Expedition 33: The 2025 Surprise No One Expected!

After being revealed during last year’s Xbox Games Showcase, Expedition 33 from French developer Sandfall Interactive became one of the most anticipated games of 2025. And now, after nearly 50 hours of gameplay, I’m here with a review of what is truly the surprise of the year.
Based on its trailer and gameplay we’ve seen so far, I thought the game would be a more action-focused version of Persona 5 or even Final Fantasy. But instead, it was a mix of turn-based gameplay and some Souls-like elements.

Story & World

The first thing I want to talk about is the story and the world. This is probably the most unique part of the game or at least what grabbed me most. The game’s name “Clair Obscur” is a French art term meaning the contrast between light and dark in paintings – and this theme is very present throughout the entire game.

The Story Concept

Without spoiling anything, the story starts in a world where people die young. Every year, a mysterious figure writes a number on a distant tower. That number goes down yearly, and anyone older than that number instantly disappears, turning into rose petals floating in the air – never to be seen again.
You play as a group of characters trained to go on an expedition to the continent where this tower and mysterious painter live. Their goal is to stop this cycle of death. The game has many mysteries, and the deeper you go into the story, the more you understand the characters’ motivations and the deeper meaning of humanity.
Personally, the story touched me deeply. It’s about tragedy and hope, patience and trust, and ultimately, the human connections that bind us together. At a time when people have become more isolated, this game made me pause and reflect on what truly matters in life – often, it’s the people close to us, our friends and family, and how important their presence is.
I lost my mother to cancer last June. At the time, I didn’t realize how much it would impact me. Even now, it affects me in ways I don’t always understand, often at the most random times. I think that’s one of the reasons this game resonated so much with me – it deals with these themes, and I believe many others who’ve gone through something similar will feel the same.

Gameplay

Each team member has their own mechanics, and there are also QTE prompts to boost your abilities. But the real challenge comes in defending against enemy attacks by dodging or blocking. Blocking is the most satisfying because not only do you counterattack, but you also earn AP, which you can use for stronger attacks on your turn.
Monoco targets large enemies in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, while MechaState goes full beast mode.
Countering group attacks with the whole team is even more fun, as all three active members strike back together. Of course, bad timing means big damage – especially if enemy combos aren’t broken in sync.
As for dodging, you get a bit more time, and even if you mess up the timing, you may get a second chance to evade correctly. Eventually, I accepted I wasn’t a parry wizard, and I played more tactically by dodging long combos (which are riskier but satisfying if parried entirely). I got better as I learned the enemy patterns.
But seriously, landing a full parry feels amazing. And the game helps by offering simpler counter mechanics for certain attacks, so you still have ways to turn things around even if it’s not your turn.

Characters

The characters are amazing. I genuinely liked and got attached to almost every single one. Each has layers and a background story you can connect with. I wanted to take them all with me, but sadly, you can only have 3 active in your party. Luckily, they all show up in cutscenes, so you don’t miss much.
Compared to other recent games – even Avowed had only two characters I cared about – and I haven’t liked a cast this much since Dragon Age or Knights of the Old Republic. This game brought back that feeling of “who should I take with me?” because all the characters are that good.

There’s also a great sense of humor in the game. Despite the dark tone, there are funny, light-hearted moments that show the developers really understand life – and comedy. It’s not all doom and gloom.
Now, let’s talk graphics and sound. Visually, the game is a masterpiece. From cutscenes to different environments, it’s clear they spent time and effort on every detail. The colors, lighting, and character design are all top-tier.
As for the music and sound, it’s equally brilliant. The soundtrack is powerful and emotional. Voice acting is top-notch, especially from lead actors like Jennifer English and Ben Starr – they really felt like they *lived* the story, not just acted it.

Graphics & Performance

In terms of performance, the game ran very well. I played it on PC and it was smooth most of the time, no heavy lags or issues. There were a few minor frame drops in some areas, but nothing that ruined the experience. I expect it’ll run great on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S too.

Final Thoughts

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 was one of the strongest experiences of the year for me. The story is emotional and deep, the characters are written with love, and the game has a perfect balance between turn-based action and other mechanics. Sure, there are minor combat issues and some repeated animations, but it doesn’t take away from how special the game is.
If you enjoy games that touch your heart and make you think about life, death, and the meaning of existence – you have to play this. For me, it’s absolutely one of the games of the year.

Final Score

9 out of 10