Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Review – A Masterpiece That Redefines Turn-Based RPGs
9 min read
A New Classic Is Born
In an era where turn-based RPGs seemed like relics of gaming’s past, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 emerges as a stunning reminder of why this genre captivated players for decades—while simultaneously pushing it into bold new territory. Wearing its inspirations on its sleeve, Clair Obscur paints itself into the pantheon of great RPGs.
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is rated ‘Mighty’ after being reviewed by 189 critics, with an overall average score of 92. It’s ranked in the top 0% of games and recommended by 97% of critics. These numbers don’t lie—this is something truly special, a game that doesn’t just meet expectations but completely redefines what a modern turn-based RPG can be.
A World Painted in Death and Beauty
Once a year, the Paintress wakes and paints upon her monolith. Paints her cursed number. And everyone of that age turns to smoke and fades away. Year by year, that number ticks down and more of us are erased. Tomorrow she’ll wake and paint “33.” And tomorrow we depart on our final mission – Destroy the Paintress, so she can never paint death again. We are Expedition 33.
This haunting premise sets the stage for one of the most emotionally compelling RPG narratives in years. The concept is simultaneously simple and profound—a world where aging itself has become weaponized, where every birthday brings communities closer to extinction. It’s a premise that immediately establishes stakes both personal and universal, giving every character and every moment weight that many RPGs struggle to achieve.
Explore a fantasy world inspired by Belle Époque France in which you battle devastating enemies. The game’s setting draws inspiration from one of history’s most culturally rich periods, creating a world that feels both familiar and fantastical. The Belle Époque aesthetic—with its art nouveau flourishes, technological optimism, and cultural sophistication—provides a perfect backdrop for a story about art, death, and the power of human creativity.
Every environment tells a story, from grand Parisian-inspired boulevards to intimate artist studios where creativity battles against the omnipresent threat of the Paintress. The world feels lived-in and authentic, with architectural details and cultural touches that ground the fantasy elements in something recognizably human.
Revolutionary Turn-Based Combat
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is a turn-based RPG with unique real-time mechanics, making battles more immersive and addictive than ever. This isn’t hyperbole—the combat system represents a genuine evolution of turn-based mechanics that addresses many of the genre’s traditional limitations while preserving everything that makes it special.
‘Clair Obscur: Expedition 33’ has some of the most thrilling combat in turn-based RPG history, but it’s missing a key component of the genre. The combat feels thrilling in ways that turn-based systems rarely achieve. By incorporating real-time elements—quick-time events for blocking, timing-based bonuses for attacks, and interactive environmental interactions—battles become dynamic encounters that demand constant engagement.
The system cleverly maintains the strategic depth that defines great turn-based RPGs while eliminating the passive waiting that can make combat feel sluggish. Every turn feels meaningful, every decision carries weight, and every battle presents opportunities for both tactical planning and moment-to-moment excitement.
The combat and character skill customization is some of the most intricate I’ve seen, the storyline is routinely surprising and emotional, characterisation and performances are immaculate, creating a combat system that serves both mechanical depth and narrative purpose. Fights aren’t just obstacles between story beats—they’re integral parts of character development and world-building.
Characters That Feel Genuinely Human
Character development in Clair Obscur goes far beyond stat progression and skill trees. The storyline is routinely surprising and emotional, characterisation and performances are immaculate, creating party members who feel like real people facing an impossible situation rather than collections of gameplay mechanics.
Each character brings their own perspective to the central crisis of the Paintress, their own reasons for joining Expedition 33, and their own fears about what success or failure might mean. The dialogue writing avoids the exposition dumps that plague many RPGs, instead allowing relationships and personalities to emerge naturally through interactions and shared experiences.
The voice acting deserves particular praise, with performances that sell both the intimate character moments and the epic scope of the central conflict. These aren’t just fantasy archetypes—they’re individuals with distinct voices, motivations, and emotional journeys that parallel the larger narrative arc.
