of fame. Whether it's amplifying an emotional moment, creating a nice backtrack for exploring or providing a nice rhythm for a fight it always tickles your ear in just the right way. The dialogue is beautifully written throughout - it's rare you get a cast of adult characters that aren't overly quippy or act like teenagers, they all have their own depths and complexities without being painfully rubbed in your face. Even minor interactions between characters are written amazingly and something that surprised me is how often the characters actually made me laugh. One flaw you will notice is that the lipsync is often not good, as if they're animated to sync up with french actors while speaking English. It does stick out like a sore thumb at times, but for important cutscenes it's perfectly fine and won't take away from emotional scenes or anything like that. The voice acting itself is brilliant which keeps you feeling involved. Now the story - (no spoilers) holy shit did it blow me away. The intro of this game is the most grabbed I've ever been by an intro. You're given a premise of "the big bad" which is the Paintress. All we know at the beginning is that she paints a number on a distant monolith. This number drops by 1 every year, and everyone who's age is written on the monolith is gommaged. This time around the number is 33. Also every year, the people send out an Expedition of volunteers who's aim is to kill the Paintress - with no clue as to how far it really is, or what exists beyond the ocean at all. There were several times along the journey where I thought "I see what's really going on, X is the reason for Y and this thing is this way because of blah blah, I'm so smart" but no, I was wrong basically every time. It goes into directions I guarantee you would not predict. But when the world shows it's true face, it all makes so much sense. Easily Expedition 33 gets into my personal top games list - it's a 10.

Good, but not the masterpiece the majority of reviews claim it to be. The collective consciousness of the gaming community acts like this is some miraculous 10/10 game—the next big thing among all the big things. My main complaints about the game: Gameplay: The parry system felt amazing during the first 5–10 hours, especially once I got the hang of it with enemies around me. It was honestly what got me hooked—beating the Mime enemy in Lumière felt incredibly rewarding. However, there’s a huge issue: on any difficulty, if you master parrying, the RPG elements become practically irrelevant. You don't even need to pay attention to what you're doing—just parry at the right moment, and you're good to go. It ends up feeling more like a rhythm game disguised as an RPG, where the core RPG mechanics barely matter if you're playing "correctly." In short: good, but flawed gameplay. Map & Exploration: The overworld sucks, in my opinion. There's a reason most modern games have moved away from overworlds unless they’re chasing ‘90s JRPG nostalgia. Areas are marked with danger levels, but individual enemies aren't, which makes it hard to tell if you're even supposed to be in a given area. It shouldn’t take a AAA team to add a basic quality-of-life feature like enemy level indicators. After getting the swimming ability with Esquie, I tried diverging from the main quest to explore—only to quickly lose interest. The exploration just isn’t rewarding. The lack of minimaps is also extremely frustrating, especially in some of the more complex, large-scale areas. Exploration in many of these interior zones felt like a chore. I can’t help but think corners were cut due to the limited team size, yet everyone still talks like this game is flawless. Some map layouts even reminded me of Final Fantasy XIII, and we all remember how that was mocked as "Corridor Fantasy" for its uninspired design. (Obviously, not all maps are like this, but many are.) Overall: map and exploration were the weakest parts of the game for me. Story & Characters: The initial worldbuilding was strong and drew me in. But I never found the characters charming or memorable. Act 1 spoier: [spoiler]When Gustave died in the end of Act 1, I had just learned his name 1–2 hours prior, so the moment didn’t land emotionally. [/spoiler] After Act 2, the big "reveal" about the universe’s nature left me disappointed. It felt generic and forgettable. I doubt I’ll even remember most of the characters' names a few months from now. Graphics: I have mixed feelings here. For the most part, the visuals are cohesive and have a distinct identity. But occasionally, it all feels like just another Megascan UE5 tech demo. It scales well across systems, but shots from an RTX 4090 look wildly different from what you get on something like a Steam Deck—especially with character models. It’s visually appealing, sure, but sometimes it just feels like a typical Unreal Engine project. I can’t quite put my finger on what’s wrong, but something feels off. OST: Honestly, the only things that stood out to me as truly excellent were the soundtrack and the graphics. That said, is it just me, or does the music borrow cues from Silent Hill 2 – Promise and Final Fantasy X – To Zanarkand? Once I noticed it, I couldn’t unhear it. Even the OST, while beautiful, started to feel like an imitation. :( The music also can be annoying at times, especially when it plays overly dramatic opera in the background while I'm just wandering around the overworld. I know I’ll probably get flamed for this, but I’m just being honest. I played it, I liked it—but it’s more of a 7 or 8 out of 10 game for me. Not this untouchable 10/10 gem that many are making it out to be.

