Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is a masterpiece, but I totally skipped parts of it (and I won’t apologize)

by

Following numerous painstaking investigations, extensive performance enhancements, and several educational stumbles during unsuccessful encounters with the game’s final boss, I successfully finished my initial run of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33.

I found it difficult to get fully engrossed in this game due to my usual playing style, but let me tell you, Expedition 33 is undeniably one of the best video games I’ve ever played.

Or

It took some time for me to fully dive into this game because of how I usually play games, but I can confidently say that Expedition 33 is among the greatest video games I’ve ever enjoyed playing.

This piece is truly exceptional; a term not used lightly, but perfectly fitting for this remarkable debut project by the exceptionally gifted Sandfall Interactive team.

… Besides the occasional jumping sections. I strongly suspect that dabbling with those seemingly careless add-ons to an otherwise exceptional gaming adventure may have significantly reduced my lifespan.

Performing open heart surgery with a broadsword

The story of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 unfolds vividly on a canvas adorned with contrasting hues and motifs, skillfully interwoven to create a captivating, complex, and intricate tale that is both chaotic and immersive.

In my experience, Expedition 33 stands out as one of the most remarkable games this decade has seen, not just for this year. Its distinctive characters, immersive and visually stunning environment, meticulously crafted soundtrack, tactical and challenging combat system, and the unpredictable narrative twists make it a truly captivating journey.

… Then there’s the platforming.

As a researcher delving into the intricacies of video games, I find myself immersed in the captivating world of Expedition 33 – a role-playing game (RPG) that primarily relies on narrative and turn-based mechanics, with elements of open-world exploration. Contrary to common genre conventions, there’s no emphasis on platforming within

In Movement in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, the focus lies solely on exploration within the game world, emulating the free-flowing and somewhat unrefined feel you’d anticipate from a title that doesn’t classify itself as a platformer.

One character I adore is Lune, who seemingly glides when she runs, making her peculiar dislike for footwear irrelevant – her unshod feet offer no extra traction in the fast-paced “let’s design a challenging course using assorted items within 20 minutes” stages.

Absolutely, there are numerous tasks and optional obstacles that demand your dexterity, often resembling the unpredictable motions of a startled lightening-struck cow, typically to obtain unusual or insignificant prizes such as distinctively designed swimwear.

For a person who meticulously explores every possibility within each video game they play, enhancements such as these leave me with concerns about how much longer my gaming life might last.

You recognize that unique category of games primarily enjoyed by streamers, which can be described as “ascend an endless tower of chaos using the most difficult controls imaginable; if you falter, you’ll plummet for about 20 minutes.” Expedition 33 shares some of this spirit, but in a more toned-down fashion.

Initially, the optional challenges within Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 left me utterly flustered. My feline companion deserted me, my bank seemingly forgot I existed, and passersby seemed to find amusement in my bald patches – a result of my excessive hair-pulling.

Even my coworkers, Rebecca and Samuel, jest about me with their (obviously exaggerated) stories of leisurely walks past these hurdles, which has made me consider burning down Windows Central entirely and running away to a place without an extradition treaty.

Or:

My colleagues, Rebecca and Samuel, make fun of me by sharing tales that seem too good to be true about overcoming these difficulties, leading me to contemplate setting the entire Windows Central on fire and escaping to a country with no extradition agreement.

I might need to take a break – I’ve been talking quite a bit about it. Please see this as a form of therapy for me, because I truly appreciate and enjoy this game.

This game is awesome, I’m ranting about something optional

There’s no deception here – I truly enjoy challenging myself with platform games. For instance, I critiqued Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown back in 2024, which surprisingly made it to my list of top 5 video games that year.

Instead of precision and consistency, let’s say I struggled with accuracy and uniformity in Expedition 33 due to its unpredictable nature compared to the predictable combat. I found the platforming aspects to be more about luck than skill because it often felt like I would randomly fall off platforms, my character wouldn’t grasp ledges as expected, or imprecise jumps sent me spiraling into a rage-filled chasm due to inaccuracies.

To clarify, while I may have been a bit over-the-top, I do share the sentiments expressed in the Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 review, as well as the editorial by Rebecca, which effectively highlights the storyline and thematic aspects of Expedition 33 that resonated with me.

I’m quite certain that Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 will dominate many of this year’s gaming award ceremonies coming up, and I wholeheartedly endorse all its nominations and wins. However, I won’t ever be able to fully master this game because I play games primarily for enjoyment, and the platforming aspect isn’t really my thing.

Read More

2025-06-17 17:09