Technical and Artistic Excellence
From a technical standpoint, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 represents some of the finest work in modern RPG development. The visual presentation seamlessly blends photorealistic character models with stylized environmental design that captures the Belle Époque aesthetic without feeling like a museum piece.
The animation work, particularly during combat sequences, creates a sense of weight and impact that makes every action feel significant. Character movements during both exploration and battle feel fluid and purposeful, while the real-time combat elements integrate seamlessly with the turn-based framework.
The soundtrack deserves special mention, creating an audio landscape that perfectly complements the game’s unique blend of hope and melancholy. Musical themes evolve and develop alongside character arcs, creating emotional resonance that extends far beyond the immediate gameplay experience.
Loading times are minimal, interface design is intuitive without sacrificing depth, and the overall technical polish creates an experience that never breaks immersion with technical hiccups or design frustrations.
A Rare Gem in Modern Gaming
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is a rare gem-elegantly written, breathtakingly rendered, and fiercely innovative, representing everything that makes video games a unique artistic medium. This isn’t just another RPG with good production values—it’s a game that uses interactivity to explore themes and emotions that wouldn’t be possible in other mediums.
Clair Obscur Expedition 33 is one of the greatest RPG fantasy games I’ve ever played. It’s a very French game, full of artistic strokes and deeply winding stories. Fully embracing its influences and filling them with flair to build something entirely new, Expedition 33’s adventure is nothing short of astonishingly good.
The game’s French development heritage shines through in every aspect of its design philosophy. There’s an emphasis on artistic expression, narrative sophistication, and emotional depth that feels distinctly European in the best possible way. This isn’t a game designed by committee to appeal to the broadest possible audience—it’s a passionate artistic statement that trusts players to engage with complex themes and unconventional design choices.
Innovation Within Tradition
What makes Clair Obscur so remarkable is how it manages to feel both revolutionary and respectful of genre traditions. The turn-based combat evolution doesn’t abandon what makes the format special—strategic depth, party management, resource allocation—but rather enhances these elements with modern design sensibilities.
The real-time mechanics never feel gimmicky or forced. Instead, they serve specific purposes: making combat more engaging, increasing player agency, and creating opportunities for skill expression that traditional turn-based systems often lack. The result is combat that appeals to both genre veterans and newcomers who might typically avoid turn-based games.
Character progression systems offer meaningful choices without overwhelming complexity. Each party member can be developed in multiple directions, with builds that significantly impact both combat effectiveness and story interactions. The customization feels purposeful rather than overwhelming, with clear feedback about how choices affect gameplay.
Narrative Depth and Emotional Resonance
The central mystery of the Paintress provides a compelling throughline, but the real narrative strength lies in how this premise affects the characters and world on a personal level. The world of Expedition 33 is doomed to repeat a cycle of death, with a powerful godlike figure, the Paintress, looming on the horizon.
This isn’t just a backdrop for adventure—it’s a exploration of how societies and individuals respond to existential threats. The game explores themes of mortality, artistic expression, legacy, and the value of fighting against impossible odds with nuance and sophistication rarely seen in gaming.
The writing avoids both cynical nihilism and naive optimism, instead presenting a world where hope exists alongside genuine terror, where characters make meaningful sacrifices for uncertain outcomes, and where victory might come at costs that make its value questionable.
Minor Criticisms in Context
Save for poor exploration and UI woes, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is a haunting turn-based RPG adventure well worth embarking on. Even the most acclaimed games have areas for improvement, and Clair Obscur is no exception.
Some players may find the exploration elements less compelling than the combat and story components. The world, while beautiful, occasionally prioritizes visual spectacle over interactive discovery. Certain UI elements, particularly in complex menu systems, could benefit from additional refinement to match the polish evident in other areas.
This is a modern, sumptuous turn-based RPG that leans a little too much on quick time actions. The real-time elements that make combat so engaging might feel overwhelming to players seeking a purely traditional turn-based experience. The balance between accessibility and complexity occasionally tilts toward demands for player reflexes that some might find intrusive.