What an incredible journey! I was sceptical at first, but in my opinion, the game deserves all the praise it gets. Clair Obscure Expedition 33 has everything, from likable characters, a strong story with great depth, enjoyable gameplay, great visuals and some of the best musical pieces i've heard in a long time (maybe ever) in a videogame. Even the start into the game feels so natural and despite it being a very fantastical world you know very little of, the exposition eases you into the game very naturally and explains things on the go, without too much exposition directly to the player. There's a depth to everything, without it being overwhelming. The gameplay is pretty great too with it's turn-based combat with a twist. You can (and should) parry or dodge the attacks of the enemies - turning the tide of combat in your favor and either dodging damage or delivering a powerful counter-attack when parrying properly. Together with the myriad of combinations of weapons, stats, Pictos (abilities and stat bonuses you can apply to characters) you got a lot of potential for all sorts of builds. The world is also fantastic visually. It's creative, beautiful and you have lots of different places to discover. As for the characters and story, i won't spoil anything. But i say as much: The voice acting and motion capture is excellent for each and every character. They all have their own personality, depth and everyone has their own relatable motivations. The story starts out relatively straightforward, but comes up with twists and turns quite early on and delivers on a powerful message. And the music. My god, the music is magnificent. From slow and quiet renditions, to powerful mixes of classic and rock that fuels boss battles, it has everything and it fits so well with the world, the themes and the characters. I'm actually llistening to "un vie à t'aimer" a lot, cause it had such an impact. All in all, it's a fantastic game and one of those rare gems that don't just exist for the sake of it. It's beautiful art, realized in a videogame format. 10/10 For those who come after

I'm still fresh out of the ending, so I'll admit I wrote this out of anger. If I ever come back with a cooler head, maybe I'll write a proper review. Spoilers, I guess. So, imagine you're playing Final Fantasy 7. The story is super heart-felt and immediately draws you in. The world is vibrant and interesting with a lot magic and mix of sci-fi elements. There are a lot of cool concepts and mechanics like materia that make combat super interesting. Every member of the party is unique and interesting in their own way and super fun to play. The game feels great. The story is great. Everything about this game is really good. For the first half. Then suddenly, halfway through the entire game, Vincent Valentine sees that Cloud is in danger, and purposefully lets Cloud die so that Vincent could replace him as the main protagonist and convince the party to go on a quest that he knew Cloud would have talked them out of. And even after the rest of the party finds out, for some reason none of the party members are mad at Vincent for this. They express a little bit of disappointment, but nowhere near the appropriate response that this situation should warrant. And also, despite the fact that even MORE lies by Vincent are constantly revealed throughout the game, and Vincent admits to having actively lied to them, gotten dozens and dozens of their past friends and allies killed, shows very little remorse for any of these actions, and in fact doubles down and states he would gladly do it again, everyone very quickly forgives him. And then Tifa and Aerith have sex with him. AND THEN Yuffie realizes that FF7 is actually just a videogame, and she’s been dreaming this whole time while playing FF7. So Vincent Valentine kills Yuffie to wake her up and make her stop playing videogames, because playing videogames all the time is unhealthy. And in doing so, Vincent erases the world of FF7 and stares into Aerith and Tifa's eyes as they die. So Yuffie wakes up and goes back to her real life where her parents are constantly fighting and actually have tried to kill each other in front of her, and her sister is a sadistic monster that has tortured most of the characters she loved in FF7. And this is the happy ending.

A very beautifully made and impressive game! Awesome story, interesting characters, great gameplay and the music in this game, WOW! Well worth the full price! In my opinion, the price is too cheap for such a great game, especially when compared to so many other "AAA" titles that disappoint!

