Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 – Review

An ode to the past, a challenge to the future

With the oversaturation of gaming rumours flooding all social media sites, very few surprises come along to make us feel the childhood nostalgia and wonder of a new game. In an April week sandwiched by public holidays, Easter eggs and paid time off, two releases generated that nostalgia once more – and for very different reasons. The shadow drop of Oblivion Remaster – one of the all-time great RPGS – grabbed the industry by the hair, but another game with a development team of 30 bathed in a French coat was released one day later. The expectation, despite overwhelming good reviews popping the day before, was that Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 (E33) would be engulfed by the shadow of the Oblivion drop. Tossed into the fiery gates. Instead, E33 quickly became one of the greatest user-reviewed titles of all time and captured the essence of early RPGs that made us so enamoured by video games in our earlier years. Yes, E33 is a Game of the Year contender and stands proud on its own two feet. Here’s why.

E33 is a turn-based RPG with quick-time elements combined with real-time defensive mechanics such as dodge and parry to keep players forever engaged in battle. The party of characters is led by Gustave (Charlie Cox, Daredevil fame) as his team venture on Expedition 33 to find and destroy the Paintress (a mysterious being that paints a number on a rock that sees all people of that age disappear). The opening Gommage sequence is dark, heart-wrenching and sets the tone for the next 30+ hours. With so many twists and turns, avoiding story is best when reviewing E33 despite how essential it is to the overall package. The plot is filled with expanding character arcs, relationship intricacies and surprises that rock the game’s DNA. The end of each act is impactful and thought-provoking, ensuring that you rarely stop to smell the roses on your path to the conclusion despite the many side quests along the way. Best comparisons are likely within the Final Fantasy and Xenoblade franchises, with a dose of the complex emotional weight in titles such as God of War. Though E33 really is its own package, taking risks that few dare approach in an industry too predictable when stories are created. 

There are three shining lights in E33 that combine to create such a rare entry into modern gaming. The first is gameplay. Turn-based games are not for everyone, and comments have been made by game developers about their viability when using realistic graphics rather than pixel art. Baldur’s Gate 3 transcended this notion, and E33 does the same with its unique approach to combat. All fights can contain three party members that have six skill slots, a basic attack and the ability to use items. Players take turns between attacking and defending (parries, dodges, jumps) in their efforts to slay the wide assortment of weird and wonderful beasts on the way to the number 33 on the horizon. This sounds simplistic and common. It’s not. Each party character is distinct – not in the form of being a tank, healer and archer, but in the way their character plays. These are the first three characters attained (more appear along the journey that will alter your set-up): 

• Gustave’s abilities focus on building his overcharge meter to deliver a full-capacity wave of power. His skill tree also includes a range of buffs and heals to keep the party well stocked.
• Lune juggles a range of elements to slow, burn and stun enemies. She acquires stains that can then be unleashed in devastating attacks. 
• Maelle swaps between three stances (defensive, offensive and virtuous) depending on the tide of the fight. Getting to her virtuous stance for a 200% attack is extremely satisfying, though other situations call for her defensive style and abilities.

All skills are unique to the individual and this makes swapping party members both interesting and strategic, depending on the needs of a boss fight. Alongside this, three passives can be added to each character (these can be shared) such as starting with a 50% stronger base attack or gaining power on dodges. The depth can be intimidating at first (there are pages upon pages of these passives as you explore the world – I won’t use the technical names for these perks as it may get confusing) but the game does well in introducing new techniques and mechanics slowly to ensure you’re prepared and using all abilities to their potential. Generally, in turn-based games, I choose all-out attack and avoid the classic ‘tail whip’ Pokémon move to lower stats. Why waste a turn lowering stats when you can smash down HP? Here, so much at play that removing shields, adding defensive shells or impacting movement through elements can really be the difference between victory and failure. The tip is to experiment, regularly check the new skills and passives, and be prepared to swap out your favourites when the time calls. This is such a refreshing, innovative and fun system to tinker with and new options open up across the journey. The only challenge I had with gameplay was outside of battles when jumping onto platforms to reach a prize. The jumping and climbing can be fiddly, and one section took me 20+ efforts, but overall this becomes manageable and really isn’t the core focus of the game. The battles are brilliant, and you’ll spend most time here.

Shining light two, as touched on briefly, is narrative. E33 does not have character creator or other RPG staples such as an open world (there’s an overworld map like the original Final Fantasy VII, but this is a different focus). From the opening scene, scaling buildings and running through the streets to the docks, it is clear that characters are the driving force behind E33’s harrowing and tragic tale. Knowing you will die based on the Paintress ‘painting’ your number on a giant rock for all to see already sets up fear and heartbreak both for yourself and your people. Then, adding to the fact that in your final year you’re embarking on a doomed mission (that 67 expeditions have failed beforehand) just to give future expeditioners a better chance at completing the mission is the equivalent of stepping into an active volcano. Still, hope is the thing that flutters – we believe in this mission and the determination of the party. By the end of Act 1, everything we thought we knew about video game narratives is shattered. That’s only a third of the way through the game. The story gets deeper and more complex from here, and will go down as a storytelling masterclass that impacts RPGs that follow.

Shining light three is a slight combination, mixing the audio and visual experience. The soundtrack is vast, emotional and varying, stooped in French folklore and assisting with the story’s impact in both action-heavy cut-scenes and intimate dialogue. The small team of 30 at Sandfall must be commended for their choice in music direction here, with the OST released for all to enjoy. The sounds in battle are loud and extravagant, which saw me increasing and decreasing volume depending on whether I was in battle or navigating the map. The bangs, blasts, parries and attacks are bone-crunching, with this type of game best played on the biggest TV available with expensive sound equipment (some of my playthrough was on the PS Portal, but I decided to make this a TV-only game soon after). The voice acting is top notch, with awards set to be distributed to the likes of Jennifer English (Maelle) for such raw vulnerability in performance. Some RPGs have so much filler in dialogue, but here every conversation adds to the experience. I don’t believe I skipped anything in this process, though the audio did not quite sync with the lip movement. Graphics are fantastic and really thrive thanks to such a creative world and unique style. Whether in darkness or out in the sunlight, everything has such care and emphasis in terms of its design. Nothing feels or looks random or re-used, while lights lead the way forward. Thanks to the narrative work in previous expeditioners leaving information for future expeditioners, the pathway in some of the trickier terrain is easy to follow. This is just another example of a good decision. Add in enough good decisions, and greatness appears.

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is one of the best RPGs I have ever played. Maybe it’s one of the best games I have ever played. I was certain that Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 was set to be my Game of the Year, but now there are two games, neck and neck, that have redefined the genre and shown that there are many ways to role-play. Passionate teams simply create passionate games. Word of mouth, sales figures and glowing reviews have been enough to break through the challenging release alongside an RPG classic in Oblivion, and with both New Game + and the promise of DLCs, E33 is set to be a mainstay across 2025. Little more can be said outside of recommending this game, supporting this small team with your wallet (it’s also cheaper than every other big release this year!) and submitting your thoughts to social media. Sandfall now has an IP that can branch off in so many directions, capable of becoming the next Final Fantasy in an industry desperate for a new hero to light the way.