Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Reviews
A game with a phenomenal, moving story, charming and compelling characters, deep and engaging mechanics, gorgeous aesthetics and jaw-dropping music, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is a rare find in the gaming space, a true gem that shines from every facet, appreciable not only when examined up close but in whole as we
Sandfall Interactive – take a bow. In Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 you have created a masterpiece that will leave a lasting impact. Not just on the gamers who experience it, but on the entire video game industry as a whole. Every single element of this game is amazing. The beautiful visuals. The stunning story. The best videogame soundtrack I have heard in years. What may be the best voice acting we have ever experienced in a game. And of course – the combat. Turn based RPGs are back. And I for one hope they are here to stay.
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is Turn-based RPG with some surprising new elements such as parsing and avoiding attacks outside the player's turn. The compelling story knows how to grab attention in the first few minutes and holds it through plottwist and a lot of humor.
Review in Dutch | Read full review
A deeply impactful narrative, with characters you'll care about, and a world like nothing else, are the highlights of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33.
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is an emotional, well told story combined with extremely flexible combat and characters. In a season packed full of immersive single-player experiences, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 prides itself on creating an extremely detailed world that leaves no stone unturned.
A stunning debut, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 stands out for its bold artistic vision, rich storytelling, and ambitious design... despite a few technical hiccups and some combat imbalances.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Let yourself be consumed by this world. Let the emotions sweep you away. Just remember — you won’t be the same person when you finish Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. I don’t think it’s an exaggeration to say that Clair Obscur is to the jRPG genre what The Last of Us was to TPP games in its time — sure, the budgets and studio sizes are incomparable, but this title is one of the biggest surprises of the last decade.
Review in Polish | Read full review
Expedition 33 is a masterpiece and a game that will be talked about for years. From the brilliant story, expertly delivered performances, to one of the most memorable soundtracks and casts in years. Turn-based games have had some struggle in capturing a new audience, usually lacking the action and excitement most games today offer. However, Sandfall Interactive proves that the execution is what matters, offering a turn-based system that is insanely action-packed and constantly engaging. Expedition 33 is astounding, entertaining, and wildly successful in everything it achieves.
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 stands as an RPG masterpiece that redefines genre standards through its profound narrative, innovative gameplay systems, and utterly mesmerizing world. While minor imperfections exist, they pale against what is undoubtedly one of gaming's most unforgettable experiences - a title destined to be remembered as a watershed moment for RPGs.
Review in Persian | Read full review
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, as a new IP from a brand new studio, feels like a miracle. The game’s storytelling, character performances, visual fidelity, and art direction either match or exceed most AAA games in the space. While the combat, exploration, and customization are all deep and layered that harken to the JRPG genre titans in their heyday of yesteryear. Sandfall Interactive created a rare and stunning achievement that is worth every single penny of its price tag. It will be a legendary classic that you owe it to yourself to play, even if you are not a fan of turn-based games, its combat system and story will grab you and not let you go until you finish it.
I firmly believe Expedition 33 is the new gold standard for the JRPG. Across every facet, from its mechanical design and narrative confidence to its striking art direction and masterful score, Sandfall Interactive has crafted something truly special. This isn’t just a promising debut; it’s a genre-defining work that I believe will shape game design for years to come. It is, without reservation, a masterpiece — and one of my favourite video games of all time.
There’s so much that can be said about how special Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is, from its evocative exploration of grief, its incredible combat system, its artistic presentation, and its emotionally stirring soundtrack.
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is a fascinating example of a well-directed game in which the artistic passion emerges at every turn.
Review in Unknown | Read full review
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is an unforgettable turn-based RPG that blends innovative combat mechanics, a gripping story, and stunning visuals. A must-play for fans of the genre.
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is not just a strong first outing for Sandfall Interactive – it’s one of the best RPGs in recent memory. It reimagines turn-based combat in exciting ways, delivers a gripping and emotionally resonant story, and wraps it all up with sublime audio-visual presentation that helps it stand out as a gorgeous, cinematic experience. Whilst some difficulty balancing and navigation issues persist, they’re minor blemishes in what is other a remarkable game that simply should not be missed by any RPG fan.
I find myself really enjoying Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. I’m looking forward to finishing the main story and seeing what a run through with a little more challenge is like. Despite being my first real game of this format and style, I found it to be fairly easy to pick up on for the most part. With it’s breathtaking visuals, engaging combat, and unique narrative arc, I couldn’t see giving Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 anything less than the Thumb Culture Platinum Award.
The enormous passion and talent of a small indie producer result in a beautiful tribute to the best classic JRPGs. Even though it lacks originality at its core, the combat system is exciting and the cinematic execution is brilliant.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 has some issues, but the positives overshadow the negatives. With such high production standards in combat, storytelling, characterisation, and world design, it is an RPG worth your time.
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 doesn’t just deliver a fantastic RPG experience—it leaves a lasting emotional imprint that’s hard to forget. From its gripping narrative to its deep combat system, it’s a title that has the potential to become a modern classic in the RPG genre. It’s been so long since a game delivered a steady, exhilaratingly smooth ride without crashing hard at the finish line. If people allow it, this could be a kid’s Final Fantasy or Chrono Trigger – a game remembered decades from now as the one that sparked their love for RPGs, captivating a generation, and inspiring future titles that will come after.