I have spent 81 hours playing this game. I went in not expecting much, I kept hearing it was good but everyone says this about a game you know. Well, I don't think good is enough to describe this game, I am not the biggest gamer, but I have felt so many emotions, shed so many tears, laughed so loud while playing this game. It's a true masterpiece and definitely one of my favorite game ever. I even cried when I finished it because I was moved by how beautiful it is. Thank you to Sandfall for making this game reality, I will forever replay it.

[b]TLDR:[/b] I [i]highly[/i] recommend this game if you think the fighting system looks like something you could potentially, hypothetically, maybe, possibly, enjoy or feel intrigued by – or even just look fine enough to play through. (Let’s not kid ourselves, if you hate the bread and butter of the gameplay, everything else might just fade out of existence.) ----- An Hommage to a wonderful experience, this game Never have I ever been so excited to find a collectible. Never have I ever craved to finding the next one, stopping my adventure for a moment to listen to a record of time, something meaningful to the world, the characters, and ultimately me. Every one of these journals felt [i]personal[/i], every death I stumbled upon like a contribution for me to be able to stand there, in their future, and find what was left of them. The anticipation to find more entries was exhilarating every time, be it because I got to see a glimpse of the past in this exact area, or because it meant something for the mission, for the grander scheme, as generations set out towards reaching the same goal, layers on foundations, built on top of even more foundations, years upon years, entire decades, just so I could experience this exact moment, stand where their corpses lay, frozen in time, yet gone. Never had it been so satisfying to leave no stone untouched – and if you do take your time to walk in every direction, 99.9% of secrets feel fair to find (thank you, level designer!). – Sincerely, a completionist who dreads open worlds. Usually, I feel like I should care for the story snippets found in collectibles, but ultimately never did. This game, however, made finding them feel like a blessing. I’ve listened to every single one of them, soaking up the voices narrating their own life and death. Content every time I've stumbled upon one of them, a fraction of a past that simultaneously felt so closely connected to the present. Just to crave finding the next one, looking forward to it every single time without fault. But I digress. Initially, I wanted to wait for a bigger sale, but after loading up the game and [i]experiencing[/i] the menu music, I knew this was not a purchase I would regret. I was stunned for a good few seconds. It felt like home in a sense of returning to the right place for this moment in one’s life, as if one unlocked a memory, you didn’t yet have or know you had. Tranquil and of essence, it felt right. All this while promising an adventure laying ahead, a story to witness. A moment intimate enough to be called my very own. So I started a new save file to get taken by the hand and dive into a story that really is an entirety of a new universe, but I was yet ignorant to this fact, born into a ‘mere’ game for now. Never have I ever been so invested in the characters that optional cutscenes didn’t feel like a chore at times, but rather a treat to witness the intimacy and growth of mutual understanding between the cast. I wanted to listen to them more, rather than feel obligated to care about them. It didn’t just feel “objectively” like a good game, but I genuinely felt immersed and invested into the group. [Shoutout to the “Last stand of Expedition 33”-message, the first time I read that I could feel it. It felt real, this would truly be the last stand if not for save files. The last hope of an otherwise extinguished dream.] This game felt like a whiff of childhood, excitement, and adventure. So much was done right, so much feels personal and living and breathing, and it’s a warm recommendation to anyone who is interested in a great journey with realistic and mature dialogue that at times cracks you up, makes you smile or fills your eyes with tears and the heart with a heaviness. The story is beyond what I had hoped for, the characters feel close to home, and I’m so glad the combat is everything I’ve hoped for and more. (Quick time events being the saving grace of JRPG’s as an adult.) It's engaging and thrilling to play this game. The soundtrack is a [i]masterpiece[/i] to say the least. There’s so much love and compassion and familiarity, yet individuality poured into this game and its characters, the cutscenes feel intimate and personal and their bonds go beyond the spoken word. The glances, the body language, the writing, the intonation and the superb voice acting (english) make me care very little for the seldom imprecise facial animations. This detail is lost in the sheer immensity of the subtleties of camera pans, a character’s pacing or just a small additional perspective in a cutscene that breathes so much life into these people. They feel real in their own way, I relate to them not because of who I am, but in being human, in a small, intimate way. I accompany them as much as they accompany each other in a sense. Empathy truly is a marvellous thing; the banter, the interactions, it is just pure joy. Every common mechanic of this genre is woven into this game in a way that feels so alive and giddy, each addition so lifelike and precious to daydream with a small smile on my lips; It’s the minute details that make this game so much more lovable. And this daydream spans further as the story unravels. (I would have [i]loved[/i] a bestiary or a monster lexicon, but alas, nothing is perfect.) [b]VAGUE STORY SPOILERS AHEAD[/b] There was a slight anxiety following me around, not always trusting the process. I feared my demands for a good story might not be met, be it because of a character comment in passing - that turned out to be quite well-placed a “bait” - or a short character moment that, while I understood, felt a bit too … draining? Too often did I have high expectations in storytelling, that weren't met, So I feared the developers would squash this experience with a grander promise that would fall flat. They did not. Not for me at least. There was a sliver of doubt, as I could see the direction the story might resolve in, and fearing it would go into the deadbeat trope of [spoiler]”oh it was all a dream / different timeline”[/spoiler], I was and am happy to tell you that the way they spun the story, it broke up my expectations [spoiler]while technically still leaning into a very(!) similar path[/spoiler], opening the world, no, opening the entire universe and franchise into something of whimsical nature with [i]so much[/i] unexplored depth. Potential for so many more stories to tell, so many more connections to make and adventures to go on that I cannot help but to wait in excitement for what the future brings. So much more is promised with this widening of the canvas, stretching out a hand for much more than I had ever hoped to find at the end of this experience. (If the spoilers deterred you, I'd suggest still giving it a go. From what I've seen, few disliked the story’s spin greatly, but it really comes down to what it means to you personally. Once the universe widens up, you gain an understanding and newfound questions simultaneously, some not yet answered and for the future to adventure in. For me, it was written in a way that I, while initially feared, liked the execution not for what it was but what it [i]meant[/i] on a larger scale, the wonders that are to come.) ----- I reminisce about my childhood, yearning for adventure, dreaming about the world of a book I'd immerse myself in. The whimsical has not left me, it was the stories I've consumed for too long a time that were lacking, for this experience has awakened the child in me again. I will never be able to play Dragon Quest IX as a child again for the first time, and that is okay, for I have grown and matured to be able to experience Expedition 33 as an adult for the first time, as I am - today.

