Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Reviews
My gut tells me that as respected and successful as this game has already been, it’s only really getting started and over time will sit alongside the likes of NieR, and Planescape: Torment as the most literary and intelligent games ever made. Goddard, Camus and Sartre would be proud (well, perhaps not, existentialists are not a particularly jovial bunch by reputation).
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is a masterpiece from start to finish, a beautiful and deeply moving journey.
Clair 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.
Clair Obscure: Expedition 33 is not necessarily an innovative game. However, it is a great value proposition because its excellence lies in the perfect execution of its ideas and their implementation.We don't feel that any of its components or mechanics are unnecessary; everything comes together excellently and in equal parts, a rounded and cohesive experience. Undoubtedly, a game to remember.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Clair Obsur: Expedition 33 is a marvel of a video game. A game-changing, genre-bending masterpiece. It serves as a testament to the passion of what can be accomplished by a talented team, rivaling the efforts of giant monolith publishers that have three times the budget and resources. It converted me into seeking out other turn-based experiences, but this excellent game may have spoiled me.
Clair 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.
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is a rare triumph for such a small studio. The devs at Sandfall Interactive aimed for the stars, and they delivered a game that JRPG fans have always wanted from a Western studio. I can't recommend this game enough.
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is a game destined to mark an entire generation of players, as well as revolutionize turn-based combat as we know it. An RPG to remember.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
"An adventure that stands proudly among the giants of the RPG genre." Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is an adventure that stands proudly among the giants of the RPG genre, despite being an independent project. It combines unique strategic combat, a moving narrative emotion, and stunning art direction inspired by Symbolist art of La Belle Époque. The game succeeds in creating an experience rich in meaning and deep mechanics without sacrificing the quality of the presentation or the narrative focus. Some technical flaws are present, but they do not overshadow the overall visual power.
Review in Arabic | Read full review
As you can hopefully tell, I 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.
Veterans will love the callbacks and tributes Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 pays to its inspirations, and get a sublime experience out of it. Even if you're new to the genre, its narrative and unique world will draw you in, with its turn-based and combat mechanics spellbinding you like a world class French arthouse flick would to film critics. Très magnifique, une expérience merveilleuse, as they say.
Simply put, Sandfall Interactive’s debut game is a masterclass in presentation, storytelling, and gameplay. It’s a game you need to play to experience.
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is a journey that blasts the senses from beginning to end. The melancholic and bleak moments are balanced by the characters' perseverance, which makes their triumphs shine much brighter. There's a profound sense of style and substance that only expands as more of the world is uncovered. What results is a true work of art that ties its brilliant components together into a complete package, which is awe inspiring to come from a freshman developer.
I have to admit, when I first saw the title, I was expecting a solid game inspired by classic JRPGs—but I never imagined the level of emotion and quality that Sandfall’s debut would end up delivering. It’s almost like the Final Fantasy XVII of our dreams. It features one of the best narratives I’ve ever had the pleasure of experiencing, with gameplay that’s both engaging and addictive. Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is, in many different ways, a masterpiece. When one falls, we continue.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is a resounding triumph from Sandfall Interactive. It delivers a refreshingly bold RPG experience that stands out in a genre often crowded with titles that miss the mark. With meticulous balance, the game offers a blend of old meets new while crafting a tightly woven narrative alongside an excellent turn-based combat system that is simple to learn and strategically deep.
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is a masterful RPG. It brings a stunning art style that stays front and center while revamping a classic combat system into something engaging and accessible. It's an easy contender for GOTY and a terrific debut for Sandfall Interactive.
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is a masterpiece that clearly draws inspiration from other RPG's, but does so with such elegance and skill that it stands firmly on its own in an overcrowded genre – thanks in part, of course, to its own unique tricks. In an age of cynicism and uncertainty, it's wonderful to get our hands on something this magical.
Review in Finnish | Read full review
Quite possibly the best RPG of its kind. Epic story with heartfelt moments, best-in class combat, gorgeous graphics and music that will linger for the rest of my life. I’ll be humming some of these tunes in the retirement home. Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is the real thing. This game will go down in history as a must-play RPG.
“Clair Obscur: Expedition 33” is a masterpiece and shows how role-playing games with turn-based battles can still feel fresh in 2025. It is very likely to be my JRPG of the year.
Review in German | Read full review
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 will definitely be one of the nominees for the Game of the Year!
Review in Greek | Read full review