Must Play Games: Clair Obscur: Expedition 33

I am someone who will always question anything form of media that has "hype" surrounding it. I had a lot of skepticism when information was revealed about Sandfall Interactive's Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. I have been playing role-playing games since I was six, and a lot of my own personal knowledge is rooted specifically in Japanese RPGs, though over the years I've branched out more into Western RPGs. Clair Obscur clearly wears a lot of its inspirations on its sleeve, more specifically, the Final Fantasy series. I let the hype win, as I saw game reviews pouring in and all the positive reception, I chose to jump on the bandwagon. It turns out that Clair Obscur may be one of the most emotionally driven RPGs that I've played in a long time, so much so that it made me cry multiple times during my forty-hour playtime. 

Clair Obscur takes place in a world where an event called "The Fracture" isolates the city of Lumière from the rest of the world. The people of Lumière suffer from a yearly event known as the "Gommage," where the city's population is culled and an entity known as The Paintress marks a decreasing number on the Monolith that is directly across from the city. The Monolith and its number serve as a reminder to the residents of how little time they have to survive. The people of Lumière send an expedition every year in hopes of finding a way to end the Gommage and end Lumière's constant suffering. Players take on the role of Gustave, a young man who joins Expedition 33, knowing he has a year of life left. As the expedition lands on the island, the majority of the expeditiors are murdered by the mysterious Renoir, with Gustav, Lune, Maelle, and Sciel being the only survivors. The team must explore their surroundings, reach the monolith, and uncover the mystery behind The Paintress and the Gommage.

If the above synopsis is compelling to you, then this is a game worth sticking with until the end. The cast of characters are incredibely well written and developed, each of them fighting an emotional struggle beyond the task of the expedition itself. There are a lot of emotional and difficult moments throughout the story, so keep a tissue box nearby. But isn't all doom and gloom either. Clair Obsur is absolutely a story about family, grief, and how grief can be an all-consuming emotion. On the other hand, it's a story of hope and the human spirit to persevere when times are tough. The narrative does a wonderful job of making the player feel connected to not just the world and its plight, but also the individuals that they are following throughout this story. From Gustave's stubborn, determined nature to Sciel's desire to find hope even in the bleakest moments, these characters are a joy to spend time with, and I found myself empathizing with their struggles throughout my playthrough.

If crying through a video game isn't your bag, consider that this game has fantastic exploration, difficult bosses, and a fairly unique growth system that can be game-breaking when honed the right way. The combat moves at a breakneck pace, utilizing quick-time events to determine whether the player's move will succeed or fail. Each of the characters has its own versatile skill set, making it worthwhile to rotate between them as certain characters' skills may work best on certain enemy types. Although the combat is turn-based ala Final Fantasy, it transforms the classic ATB system and makes it a much more strategic experience. The game's difficulty is also nothing to scoff at, so if you like challenging or puzzle boss fights, the game has a plethora of them. Topped off with gorgeous visuals and easily one of the best game soundtracks in decades, there is something about Clair Obscur's entire package that draws one in and doesn't let go. 

If you haven't played Clair Obscur yet and own a PlayStation 5 or Xbox, consider borrowing it from our collection, opens a new window! If you've already played this wonderful title, here are five more recommendations for Clair Obscur Gamealikes:

• The Lies of P, opens a new window (Neowiz, 2023)
• Metaphor: Refantazio (Atlus/Sega, 2024)
• Yakuza: Like a Dragon, opens a new window (Ryu Ga Gotoku Studios/Sega, 2020)
• Final Fantasy XVI, opens a new window (Square Enix, 2023)
• Control, opens a new window (Remedy/505 Games, 2019)

Images of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 (2025) are copyrighted to Sandfall Interactive and Kepler Interactive.