However, these criticisms pale in comparison to the game’s substantial achievements. The minor rough edges don’t detract significantly from an experience that succeeds brilliantly at its primary goals.
Cultural Impact and Industry Significance
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 arrives at a crucial moment for the RPG genre. With many major franchises moving toward real-time action mechanics, the overwhelming critical and commercial success of this traditional turn-based RPG sends a clear message about continued demand for this style of gameplay.
The game’s success also highlights the value of artistic vision and cultural specificity in game development. Rather than trying to appeal to every possible demographic, Sandfall Interactive created something distinctly French in its sensibilities—and found that this specificity actually broadened rather than limited its appeal.
The combat innovations present in Clair Obscur are likely to influence future RPG development, demonstrating how traditional mechanics can be enhanced without being abandoned. The game proves that evolution doesn’t require revolution, that respect for genre traditions can coexist with meaningful innovation.
Accessibility and Player Onboarding
Despite its mechanical sophistication, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 remains welcoming to newcomers to the genre. The difficulty curve introduces complex systems gradually, with optional tutorials and difficulty adjustments that allow players to customize their experience without compromising the core vision.
The real-time combat elements, while initially challenging for traditional turn-based RPG players, become intuitive quickly and add rather than detract from strategic considerations. The game successfully bridges the gap between classical RPG design and modern player expectations without sacrificing either.
Character progression systems provide clear feedback about choices and consequences, making it easier for players to understand how their decisions affect gameplay. The narrative presentation assumes intelligence without requiring prior knowledge of genre conventions or cultural references.
Long-Term Value and Replayability
Beyond its exceptional main campaign, Clair Obscur offers substantial reasons for return visits. Multiple character build options encourage different playthroughs, while branching story elements provide new perspectives on familiar events.
The combat system’s depth reveals itself gradually, with advanced techniques and character synergies that become apparent only after mastering basic mechanics. Each party member offers multiple viable development paths, creating meaningful choices about team composition and tactical approaches.
Post-game content provides challenges that test mastery of the game’s systems while offering additional story context and character development. The game respects players’ time while providing depth for those who want to explore every aspect of its design.
Final Verdict: A New Standard for RPG Excellence
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is a beautiful experience that excels in almost every area, creating something that feels both timeless and completely contemporary. This is what happens when talented developers combine genuine artistic vision with technical excellence and deep respect for their chosen genre.
The game succeeds on every level that matters: compelling characters, innovative gameplay, stunning presentation, emotional depth, and thematic sophistication. It’s a complete experience that justifies every moment of the substantial time investment it requires.
For RPG enthusiasts, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 represents everything they love about the genre elevated to new heights. For newcomers, it provides the perfect introduction to why turn-based RPGs have remained beloved for decades. For skeptics of the format, it might just change minds about what these games can achieve.
This isn’t just one of the year’s best games—it’s a landmark achievement that will influence RPG development for years to come. Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 doesn’t just meet the high expectations set by its critical reception; it exceeds them in ways that make those scores feel almost conservative.
In a medium often criticized for prioritizing spectacle over substance, Clair Obscur demonstrates that artistic vision, narrative sophistication, and mechanical innovation can coexist beautifully. It’s a game that trusts its audience, respects its heritage, and creates something genuinely new from familiar elements.
The Paintress may paint death, but Sandfall Interactive has painted something magnificent: a reminder of why we fell in love with RPGs in the first place, and a vision of where the genre can go from here.
Have you embarked on Expedition 33’s desperate mission to stop the Paintress? How has the innovative combat system changed your perspective on turn-based RPGs? Which characters have resonated most strongly with you? Share your experiences and thoughts in the comments below.
Final Rating: ★★★★★ – A Masterpiece That Redefines Its Genre
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is available now on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PC, and Game Pass.
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