Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Review — A Generational Achievement | Console Creatures (2025)

I sometimes start a review by discussing what I thought or felt when the game I covered was shown to the public. In the case of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, the theatre in Los Angeles had media sitting together watching the Xbox Games Showcase worldwide.

I bring this up because you can gauge a lot about these games by how people react. In June of last year, the energy was highly palpable. Sandfall Interactive’s debut game looked unreal, and the French developer had struck gold by delivering a trailer filled with all the elements an RPG needs to pull people in, which it did from the outset. Since that initial reveal, I haven’t had a day when I haven’t thought about Clair Obscur.

Sandfall Interactive is a new studio filled with budding talent. It began after its heads decided they were bored with what they were doing at Ubisoft. In a twist, Sandfall was created, which has led to this moment. For all it is, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is an homage to JRPGs, showing how impactful the genre has been for many, including the team of developers working on this stunning title.

Stop The Paintress In Clair Obscur: Expedition 33

Humanity is often faced with The Paintress, who paints a number yearly, and everyone of age dies. An Expedition heads out each year to stop The Paintress, but none have successfully returned. Those living in Lumière can pretend things are fine, but when your number is picked every year, your time is up. Leading the current team of Expeditioners, everything unfolding is often melancholy, and it adds to the dire tone of the situation, knowing that those heading out will likely not make it back home. The mood is often sombre and loss is felt throughout, mainly through the party, which is filled with a stacked, all-star cast.

The heart-wrenching prologue is just a small taste of the 30-40 hour campaign. In the first hour, you’re introduced to some characters who will join Gustave on the latest expedition, as Lumière begins the annual Gommage festivities. The opening is misleading because I went in and was unsure whether to celebrate or commemorate the situation. As the prologue winds down, the latter choice is naturally chosen and confirms that the rest of the story will hurt me, and possibly rip my heart out while beating me over the head with it.

All of the events in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 began with the Fracture, which happened 67 years ago in-game. This event also brought the Paintress into the picture. She emerged with the Monolith years ago, which led to Lumière plunging into the sea and away from the rest of the continent. You can see the effects of the Fracture lingering over Lumière. The Belle Époque is behind us, and iconic landmarks, including the Eiffel Tower and Arc de Triomphe, are visibly twisted and look unlike anything in Paris today.

The city itself feels like a husk of a city on the cusp of annihilation, and while some choose to pretend to be happy, many others are melancholic about the situation they face. It’s hard to put on a brave face when your ticket can be punched in a year, and you have no choice but to take it. Kids celebrate in the streets, others prepare for further expeditions, and music fills the streets to make it feel like things will be alright.

Everything you’re told sets up an excellent story that’ll fill you with so many emotions by the end that you won’t know what to feel. I had to sit with the ending for a time before even beginning to write this review. I cycled through such a whiplash of feelings that it was hard to write down what I thought of this title, not because I couldn’t think of what to say, but because it affected me so profoundly. In such a bizarre twist of fate, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is one of the best games I’ve played this year, and easily one of the best RPGs I’ve played in the last five years.

A Fleshed-Out And Memorable Cast

One of the significant reasons Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 works so well is that the cast is brought to life by incredible actors. Charlie Cox’s first foray into video games is memorable and powerful, and he’s joined by the likes of Jennifer English, Ben Starr, Andy Serkis, and more, who show up to work and offer some of their best work to this story. Each character you meet carries weight on their shoulders, and most want to live for a brighter future.

As the party officially departs for Expedition 33, they make their way to The Continent, leading to devastating loss and reminding them that there isn’t much they can do. In what is a shocking introduction to the larger world ahead of the party, Gustave is one of the few survivors who touched land, only for the majority to be wiped out immediately. However, one of the few survivors of the attack prevents Gustave from dealing irreparable damage to himself, leading to the small group vowing to continue if the others fall.

The other significant reason Clair Obscur: Expedition 33is incredible is that it uses an excellent turn-based battle system with a stylish UI. We’ve all heard that turn-based RPGs are no longer viable or wanted, but the last 12 months have proven otherwise, thanks to Metaphor: ReFantazio and Clair Obscur: Expedition 33.

It is a reactionary battle system where your party can parry or dodge attacks while dealing damage. You can strike at enemies, use skills and items, and each party has a pool of action points (AP) to utilize more powerful attacks as you fill their meter. Including dodging incoming attacks is a nice change to the turn-based formula, and it is challenging to nail every dodge, just as it is for parrying. However, if you do master these mechanics, enemies become a lot easier to manage, and a well-timed parry means you can even turn the tide in battle.

Enemies have distinct patterns to memorize and take full advantage of. Parrying means you can effectively nullify any incoming damage while landing a powerful counter-attack if all hits are deflected. It isn’t easy, but you feel incredible when you pull off a successful attack. I spent the opening hour practicing again with Maelle to get a feel for it, and thought if this is what the rest of the game is, I’m fine. As it turns out, I was woefully wrong and was later humbled by misfortune. Dodging is usually a safe option as it doesn’t require you to be as precise in timing, and it’s a better option to learn enemy patterns at the expense of not having a counter.

Bosses are an example of learning to utilize all the tips and tricks you’ve picked up over the campaign. If you played Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, there are elements that the two games share, and that mastery of timing and deflection is crucial to surviving the onslaught a boss provides. While some encounters prove troublesome, the feeling of overcoming the challenge is unparalleled. Knowing how to utilize your party and their skills is as important as the mechanics. Gustave’s a powerhouse who can dish out damage, while Maelle is so powerful, in the right hands, can down bosses in one turn. Even in battle, every party member serves a purpose, and it’s up to you to find that out.

Each party member has a skill tree dedicated to their powers, and you’ll use skill points to customize each character. Weapons also use passive bonuses similar to how you’d level up abilities in Final Fantasy 9, and you can equip those skills while cycling through new abilities. However, these are Pictos and can be discovered worldwide, dropped in battle, and usually provide stat boosts or buffs. Each character can slot upwards of three Pictos at a time, and it’s always a viable option to swap them out to keep strong.

Exploration is highly reminiscent of the video games I grew up with. It won’t be to everybody’s taste, but it is cool not having to constantly look at a minimap or compass to discern where I need to go. An overworld connects each of the areas you’ll explore, and it’s even got the isometric look games from the 1990s produced to show you the world is much bigger than it seems, and there is plenty to come across your path. There are moments where you’ll likely get confused about where you’re supposed to go, but the fun lies in finding the correct path forward and overcoming the hurdle.

Verdict

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is a likely frontrunner for Game of the Year. For a studio comprised of newcomers, Sandfall Interactive has crafted a love letter to JRPGs and rekindled the discussion of whether or not turn-based games have faded into obscurity. The answer, of course, is no, and not only are they more alive than ever, but they’re also not going anywhere. The video game industry must celebrate the achievement of Expedition 33, for it is one of the most unique games to grace our consoles this year, and it’s filled with melancholic moments and a desire to show that even against all odds, the will to survive takes precedence.

[The publisher provided a copy of the game for review purposes.]

Reviewed on: PlayStation 5