‘Clair Obscur: Expedition 33’ is now the best rated game of 2025

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is out today (April 24) and, according to early reviews, is one of the best games of 2025 so far.

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Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is the first game from new indie studio Sandfall Interactive. “Lead the members of Expedition 33 on their quest to destroy the Paintress so that she can never paint death again,” reads the official description. “Explore a world of wonders inspired by Belle Époque France and battle unique enemies in this turn-based RPG with real-time mechanics.”

The game is out today for Xbox, PlayStation and PC users and is also available via Xbox Game Pass Ultimate.

According to review-aggregate site Metacritic, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is the best reviewed game of 2025 with a score of 92 out of 100. It’s tied with puzzle adventure game Blue Prince, which was released earlier this month, and is just above Split Fiction which has a Metacritic score of 91.

“Outside the core plot, there’s a wonderful silliness – and self-deprecation – to Clair Obscur that, together with its outstanding art direction and unique battle mechanics, ensure the game is distinct. It’s an ambitious yet impressive debut from the studio that, despite a somewhat fanciful narrative, is a pensive examination of grief and the power of art,” reads Eurogamer’s glowing review.

“It really feels like Clair Obscur is punching above its weight, considering the comparatively small size of the team at Sandfall,” said Gamespot in their review. “This is a supremely confident game that reinterprets familiar mechanics with an imaginative eye. Its combat is a consistent delight, delivering thrills with thoughtful strategy and reactive action in equal measure, complementing a heartfelt story of shared grief and camaraderie.”

Clair Obscur Expedition 33 is an industry disrupting title. When a group of 30 people can make a game THIS good, and in a generation where AAA has felt so lackluster with exploding costs on the dev & player, then we have to reevaluate everything we're doing as an industry.

— Night Sky (NEW ACCOUNT) (@NightSkyKing_) April 23, 2025

Responding to the positive reviews, Sandfall shared a statement via social media. “Today, for the first time, we read the words of people who finally held our dream in their hands, in its entirety. This has been beyond our wildest imagination. Thank you all, truly. Our game was crafted by a small, passionate group of RPG fans. Writers. Artists. Musicians. It was made with love.”

“Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is a love letter to the games that shaped me,” added voice actor Ben Starr. “Thank you to everyone who has already played it and safe travels to those about embark. Verso awaits. Tomorrow comes.”

In other news, Nintendo fans are having a hard time pre-ordering the Switch 2 in both the UK and US, while Japanese fans have been told a “significant number” will miss out after demand exceeded expectations.

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