Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, the debut role-playing game by French studio Sandfall Interactive, has reached the finish line with high praise from the press.
Recent reviews have shown: The RPG has a good chance of success. On Metacritic it started with 92 points — that is, it became the second highest-rated game of 2025 according to the platform. On OpenCritic the score is similar. That is, Expedition 33 was the game that pushed the second place record-breaking Split Fiction.
But first, let’s add a little bit of background: the game tells the story of a team of heroes who embark on a dangerous expedition to stop a magical curse. Every year, a certain part of humanity dies — and the blame for this lies with the mysterious Artist, who draws a number on her monolith every year. To break the cycle, the characters take risks that could cost them their lives.
Everything takes place in a setting inspired by the Belle Époque» France
This is the period from 1871 to 1914 in France, when culture, art, science and economy flourished, creating an atmosphere of optimism and innovation. This time is remembered for the appearance of the Eiffel Tower and the development of cinema. In addition, critics were most impressed by the turn-based combat system, which did not become passive. It has QTE elements, active parries, individual mechanics for each character, and room for creating builds.
Critics emphasize that the plot doesn’t just work, it’s emotionally engaging. KeenGamer (95/100) points out that the game’s narrative is not afraid to tackle dark themes, combining a gorgeous world with one of the best musical accompaniments. The critic expressed the opinion that for him Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 — «the current leader in the Game of the Year nomination in 2025».
One of the highest ratings was given by Gamers Heroes (100/100) for «a flawless hybrid combat system» that blends in with the characters and their story. Games Radar+ (90/100) agrees that Expedition 33 has one of the most exciting and interesting turn-based hybrid battles ever created.
«This is an old-school feeling JRPG as dynamic as Persona but with parry-filled battles as hard-won as Sekiro», — adds Games Radar+.
In total, as of the time of writing, Sandfall has been rated 100/100 by 12 publications on Metacritic. Among them 4P.de pointed out that Expedition 33 sets new standards for the turn-based RPG genre in terms of story, let alone combat.
Gamepressure was very short — you have to play this game to understand why others praise it. IGN (90/100) adds that Expedition 33 fits in with other great role-playing games with a brilliant combat system and a gripping, terrifying story.
«Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is a rare work of beauty. An unexpected masterpiece that will appeal to all fans of turn-based role-playing games», — says Gabriele Barducci (9.4/10)
So far, the lowest rating on Metacritic has been given to Gameblog.fr — 80/100. The publication agrees with everyone about the great combat system, effects, and story. However, this critic felt that the game lacked a good balance and a little more polish to make it a truly gorgeous game. Other than that, he didn’t single out any significant problems. On OpenCritic, the lowest scores are the same plus or minus. For example, Savepoint Gaming (7/10) didn’t like that the game could be unexpected, but otherwise noted everything we wrote above.
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