Lead Writer had zero experience with writing games Composer had never written a game soundtrack before One of the greatest games of all time. My Personal GOTY for 2025. Absolutely incredible story and experience.

[h1]Clair Obscur has been an emotional journey I’ll never forget.[/h1] From start to finish, it swept me away with its stunning art, breathtaking music, and a story that pulled every emotion out of me - joy, sorrow, awe, and hope. The soundtrack alone gave me chills, and the emotional weight of the ending left me in tears. Beauty, pain, and hope - all woven into one unforgettable experience. This is what storytelling in games should be. My new favourite game for sure. Thank you to the devs for creating something so powerful and unforgettable.

This game is absolute Cinema. Packed with pure joy and sadness. Awesome soundtracks and the characters are just perfect. The visuals are top notch no RTX bs included just pure eye candy. 10/10 Goty contender hands down. Even if you don't like turn based games, PLEASE give it a try you won't regret it.

good game, but that girl seriously needs to stop by payless and buy some damn shoes

The game about how dangerous it is to be stuck in fictive world. And i guess it's too late for me now because this game is so good. С'est parti, mes amis!

The best French JRPG out there. And one of the greatest JRPGs in general. Very mature in theme. In my opinion of course.

1) Most screenshottable game 2) Great story, music, art, characters, vibes, EVERYTHING 3) Surpassed Sekiro in terms of best combat for me, the parrying was just too good 4) Made me realize I'm capable of winning fights against bosses without taking any damage, then later on made me realize that challenge runs are not for me (boss fights were taking more than 10 minutes in NG+, solo, expert mode, but I guess that was to be expected) 5) The only game I've ever played near release time (in a week), otherwise I'm a patient gamer I still have a lot to see in the game, I'll make an attempt to do it 100% 2-3 years later when I've forgotten a lot about it. This game was really special, the OST, especially in Flying Waters, gives me that dreamy like feeling I am always looking for in games(and rarely find it) Favorite boss fight - Sirene

