In the world of gaming, it is rare for a title to live up to immense pre-release expectations. Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 not only meets these expectations but, in many aspects, exceeds them.
As one of the most talked-about fantasy role-playing games (FRPGs) of 2025, this title delivers breathtaking visuals, innovative gameplay mechanics, and a deeply engaging world. However, its narrative direction may divide players depending on personal preferences.
Overview of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
Set in the hauntingly beautiful world of Lumiere Island, the story of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 unfolds against a backdrop of inevitable extinction. Humanity is nearing its final days, and each year, a colossal entity known as the Artist paints countdown numbers on a giant monolith.
With each new number, everyone reaching that corresponding age vanishes into petals and dust. In a desperate bid to save humanity, expeditions are launched to the mainland to confront the Artist and stop the deadly countdown. Players join the 33rd expedition, tasked with this monumental mission.
Gameplay Length and World Design
Completing the main storyline of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 takes approximately 21 hours, although this number can vary significantly depending on exploration habits. The world design is nothing short of spectacular. Every environment feels meticulously crafted, offering a diverse range of biomes, architectural styles, and surreal landscapes that constantly surprise the player.
The developers’ commitment to high-quality visuals is evident throughout, with vibrant colors, intricate textures, and dynamic lighting that brings Lumiere Island and the mainland to life. Sound design is equally impressive, creating an immersive atmosphere that enhances exploration and combat sequences.
A highly anticipated addition, such as a photo mode, would further enrich the experience, allowing players to capture the game’s most breathtaking moments.
Visuals and Cutscenes
Cutscenes in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 are primarily rendered using the in-game engine and showcase a remarkable level of detail. Character models are exquisitely designed, and the staging of key story moments is cinematic in quality.
However, the only minor drawback lies in occasional lip-sync issues, though these do not significantly detract from the overall experience.
Interface and User Experience
Despite its many strengths, the game’s user interface leaves room for improvement. As players progress, the inventory system begins to feel cumbersome, resembling an overwhelming Excel table more than an intuitive game menu. Minimal sorting options make finding specific items or “pictos” (the game’s unique accessories and armor equivalent) tedious.
Additionally, the equipment screen suffers from a faded, uninspired design, and some players may question why the main menu background is left blank instead of offering more visual engagement.
Music and Soundtrack Variety
Initially, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 may give the impression of a limited musical palette. However, the soundtrack soon reveals itself to be a rich blend of genres, including blues, jazz, chanson, electronica, reggae, and rock. Every major zone and boss battle features unique themes, enhancing the atmosphere and emotional resonance of the encounters.
One notable criticism involves the continental map theme, a repetitive track about “Alina” or “raspberries,” which may eventually tempt players to mute the music during extended exploration sessions.
Exploration, Secrets, and Side Content
Exploration in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is a rewarding endeavor. The game world is teeming with secrets, hidden riddles, and optional challenges that often remain undiscovered during a straightforward story run. Players are encouraged to uncover hidden paths, solve environmental puzzles, and face off against formidable optional bosses that significantly raise the difficulty level.
Some hidden bosses even require players to solve cryptic puzzles or perform specific actions to trigger their appearance, adding depth and a sense of mystery to exploration.
Mini-games, such as a local version of Only Up, a parody battle against a One Punch Man-inspired character, and a competitive raft-sinking game, offer refreshing gameplay variety.
Rewards from exploration include powerful equipment, cosmetic upgrades like hairstyles and costumes, and lore entries from previous expeditions that enrich the world-building.
Combat System and Character Builds
The combat mechanics in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 stand out as one of the game’s strongest aspects. Each character features a distinct playstyle:
- Some switch stances to prioritize defense or offense.
- Others manipulate elemental systems to unleash devastating attacks.
- One character even features a combat style inspired by Devil May Cry‘s stylish ranking system.
The game emphasizes a “glass cannon” philosophy where both players and enemies deal tremendous amounts of damage.
Precision in dodging and parrying is crucial, and timing mistakes can be punishing. Status effects like Charm or Curse can abruptly turn the tide of battle, underscoring the need for strategic planning.
Equipment and Build Customization
Equipment customization is deep and rewarding.
- Pictos serve as gear pieces granting passive abilities.
- After winning four battles, players can unlock passive effects permanently, leading to endless build combinations.
- Weapons also carry unique traits that evolve as they are upgraded, encouraging synergy between gear and character stats.
