Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 - A Masterpiece Born from French Artistry and JRPG Excellence

Sammy Schnor

• 4 min read
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 - A breathtaking turn-based RPG set in Belle Époque France

In a gaming landscape dominated by sequels and safe bets, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 emerges as a breathtaking debut that dares to paint outside the lines. Released on April 24, 2025, this turn-based RPG from French developer Sandfall Interactive has quickly become the highest-rated game of the year, earning a near-perfect 9.7 user score on Metacritic and selling over 3.3 million copies in just 33 days—a poetic achievement for a game bearing that very number in its title.

A World Where Art Becomes Life and Death

Set in a world inspired by Belle Époque France, Clair Obscur presents a hauntingly beautiful premise: each year, a godlike entity known as the Paintress marks a number on a distant tower, and everyone of that age vanishes into nothingness. As the numbers count down inexorably, desperate expeditions set sail to destroy the Paintress and break her cycle of death—none have ever returned.

"Year by year, she erases us." This chilling tagline encapsulates the game's central tension—a race against time where failure means not just death, but complete erasure from existence.

You lead Expedition 33, following protagonists Gustave and Maelle as they guide their fellow expeditioners on what may be humanity's final hope. The story masterfully explores themes of mortality, sacrifice, and the different ways we process grief—all delivered through stellar voice acting from an A-list cast that brings genuine emotion to every scene.

Combat That Demands Your Full Attention

While Clair Obscur wears its JRPG influences proudly—with clear nods to Persona, Final Fantasy, and the Mario RPGs—it transforms these inspirations into something uniquely its own. The turn-based combat system brilliantly blends strategic planning with real-time mechanics that keep you engaged every second of battle.

Key Combat Features:

  • Active Defense System: Time your dodges and parries to avoid damage or counter-attack
  • Unique Character Mechanics: Each of the six playable characters has distinct resource systems and playstyles
  • Pictos System: Customizable attachments that fundamentally change how characters play
  • Rhythm-Based Elements: Boss battles often feel like rhythm games with their intricate attack patterns

The result is a combat system that IGN calls "one of the best turn-based combat systems ever," where success depends not just on strategy but on your ability to read enemy patterns and execute precise timing. Against tougher enemies and bosses, you're locked in an intense dance of attacks, dodges, and parries that creates tension rarely felt in turn-based games.

Characters That Break the Mold

Each member of Expedition 33 brings unique mechanics that fundamentally change how you approach combat:

Gustave - The Overcharge Fighter

Builds charges with each successful hit, then unleashes devastating Overcharge attacks. A straightforward but satisfying character perfect for newcomers.

Maelle - The Stance Dancer

Switches between offensive and defensive stances based on combat conditions. Has the highest damage potential but requires careful positioning and timing.

Lune - The Elemental Mage

Accumulates elemental stains from spellcasting, unlocking more powerful magic by combining elements in specific patterns.

Sciel - The Card-Wielding Scythe Master

Manages light/dark phases while dealing cards for various effects. Plays like a combination of Final Fantasy XIV's Astrologian and Reaper jobs.

Two additional late-game characters push these mechanics even further, with one utilizing a Devil May Cry-style grading system and another functioning as a Blue Mage who steals abilities from fallen enemies.

A Visual and Auditory Masterpiece

Built on Unreal Engine 5, Clair Obscur is a visual feast that brings its Belle Époque-inspired world to stunning life. From ethereal floating islands to brutal battlefields littered with the bodies of previous expeditions, every location tells a story through environmental design.

The game's commitment to French artistic heritage goes beyond mere aesthetics. Theatre, painting, dance, and especially music are woven into the fabric of the world itself. Composer Lorien Testard's soundtrack—featuring string quartets, symphonic rock, operatic vocals, and atmospheric synths—creates an emotional landscape that IGN calls "stunning" and integral to making this "a truly memorable experience."

"Clair Obscur often feels like an expression of French art history, using its culture as an enticing artistic foundation... That's not just in the distinct Belle Époque aesthetic or the French phrases characters use casually in conversation, but also in motifs that invoke theatre, painting, dance, and music." - IGN Review

An Old-School Heart with Modern Polish

Despite its modern presentation, Clair Obscur embraces classic RPG design philosophies. The overworld features oversized character models navigating a map filled with secrets—many inaccessible until you unlock new traversal methods, echoing the progression systems of classic Final Fantasy titles.

There's no quest log to hold your hand; instead, the game trusts you to explore and discover its secrets organically. Hidden superbosses, silly minigames, and powerful equipment await those willing to venture off the beaten path. This old-school sensibility extends to the game's pacing—at roughly 35 hours for the main story plus decent side content, it respects your time while still offering another 20 hours of optional content for completionists.

Critical and Commercial Triumph

The gaming community's response has been nothing short of extraordinary:

By the Numbers:

  • 9.7/10 user score on Metacritic (highest of 2025)
  • 91/100 critic score on OpenCritic
  • 3.3 million copies sold in 33 days
  • Growing in popularity 11 days after launch (rare for single-player games)

For a debut game from an independent studio founded in 2020, these achievements are remarkable. Sandfall Interactive, led by former Ubisoft developers Guillaume Broche and Tom Guillermin, has proven that with the right vision and execution, indie teams can deliver AAA-quality experiences that rival—and surpass—major studio productions.

Looking Forward

With Sandfall Interactive already confirming they're working on their next project, the future looks bright for this talented studio. But for now, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 stands as a testament to what's possible when developers dare to blend influences into something entirely their own.

As IGN's review concludes: "Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 stands strong alongside its inspirations, and I hope that it too can be an inspiration for those who come after." In an industry often criticized for playing it safe, this game proves that taking risks, embracing artistic vision, and respecting genre traditions while innovating can create something truly special.

Available Now

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is available on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC (Steam & Epic Games Store). Published by Kepler Interactive.

For those seeking a modern RPG that honors the past while forging its own path, for those who want combat that challenges both mind and reflexes, and for those who believe games can be art—your expedition awaits. Tomorrow comes, but today, we fight.