I finally looked up translations for Expedition 33's main songs — I had no idea how much they gave away the plot this whole time

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
(Image credit: Windows Central)
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As you've probably already seen, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 swept up 9 awards during The Game Awards 2025 last night, including Game of the Year.

I became absolutely obsessed with Expedition 33 shortly after it released in April, beating it within a few weeks. I'm not exaggerating when I say that developer Sandfall Interactive and publisher Kepler Interactive's turn-based RPG is a masterpiece, from its poignant story and engaging combat to its somber art style and hauntingly beautiful soundtrack.

Like many of you, I ended up listening to its main themes, "Une vie à t'aimer" and "Alicia," sung in French, multiple times on Spotify after starting my first playthrough. These melodies convey an acute sense of longing and awaken a bittersweet emotion, satisfying some unconscious part of my soul.

Thing is, I never took the time to look up a translation for either of these songs until now — and I'm glad I didn't until after beating the game.

It turns out the lyrics for "Une vie à t'aimer" and "Alicia" actually revolve around the main conflict and plot of Expedition 33.

As such, I recommend you don't look up the translation (or don't focus on it too much if you speak French) before beating the game unless you're okay with spoilers.

And for those of you who have beaten the game already, I recommend looking at the translation, like this one at Genius.

That all said, listen to these beautiful songs again

Une vie à t'aimer - YouTube Une vie à t'aimer - YouTube
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To be fair, Expedition 33's plot is incredibly complex, more so than many other video game storylines, so you might not fully understand what the lyrics to these songs are alluding to, depending on where you are in the game.

Still, the sentiments the songs convey might make you come to a realization earlier than you'd like. And I personally like to come into a game plot not knowing anything.

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 (Original Soundtrack) 01 - Alicia - YouTube Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 (Original Soundtrack) 01 - Alicia - YouTube
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I don't want to spoil anything, so I'll just say that Expedition 33's ending went somewhere completely different from where I expected it to go. My husband and I have had several long discussions about it, and I won't say more than that, or I'll end up spoiling something.

That all said, as long as you don't speak French (or don't pay attention to the lyrics too much if you do), then I highly recommend giving these songs a listen again. They're too beautiful to only experience within Expedition 33, as wonderful as that game is.

If you haven't played this year's Game of the Year winner, then I highly recommend you do so. I've enjoyed playing it on my gaming PC and my Xbox Ally X. It's a title that I'm sure I'll revisit several times in the coming years.

Hell, I think I might start yet another playthrough now that new content was revealed for it during The Game Awards.

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 (Steam code)
Game of the Year 🏅
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Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 (Steam code): was $49.99 now $30.79 at loaded.com

Windows Central review: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ 1/2

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is a veritable masterpiece, and it's a great fit for handhelds like Xbox Ally X with its excellent controller support and wonderfully strategic, turn-based combat. It's also available through Xbox Game Pass with complete Xbox Play Anywhere support.

See at: Loaded (Steam) | Amazon (Xbox) | Amazon (PlayStation 5)

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FAQ

What game won Game of the Year at The Game Awards 2025?

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 walked away with 9 awards total including Game of the Year.

Is Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 worth it?

Yes, especially for those who enjoy turn-based combat, single-player adventures, and game with engaging plots.

How long does it take to beat Clair Obscur: Expedition 33?

It typically takes players around 35 hours to beat the game's main story, but if you take the time to do everything the game has to offer, you can easily spend 80 hours or more playing it.


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Rebecca Spear
Gaming and News Editor

Self-professed gaming geek Rebecca Spear is one of Windows Central's editors and reviewers with a focus on gaming handhelds, mini PCs, PC gaming, and laptops. When she isn't checking out the latest games on Xbox Game Pass, PC, ROG Ally, or Steam Deck; she can be found digital drawing with a Wacom tablet. She's written thousands of articles with everything from editorials, reviews, previews, features, previews, and hardware reviews over the last few years. If you need information about anything gaming-related, her articles can help you out. She also loves testing game accessories and any new tech on the market. You can follow her @rrspear on X (formerly Twitter).

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