Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 promises to be one of the best RPGs of 2025 (Preview) 

I recently spent some time with Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, and I haven’t felt this way about an RPG in years. With gorgeous visuals, an all-star voice cast, and an incredibly compelling story, I feel like this is a game that will be talked about for years to come. It’s a beautiful blend of gameplay styles and a story that will challenge players — from combat to simply exploring the breathtaking world of the Paintress that they’re exploring in the game.

Maybe it’s because I’m a sucker for a tragic, sad game, but Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 got its hooks into me remarkably fast and I found myself going back to it again, after I completed the preview content. It’s not hard to see why it’s one of the most-anticipated RPGs coming this year.

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The Paintress must be destroyed, no matter the cost in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33

I won’t spoil much about the story of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, but the overarching one is tragic and potentially hopeless, but also beautiful. Each of these “Expeditions” is a group of people who set out to defeat a mysterious entity known as the Paintress. She uses her art to create monstrosities, but there’s a far deadlier part of her art.

No matter what - keep going forward (Image via Kepler Interactive)

She has the power to kill anyone/everyone beyond certain ages, depending on the number she draws in the sky. I didn’t know this until I went into the game, but there were teasers of it in the preview. When the characters are shocked to see someone who is “slightly older than them,” that’s harrowing.

The ultimate goal is to slay the Paintress, no matter the cost. There are lines of dialogue in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 that are just grim, in a sort of beautiful way. These people expect to die, but to use it to help the Expeditions that come next. The story is truly compelling, and if you’re a fan of drama and tragedy, this is going to be for you.

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Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is a classic turn-based RPG with modern sensibilities

You even get a handy FFX-style turn reminder on the left (Image via Kepler Interactive)

Sandfall Interactive, the developers of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, wanted to produce a high-quality turn-based RPG — a game style that’s been pretty neglected in the modern market — and they’ve certainly nailed that. Some people have remarked that turn-based RPGs are “too easy” because you don’t have to put any effort into combat.

However, that’s not going to be the case here — I promise. You’ve got a few game mechanics to be aware of in combat to avoid damage. Failure to do Dodge, Parry, or Jump will make this a very short game for you. It’s a game with an almost Soulslike difficulty to it, but you can adjust the actual difficulty levels at least.

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is a game that requires patience and effort, similarly to Souls games. Enemies have specific timings to their attacks and you must learn them over and over again. Thankfully, you can set up camps (again like Souls titles), and restore your Health, flasks, and improve your stats/abilities.

These mini campsites are incredibly helpful - though they do respawn all enemies, so keep that in mind too (Image via Kepler Interactive)

I found myself using them to learn the current region’s attacks, so I could perfectly time my parries. I found dodge way less useful. I prefer Parry to get that extra damage, and increase the amount of resources I have for my special attacks.

Speaking of those attacks, your spell abilities apply something called a “Stain,” which certainly fits the art aesthetic. These Stains come in a variety of elements, and having multiples of them can enhance your abilities in combat. All told, combat is more than just spamming attack, and I love that.

You have a ranged/gun attack that can hit weak points and inflict statuses, varieties of useful specials, and all the extra damage you get from parrying at the right time. The combat is intense — just like it should be — whether you're fighting the rank-and-file nobodies or the truly harrowing bosses.

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Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is one of the most beautiful games to exist right now

Each screen was gorgeous - a true work of art (Image via Kepler Interactive)

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 offers players a story set in a “dark fantasy Belle Epoque” style world. For those who don’t know what that means, Belle Epoque is a period of French history that began in 1871, after the Franco-Prussian War.

While the Belle Epoque period was one of optimism, regional peace, economic prosperity, and things like this, nothing could be further from the truth in this game. In this case, it’s more the art style and aesthetic as far as I can see. Visually, it also has some things in common with Lies of P, which I also thought was a gorgeous title.

The color palette is inspired, and each area we went to was aesthetically gorgeous in its own way — from the underwater areas and its beautiful, vibrant coral, to a vast gilded manor, with its entirely too many locked doors. From the visual presentation to the character design and even the wonderful soundtrack, this game is a masterpiece from a visual perspective. The soundtrack, composed by Lorien Testard, only enhances the general feelings in each region of this world. Then you combine all of this with a remarkable voice cast:

• Charlie Cox
• Kirsty Rider
• Shala Nyx
• Andy Serkis
• Ben Starr
• Rich Keeble

The more I know, the less I realize I actually know... (Image via Kepler Interactive)

Andy Serkis, Ben Starr, and Charlie Cox together in a game is going to be amazing. Let’s face it - Andy Serkis is incredible at everything he does, as is Ben Starr. I’m so used to Charlie Cox’s “American” voice as Daredevil, that it’s nice to hear his regular speaking voice again.

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Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is going to be one of the 2025’s best games

These flags are both a sign of hope, and a grim reminder at the same time (Image via Kepler Interactive)

It’s the little things that add up to make Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 into a potential masterpiece. I love how the big treasure chests have shooting puzzles that require a little extra exploration and paying attention. The characters are compelling, and their backgrounds — what little we know of them right now — are keeping me invested.

The world is tragic, sad, but also hopeful at the same time. Each map I explored was vast, with plenty of secrets and some truly titanic, terrifying enemies. Then you have a huge overworld on top of that, where you can thankfully, camp anytime.

This is a game that's stuck with me - I cannot wait to find out what happens (Image via Kepler Interactive)

Any time you see one of those Expedition Flags on a map, while you will likely feel satisfaction that you can heal and improve your characters, the stark reminder that it’s almost certainly a group of Expeditioners that fell in the line of duty will change your perception of the location. There are also bits of lore to find that tell you things about the groups that came before.

It’s heartbreaking in its own way. I haven’t been this excited to play an RPG in years, and it’s my favorite genre. It’s a fresh, unique story, with an incredible cast and premise. Do not sleep on Clair Obscur: Expedition 33.