After the first reviews of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, it is clear this isn’t just a game, it’s a masterpiece. Developed by a passionate team, this title delivers a deeply artistic, emotionally gripping, and mechanically satisfying experience that punches far above its weight class.
After putting in countless hours and conquering every boss, content creator GermanStrands has dropped an in-depth review packed with insights. You can check out the original post here:
Here is a breakdown of what makes Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 truly unforgettable!
Visuals and Performance – Artistic Beauty
From the very first steps into its surreal yet authentic world, Expedition 33 stuns with its visual identity. The art direction is easily among the best in the industry, with every new location offering breathtaking design and storytelling through atmosphere alone. Fixed camera angles, reminding of Final Fantasy X, blend with modern aesthetics to create something truly unique.
On PlayStation 5, you can choose between two graphics modes. The performance mode holds a rock-solid 60 FPS with fast loading times, high image quality, and a minimalist HUD that lets the art shine. Extensive options like motion blur, film grain, and chromatic aberration let you tweak the experience to your own liking.
A Story That Hits Hard
Expedition 33 doesn’t pull punches. Its narrative is mature, weaving themes of death, loss, love, and resilience, punctuated with blood, French swearing, and raw emotion. The dialogue rivals that of Naughty Dog’s best, and the voice acting brings every character vividly to life with believable performances and nuanced emotion.
Character interactions feel real and meaningful. Personalities are layered, and relationships develop through gameplay, including romance options and evolving campfire conversations that change over time.
And the story? Full of twists and “holy hell” moments that will keep you glued to your seat until the credits roll.
Exploration & World Design
The game blends linear storytelling with open exploration. Imagine Final Fantasy X but with a massive, handcrafted overworld map full of secrets: superbosses, hidden zones, lore entries, and shortcuts. There is no minimap, and it’s better for it. Exploration is intuitive and rewarding.
You can camp just about anywhere, and these camps become living hubs with new dialogue, side content, music, and NPCs appear over time. It’s more than a rest spot, it’s home.
A dedicated jump button, zero fall damage, and tons of collectibles make traversal fun. No tedious walking, tight checkpoints, and real respect for your time.
Combat – A Dream Fusion of Classics
The battle system is a mix of Persona, Final Fantasy X, and Legend of Dragoon, with some modern additions. It’s turn-based, requires timing, and is also stylish. One-button press mechanics make each turn feel impactful and fluid.
Enemies are visible before combat, allowing you to plan your approach. And the bosses? Gigantic, cinematic, and sometimes straight out of a FromSoftware wild dream. The late-game and superbosses are brutally fun challenges, pushing your builds and strategies to the limit.
There’s a lot of build variety with tons of combinations to explore, though late-game skill management can feel a bit overwhelming due to the UI.
Soundtrack & Polish – Passion in Every Pixel
The soundtrack is spectacular. Multiple themes, from emotional to intense boss bangers, elevate every scene. Some tracks hit so hard they linger long after the battle is over.
The game is impressively polished, though a few small bugs (sound glitches, jump issues) can occur. Thankfully, they are easily resolved with a quick reload. A day-one patch should smooth these out entirely.
Features and Extras – Value That’s Hard to Beat
- New Game Plus on day one, with extra content
- Outfits and weapons reflect in gameplay and cutscenes
- Skip boss cutscenes to get right back in
- Massive build options
- No microtransactions ever
- Optional (and skippable) jumping puzzles
- Around 30 hours for the main story, 30 more for extra content
- Priced around 50€/$50
A Passion Project Through and Through
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is a love letter to storytelling, classic RPGs, and bold artistic vision. It’s a deeply personal game, one where every element—voice, visual, sound, and system—feels hand-crafted with care. If you’re into RPGs and want a journey that respects your time and intelligence, don’t sleep on this one. This is what happens when a small team pours their soul into a dream, and delivers.