One memorable early build features Maelle wielding the Medallum sword, achieving devastating critical hits capable of dealing 9999 damage early in the game by stacking passives smartly.
Late-game builds enable remarkable strategies, such as automatic team-wide buffs combined with healing and high damage output, allowing players to experiment with complex group synergies.
Difficulty and Boss Fights
Boss battles are dynamic, featuring diverse attack patterns that often defy expectations. Players must adapt on the fly, as enemies mix fast attacks, delayed hits, and multi-turn sequences. However, visual clarity during these fights is sometimes lacking; distinguishing between parryable and dodgeable attacks can be unclear, leading to unavoidable hits on first encounters.
Performance issues on mid-range PCs, particularly during complex particle effects (such as petal storms), can result in frame drops, further complicating precision gameplay.
While the main story bosses present a moderate challenge, the game’s true difficulty lies within its optional encounters. These battles are finely tuned to test player skill, reflexes, and build optimization to the limit.
Narrative Strengths and Weaknesses
The storyline of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is perhaps the most divisive element. Rather than a straightforward fantasy adventure, the narrative serves as an allegory for grief, mortality, and escapism. For some, this thematic depth will resonate strongly. Others may find the plot’s “it was all a dream” undertones to cheapen the emotional investment in the characters and the world.
Themes of addiction, denial of reality, and the necessity of moving on from loss are central to the story. While beautifully handled, players seeking a classic fantasy epic might find this direction less satisfying.
Nevertheless, the inclusion of multiple endings adds replayability, allowing players to influence the fate of the characters and the world based on their choices.
Is Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Worth Playing?
Despite a narrative that may not appeal to everyone, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 delivers an exceptional gaming experience through its stunning world, refined combat mechanics, and deep customization systems. It stands as a leading contender for Game of the Year 2025 and is undoubtedly one of the finest fantasy RPGs released in recent memory.
Epilogue: A Hidden Gem That Deserves All the Praise
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is truly one of 2025’s biggest surprises. An interesting fact about the development team makes the success of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 even more impressive. Many of the developers previously worked at Ubisoft — a studio often criticized for its formulaic, bloated open-world designs. Here, however, they have proven that once freed from corporate “design by committee,” true creativity and passion can flourish. The suffocating “AAA checklist” is nowhere to be seen. In its place is a project brimming with vision, heart, and an authentic love for the medium.
Every element of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 feels handcrafted to delight players. The stunning visuals are a feast for the eyes, with an art direction that masterfully balances beauty and melancholy. Button presses feel satisfying; the tactile feedback during combat is so well-tuned that pulling off stylish combos becomes an addictive joy. It’s a rare RPG where simply playing is as gratifying as the narrative or the visuals.
The music is another standout feature. Far from being background noise, the soundtrack demands to be heard. Every boss battle, every zone exploration, every hidden side quest comes alive thanks to the incredible variety of genres woven seamlessly into the game’s world — from jazz and reggae to electronica and rock. It’s hard not to sit back, turn up the volume, and lose yourself in it.
Exploration in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is not just padding; it’s a true adventure. Hidden secrets, clever puzzles, challenging optional bosses, and layers upon layers of rich lore are scattered across the world of Lumiere Island and beyond. Uncovering these mysteries isn’t just rewarding for the loot or upgrades — it’s rewarding because the world feels alive and worth understanding. Every discovery deepens the emotional connection to the setting, making exploration an absolute pleasure rather than a chore.
Ultimately, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is more than just another fantasy RPG — it’s a heartfelt testament to what video games can achieve when developers are allowed to create from a place of passion rather than obligation. It reminds players why they fell in love with gaming in the first place: not just for spectacle or achievements, but for the pure joy of immersion, discovery, and play.
Without hesitation, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 earns a 9.5 out of 10. It is a modern classic — a must-play for any RPG fan — and a shining example of what can happen when talented creators are finally allowed to breathe.
No hesitation, no second thoughts. Play it. You’ll remember why you fell in love with gaming in the first place.
Exploring the world feels like uncovering a secret someone was desperate for you to find. The lore invites players to lean in closer, to care. It’s not just another fantasy story — it’s a living, breathing universe that rewards curiosity and heart.
Fans of games that combine artistic storytelling with complex gameplay systems will find Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 to be a must-play. Even those less enamored with the narrative themes will likely appreciate the craftsmanship, heart, and innovation poured into every corner of this breathtaking world.