[h1][i]A stunningly beautiful JRPG, with an impeccable soundtrack and a story that pulls you right in.[/i][/h1] [b]I have been playing JRPGs my whole life,[/b] from the first Dragon Quest to Final Fantasy, Golden Sun, Radiant Historia, Persona, SMT, Bravely Default… [b]you get the idea;[/b] [b]It's my favorite genre.[/b] And I can say without hesitation that [i]Clair Obscur: Expedition 33[/i] is easily [b]in my top 8 JRPGs of all time.[/b] The combat system, weapons, items, skills, pictos, luminas… [b]everything is designed so that it never feels tedious or boring.[/b] It is a simple system, yet it allows for [b]really complex or fun combinations.[/b] [b]The game features an overworld that lets you access 'instanced' zones.[/b] These areas are somewhat linear (but they are far from boring), which [b]makes exploration feel manageable rather than overwhelming.[/b] Also [b]exploration always pays off:[/b] The world is full of hidden treasures, lore, and 'surprises' (¬‿¬)✧ As for the price, I think it is totally justified. [b]Most AAA games these days are absurdly expensive[/b] and often uninspired copy-paste projects. This game, for less, gives you a [b]genuinely beautiful experience.[/b] [h2]Pros[/h2][list] [*] No need to grind (unless you are aiming for the level 99 achievement) [*] Dynamic and engaging combat system [*] Unlimited items (so don't hesitate to use potions in battles!) [*] Skills, weapons, and passives are easy to learn [*] Most battles are avoidable (no random encounters like in other JRPGs) [*] Fast travel between flags makes exploration smoother [*] Outstanding soundtrack [*] Gorgeous art style and use of color [*] Great story; NPCs usually don't have filler dialogue [*] If it gets too challenging, you can lower the difficulty at any time without affecting the story or achievements[/list] [h2]Cons[/h2] [quote]⚠️ [i]I believe many of the issues I mention will be patched in future updates, so just note when this review was written![/i][/quote][list] [*] I experienced a few random crashes (though very infrequent) [*] The GPU can occasionally get extremely hot while playing [*] Some jump related colliders feel slightly off or unpolished [*] In combat, quickly scrolling through abilities can sometimes cause glitches [*] Not a fan of the autosave system [*] Some areas feel wasted; I have explored countless places and hidden corners without any reward[/list] [h1]Conclusion[/h1] If you are into JRPGs, this is a must play. [b][u]Period.[/u][/b] And if you are new to the genre, [i]Clair Obscur: Expedition 33[/i] is an [u]excellent starting point.[/u] You won't regret picking it up! [i][b]P.S. I swear, those enemy feints when they attack are the bane of my existence.[/b][/i]

EDIT: After 50 hours, I finished the game finally. This game is something special. I play quite a bit of single player story rich games and this one is really good. Not only is the story special, the whole world of this game is something special. The game play is super fun, they made the game challenging enough to fail a couple of times but not soo challenging that I end up spending hours on a single boss unless I'm clearly under levelled for the area. Man what a game. I love this game. You've got to play to the end of the game :) It's worth playing this game through. Maybe I'll do a second run in 6 months ~ 1 year or so time when I'm ready to play it again and do another review at like 100 hours. And I'll probs do a review when I've completed all achievements. At 33 Hours: About to finish the game. Thought I would do a review at 33 hours haha xD Highly recommend playing the game :) Super story rich, the world is HUUGEE and very engaging combat system. They say it's turn based combat but there's so many timing based events during the fight. Love all the creatures and characters in the game <3 There's so much I haven't yet explored so I'll probably be spending some time exploring on a second run :) I might do another review after I finished the game or done more stuff in the game.

