Reimagining the Turn-based RPG: When there is more to do than just wait
A review of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, one of the best of 2025
2025 is off to a fantastic start and only five months in we already have serious contenders for “Game of the Year,” a great mix of genres and narratives from Kingdom Come Deliverance II to Blue Prince and from Shadows to Monster Hunter Wilds there is something for all kinds of gamers.
The last fortnight has also seen the addition of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, the first game from French indie studio Sandfall Interactive that offers innovative turn-based mechanics, some fantastic storytelling and a soundtrack that is likely to compete with the game itself for its popularity on platforms like Spotify and Apple Music.
Expedition 33 is set in the town of Lumière where a god-like being called the “Paintress” paints a number on a gigantic moonlike structure overlooking the town and causes all the people of the age on the number to be erased from existence. A practice ongoing for 67 years, the current number is set to be 33 and the protagonist Gustave spends the final moments with his ex-girlfriend Sophie who is 33 years old. The game does a fantastic job capturing the imminent doom as its characters convey both pain and acceptance in the annual event dubbed the “Gommage.”
The opening sequence of Expedition 33 is one of the most powerful openings in a video game. The music that accompanies the events from the sequence plays perfect foil as through the same set of notes (with varying pitch and tempo) it is hopeful, heartening, and mournful.
In terms of gameplay, you follow Gustave and his team on their journey for answers and their attempt at stopping the Paintress. As they go about encountering the challenges, you come to terms with the game’s novel turn-based combat system.
Here, you don’t just make your move and wait for the next turn but also dodge and parry incoming attacks on the opponents’ turn. Similarly, every move earns you action points which can be used to unleash skills that need to be precisely timed for maximum damage/effect.
Expedition 33 is a game of the year contender, but it still has a few flaws. Its narrative reveals towards the end are too labored and muddled and the characters over time become predictable and repetitive.
However, despite my nitpicking, this is a must play for 2025. Play it for its empathy, its spellbinding music, amazing artwork, and its great story. Few games can leave you crying at the end of it all and this is one of them.
Sneak Peek:
Title: Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
Developer and Publisher: Sandfall Interactive for Kepler Interactive
Game Type: Action RPG with turn-based elements
Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X and Series S, Microsoft
Windows: Price INR 2,999 on PS, Xbox, and Steam. Free to play on Game Pass
Verdict (all scores out of 10):
Innovative Gameplay: 9.5
Game Handling and Quality: 9
Value for Time: 8.5
Overall: 9
What Stands Out:
The strong plot, nuanced characters, and the haunting soundtrack make for a very powerful combination. This game gets you to experience both loss and purpose in ways few games can.
The turn-based combat is both novel and iterative. It keeps you on your toes and at the highest difficulty keeps things unpredictable.
Fails to impress:
The final stages of the game can get repetitive in terms of combat and narrative and despite the developers’ attempt to build the suspense for a grand reveal – it seems like an attempt to extend playtime.
There is too much pressure on the ending and the game struggles a bit for the final finish. Some elements of the plot could have been resolved before the final act for more focus.
