Clair Obscur: Expedition 33has shot up on Metacritic with a high score, establishing itself as an early Game of the Year contender for 2025. The game is a turn-based RPG, and an original IP from Sandfall Interactive — the studio’s first game. This first outing from the developer is proving to be a huge critical success.
Over onMetacritic,Clair Obscur: Expedition 33issitting at a score of 91at the time of this writing, making it the second-highest reviewed game of the year, just one point lower than the sleeper indie hitBlue Prince. Reviewers are praising the game’s fresh take on turn-based combat, the emotional weight of the game’s story, and the powerful performances of the game’s ensemble cast, which includesDaredevilactor Charlie Cox as the lead character Gustave, and Ben Starr, who played Clive Rosfield inFF16.
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Trails Blue Prince As 2025’s Highest Rated Game
Two Smaller Games Are Dominating The Critical Scores For 2025
Despite releasing in the same window as new entries in massive franchises, likeAssassin’s Creed Shadows,Monster Hunter Wilds, andKingdom Come: Deliverance 2,Clair Obscur: Expedition 33andBlue Prince, two smaller original IPs, have risen to the top of Metacriticand are the two highest-rated games of the year so far. They share a lot of similarities, too. Both seemed to come out of nowhere, both are day-one Game Pass games, and both offer unique takes on established genres, withBlue Princebeing a unique roguelike, andExpedition 33being a rare high-graphic-fidelity turn-based RPG.
In ourreview ofClair Obscur: Expedition 33, our writer noted the game’s combat, music, characters, and emotional story as standouts, saying:“With a snappy combat system, memorable characters, a gut-wrenching story, evocative music, and gorgeous environments, Clair Obscur took me on a journey I won’t soon forget.“Clair Obscur: Expedition 33will be available tomorrow, and it’s alsoa day-one Game Pass title.
Sandfall Interactive Impresses With Its First Title
An Incredible Debut
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33is Sandfall Interactive’s debut title, and it was reportedly made by a team of roughly 30 developers. Reviewers havecompared it favorably toFinal Fantasy X,The Legend of Dragoon, and other classic JRPGs of the late 90s and early 2000s. These high review scores and positive comparisons may help ease some fans' worries about the sudden announcement and release ofThe Elder Scrolls 4:Oblivion Remasteredpotentially overshadowingExpedition 33.
With the game releasing tomorrow, hopefully, there is commercial success to be found with this game as well. The game is surprisinglyonly $49.99, and that is likely to please a lot of consumers, now that there is some anxiety in the air regarding game prices withMario Kart World’s $80 price tag. With the game reviewing as well as it is, the futures of bothClair Obscur: Expedition 33and Sandfall Interactive are looking bright.