This review is long overdue after completing the game and obtaining all the trophies. Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is one of those rare games that not only exceeds expectations, but also pushes the genre forward for what a videogame should strive to be like. This game is a tried and true RPG that somehow not only introduces modern gaming elements to the genre, but also manages to capture what makes traditional turn-based RPG's so great, all the while adding some JRPG aspects sprinkled in. You can get a sense of some influences such as FFX, Xenoblade Chronicles, and Lost Odyssey for example. Trying to think of what to write is difficult as words cannot describe how phenomenal this game really is. Everything from the gameplay, story, exploration, music, and narrative are all beautifully crafted in this one package. Everything is just so meticulously crafted that you can literally feel how much care and passion went into this project -- It almost feels as if you're playing through an Opera (in the best sense), and I found myself fully engrossed in the world and invested in the story and featured characters. I did 100% the game after about 110 hours and honestly I didn't want to stop playing, the world that Sandfall Interactive created here will stick with me for a long time. That being said, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 has earned it's place among my favorite video games of all time -- Even if you don't generally like or never vibed with RPG's/JRPG's you owe it to yourself to give this game a shot, I guarantee that you will find yourself pleasantly surprised. Personally I adore this game and everything about it, an absolute wonderful gem that I feel everyone should experience! I simply cannot stop thinking and talking about it, it's really just THAT good and truly is a work of art and passion.

It's fantastic, but also overhyped, but also incredibly creative in most of its facets, but also deeply flawed. I was all over the place with my feelings on it while playing it. I also think the first half is quite a bit better than the second half. The turn-based combat is fun and you get to tinker with a variety of builds, but it also got a little repetitive once i got a good build going because there wasn't much reason to use suboptimal combinations. This also caused me to not explore overly much because i wasn't interested in seeking out a lot of extra combat. The dodge/parry system is really not my thing and on the earlier bosses i feel like i got punished too hard for being bad at them, despite having a nice build going for the turnbased aspect. I had to turn the difficulty down to easy to make it bearable. Later on it didn't matter anymore because the party was tanky enough for me to fuck up constantly without much consequence, but the system never added anything good for me. The visuals are great throughout and the world design reminded me a lot of Alice: Madness Returns, which is a huge compliment. Facial animations are very expressive, though the lip syncing is buggered for some reason. Combat animations are over the top and in your face, overall not bad though i'm more fond of slower, heavier and more grounded animations. The overall music is pleasant and combat music had a lot of bangers. The story and characters are the biggest reason i'm a bit mixed on my overall feelings, as i loved the first half and building the connection with all the characters with their happy moments and tragedies, but found the second half mostly unsatisfying. More questions pop up than get answered, and after finishing the game, are still not answered and some of them are strange plot holes. The writing is great in many conversations and backed up with good voice acting, but many character arcs also kind of evaporate and i would have liked a lot more closure on most of them after building that connection in the first half of the game. Overall an amazing and ridiculously impressive first game for Sandfall. I don't think it's quite GOTY material, but it's making a big splash and i'd recommend it, maybe on a wee discount if you're on the fence. I'll be very interested to see what they make next.

One of the best games, and particularly one of the best stories, I have ever had the pleasure of enjoying. Just as with the greatest works of art, it is difficult to find the words to transcribe the emotions you feel while experiencing it. This makes Expedition 33 a particularly difficult game to review in a way it deserves; how do you summarize a journey which has impacted you long after you've completed it? How can I briefly explain the complex relationships that I watched unfold on my screen, that I steered in different directions, and which ultimately surprised me in their evolution? I could go into detail on the combat, and how the simple addition of real-time mechanics is ultimately a revolution to the JRPG genre. I could talk about how the world is oozing with color, life, personality, and soul, even (and especially) when it seems to be careening toward it's end. I could talk about the build crafting, and the diversity of options giving you a sense of individuality and ownership in approaching each fight, and how that then transfers to each character feeling distinct and valuable in their own way, ensuring each different party composition is unique, urging you to mix-and-match party members to continually refresh your understanding of team synergy, as well as shifting your perspective on their own strengths. Putting all that aside, the true heart of this entire journey is the story. It is a well-crafted tapestry that only becomes more complex, colorful, layered and rich the longer you look at it. It's one that you will think about constantly once it's over, re-running it all through your mind with new "A-ha!" moments, agonizing over whether or not you made the "right" choice, and ultimately, one you will take with you long after the last time you launch the game. Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is one the most meaningful experiences I have ever had with art. You would do well to experience it for yourself, and enrich your own life's tapestry by weaving this game in. Also, it has genuinely the best soundtrack that has ever been in a video game, and you can quote me on that.

