After dozens of hours of meticulous exploration, in-depth build optimization, and a lot of learning moments after failed boss fight attempts, I completed my first playthrough of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33.
It took me a while to fully immerse myself in this game solely because of how I tend to play games, but Expedition 33 is, without a modicum of doubt, one of the greatest video games I have ever had the pleasure of experiencing.
This is a masterpiece, a word that's thrown around more often than it should, but wholly applies to this debut title from the incredibly talented Sandfall Interactive studio.
... Except for the optional platforming bits. I'm fairly certain my life expectancy is discernibly lower for having attempted such obviously haphazard gameplay additions to what is otherwise one of the most phenomenal gaming experiences of my life.
Performing open heart surgery with a broadsword
The canvas on which Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 paints its story is awash in contrasting colors and themes, each element beautifully enmeshed to craft a chaotic, engrossing, and meticulous narrative.
The unique characters, the engaging and gorgeous world, the masterfully composed soundtrack, the deep and strategic combat, the constant twists and turns of the story — it all plays an integral role in making Expedition 33 one of the best games of the decade, let alone the year.
... Then there's the platforming.
Expedition 33 is a narrative-driven turn-based RPG with light open-world exploration. No part of that genre labeling includes any reference to platforming, but you'll still find plenty of moments in this game that call for what feels like open heart surgery with an oversized sword.
Movement in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is purely about traversal through the world, and feels exactly as floaty and imprecise as you'd expect for a game that doesn't consider "platformer" as one of its genres.
One of my favorite characters, Lune, literally floats as she runs, so her weird aversion to shoes means nothing — those bare toes aren't providing any additional grip in the "let's build an obstacle course with random assets in 20 minutes" levels.
Yes, a plethora of in-level secrets and optional challenges require you to wrangle that movement like a cow being repeatedly struck by lightning, usually in exchange for unique (or even inconsequential) rewards like cosmetic swimsuits.
For someone who obsessively tracks down every lead to see as much as they can in every video game they play, it's additions like these that make me fear my heart may not be long for the world.
You know that niche genre of games mostly played by streamers that's basically "climb this infinite nonsense tower with the worst controls we could come up with and if you fail you'll fall for 20 minutes"? Expedition 33 channels that energy, albeit in diluted amounts.
The immediate frustration I felt when engaging with these optional challenges early in my Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 ruined me. My cat abandoned me, my bank decided I didn't need money anymore, and random people on the street point and laugh at the bald spots from where I pulled all my hair out.
Even my colleagues, Rebecca and Samuel, mock me with their (clearly embellished) claims of lighthearted strolls through these challenges, which has tempted me to set fire to Windows Central as a whole and flee to wherever doesn't have an extradition agreement.
I may even — I've been ranting too long. Just consider this therapy for me, I genuinely love this game.
This game is awesome, I'm ranting about something optional
Don't be fooled — I actually love a good platforming game. To name one of many, I reviewed Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown, and it ended up being one of my top 5 video games of 2024.
The difference? Precision and consistency. I eventually gave up on all the platforming challenges in Expedition 33 because — unlike the reliably skill-based combat — the platforming felt luck-based. I grew tired of random rolling off platforms, characters failing to grab ledges, and imprecise leaps sending me careening off into an abyss of anger.
Like I said, though, I'm being dramatic. I agree with our Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 review, and this editorial from my aforementioned colleague, Rebecca, captures the narrative and thematic elements in Expedition 33 that caught my attention.
I'm fairly confident Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is destined to sweep most of 2025's game awards events later this year, and I'll agree with every nomination and win as it does. I will never 100% this game, though, and that's because I play games for fun, and the platforming isn't that.
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