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 took me by surprise. It’s got that Assassin’s Creed 2 kind of magic, like the first time you jumped across Venetian rooftops with Ezio, that same feeling of flow and awe hits you here. Except this time it’s painted with this surreal, dreamy brush that just makes every zone feel like a moving painting. Combat? Satisfying. Exploration? Addictive. The entire world-building feels handcrafted in a way I haven’t felt since AC2’s golden age. The game respects your curiosity, your patience, and your hunger for discovery. It doesn’t spoon-feed. You earn your progress, and that just makes every victory feel personal. If you miss the era where games felt like art and adventure had depth, not just open-world padding, this one will hit you right in the heart. And the OST? Don’t even get me started. You’ll be hearing echoes of it long after you close the game. Buy it. Play it. You’ll thank yourself.

I have never in my life played something so truly heartbreaking. This game blows my mind. The combat is refreshing. The story is amazing, chilling, dark, bloody, hilarious at times. Literally, even the mini games are fun. This is single handily one of the most impressive games I've played since I beat Witcher 3 a decade ago. It's like the Interstellar of games to me especially with the brain shattering twist and it has surpassed Witcher 3 as my favorite game. I'm truly in awe and I went in thinking this would be overhyped but nah, the end of the prologue had my jaw dropped and I was in awe all the way from there to the end. The end of Act 3 had me in tears that I had to pause before continuing into the epilogue. For me, this is the Game of the Decade. Gonna continue until I've experienced this whole world then do NG+.

I was first drawn to the game after listening to "Lumiere" track on youtube, I thought "why not give it a chance?" Honestly? That was the best possible choice i could make. I fell in love with the game instantly, everything about it is perfect: graphics, sountrack, story, everything. The leveling up can be a bit boring after level 90, but you can complete the game around level 50, if you don't care about secondary objectives and stuff. Highly recommend playing the game in expert difficulty, as it adds a bit more challenge to the gameplay, you are forced to parry most of the attacks, or at least dodge them. Game is 10/10, a must play. Even if you don't like turn-based games, give it a try.

Short and simple. This might be the best game I've played in the last 5 years. While AAA and first party games are going up to $80, this was a day one steal at $45. GOTY contender for sure. This developer deserves all the accolades that they are receiving. Give them your support.

Masterpiece. Especially for the price you owe it to yourself to buy it. Since the initial trailer my jaw dropped at it's artistic direction and of course turn based combat. JRPG being my favorite genre, Final Fantasy and Persona being my favorite series, my seeing devices we're gaped beyond comprehension. Gameplay - HEAVILY taking inspiration from classic Final Fantasy with the world map and general gameplay loop, Expedition 33 feels like an Omakase of straight shot perfection. Mixing the UI elements of Persona as well as it's social link system you have a rich salmon roe of flavors to satiate your tongue with. At times, it feels like Expedition 33 goes ALL GAS, NO BREAKS with strong narrative beats and little filler in between them. As a fan of Final Fantasy I did long for some fat on the ends of each slice of sashimi. There ARE minigames, but only 5. They're fun and a great break from the pacing, but I could've used more. When it comes to the combat Expedition 33 wraps itself lovingly like a blanket of nori as the sushi chef's at Sandfall Interactive crafted an addictive, fast paced turn based system. Speaking personally, turn based combat IS my favorite battle system in JRPGs. However, games like the Final Fantasy VII Remake series have since trounced that opinion with how it seamlessly blends action and turn based together. Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 gives the same feeling, but flipped on it's head. It seamlessly blends turn based and action together. Yes. This isn't the first game to incorporate these mechanics, but in my opinion, it's the best at doing it. I will admit, I never really put a lot of thought into strategy for a fight which is one of the strongest appeals to turn based combat. Every fight, including the superboss amounted to simply learning the attack pattern as the chef's knife hits the cutting board. Once you've learned the attack pattern, the meal is easily consumed into your belly. Yet, I never saw this as a negative. Expedition 33 nails the feeling of overcoming an enemy in it's own way and I think that rules. It doesn't need that excessive strategy because the loop they've created never got boring. Story - Act 1 of Expedition 33 is akin to a spicy mayo. It starts off sweet and then gives a little kick once it settles. I loved it. Act 2... I'll have to come clean. When the chef served me his wasabi. I looked at it in disgust. The twist at the end of it completely deflated any interest I had in the story going forward. This wasn't necessarily the game's fault, but my own. You see, I've experienced enough media that handles twists like this as if you were concocting a curry with the smelliest feces available. By Act 3, especially when the side dishes are ingested... everything comes full circle and my distaste disappeared. I retroactively look at my negative outlook and laugh at how wrong I was. The story of Expedition 33 is a beautiful, thought provoking, virtuosic melody of art that I will look back on for the rest of my days. Please purchase this game. If you have and you've never played a JRPG before this then I implore you to check out more of the genre. Final Fantasy, Persona, Xenoblade Chronicles, Grandia, Chrono Trigger, Octopath Traveler, Dragon Quest, Nier, Yakuza. I promise you that the time you spend in these games will give you that euphoric feeling once more. Nevertheless, you WILL run into turn based die hards that'll tell you "No, you fat stupid idiot. Do NOT play Final Fantasy XVI. It's an ACTION game." Don't listen to them. The JRPG genre is more than a command based system. It's a journey that will tickle each neuron of your brain and leave you coming back each year for another experience. Also FFXVI has Ben Starr in it.

a complete miracle of a game. somehow the JRPG love letter made on unreal engine 5 is probably going to be my favourite game I play this year (unless Death Stranding 2 actually comes to PC within a few months) - geniunely don't have a single complaint about this. I said to myself that this would probably be in my top 15 of all time if the ending kept being that good and then it somehow got even better. what else am I supposed to say man

I am normally not a big fan of the combat style but that said.. This game has left a mark for the rest of my gaming life. For those that come after. Please don't watch anything, read anything, just go for it. Game of the Year

Absolute Cinema. The best game I've ever played. The story is pure perfection. I consume a lot of media, and it's rare for anything to truly surprise me anymore. But Expedition 33 delivered plot twist after plot twist that I genuinely did not see coming. This game made me laugh, cry, and feel more than any game I’ve played in the last 5 years (or maybe even the whole time). The music is also breathtaking, perfectly enhancing every moment and amplifying those incredible emotional highs and lows. For anyone who may doubt turn-based combat, please don't. Expedition 33 makes you feel so in the heat of the moment and immersive. You're always in tension, defending or attacking. Attacks require skill checks timed to perfection, and when you're attacked, you must concentrate your whole self to parry or dodge. This active involvement, combined with stunning attack animations and phenomenal music, makes every single fight feel fresh and exciting, even after 50+ hours. It never becomes annoying. My only real suggestion is for a QoL improvement - a proper map legend with location names and approximate level ranges (especially after Act 2). But overall? An absolute masterpiece. Highly recommende to everyone 10/10

[h1][i]An unapologetically unique and interesting story plays out in a fantastical world.[/i][/h1] This game really surprised me. I went into it without investigating much about it so that I wouldn't really have any preconceived notions about it. I'm glad I did. This game pulls no punches in its presentation. It is beautiful and comes in right away with a very clear perspective and art direction. Right from the start, it is taking you by the hand for a journey. It is avant-garde yet it is still easy to consume and understand. That's the best way I can describe it. The gameplay reminds me of a lot of things. The art style also reminds me of a lot of things. Gameplay wise, parts of it really remind me of a Souls-like game. Other parts, in a certain way, remind me somehow of a rhythym game. Artistically it reminds me of gothic games like Alice: Mandess Returns and other American McGee works and Tim Burton. For me, this is my game of the year so far. Something really amazing would have to come out to replace it. It's refreshing to see a game that is so dead set on what they are trying to show you. This game delivers on that front 100%, in my opinion. It is very unique, which I always appreciate. I played it twice, and enjoyed it both times.

This is a genuine once in a lifetime moment for video games. You're either here or you'll miss it. For fans of RPGS... THIS is what we imagined we were playing when we used to dream about where video games could go, back before this creative space became a machine. An experience made for YOU. I have no words besides beautiful for this game. It's everything I want in an RPG. Nothing can describe the awe I felt many times over. Fighting the Paintress was the best thing I've ever seen in a video game.