It Only Took 45 Minutes for 2025’s Best Game to Outshine Final Fantasy

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The Final Fantasy series is incredibly popular, and its games often begin right in the midst of a major event. This immediately establishes the high stakes and importance of what’s happening, even if the full significance isn’t clear at first. The series excels at quickly captivating players and making the experience memorable within the first hour.

Just like a good book or TV show, a video game needs a strong start to grab players’ attention and keep them playing. This is particularly important for story-driven games like role-playing games, and the Final Fantasy series is known for its engaging beginnings. However, Clair Obscur has created an opening hour that’s even more captivating than any opening in a Final Fantasy game.

The Gommage Sets the Stakes in Clair Obscur

Each year in Lumière, people age 33 and older mysteriously disappear – they are erased from existence in an event called the Gommage. The age that will be affected is announced beforehand when a Paintress displays it on a large stone monument. At the start of the game, players immediately learn about this threat and begin their journey to defeat the Paintress and prevent the Gommage.

Honestly, the story in this game really got to me. Beyond just the overall sadness of everything, seeing Gustave lose his wife was heartbreaking. She reached the age shown on that monolith, but he’s still a year younger, which just makes it even more tragic. It really made me understand why he’s involved in this Expedition – it’s not just about saving the world, it’s deeply personal. He knows he’s going to be affected by the Gommage next year if he doesn’t stop it, so he has nothing to lose, but he’s desperately trying to prevent others from experiencing the same pain he’s going through. It’s a really powerful motivation, and it makes you root for him even more.

Final Fantasy’s Openings Favor Action Over Emotion

Clair Obscur begins by immersing players in a Gommage, prioritizing Gustave’s emotional journey even amidst the events unfolding. In contrast, Final Fantasy games typically start with direct combat, immediately placing players in the thick of conflict. While effective, this approach doesn’t create the same strong emotional connection as Clair Obscur’s opening, which centers on the Gommage and Gustave’s feelings.

Clair Obscur both refined existing RPG elements and proved that players are eager for complex, story-driven, turn-based games. While Final Fantasy had long been considered the best RPG, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 quickly surpassed it – it only took an hour of playing to establish itself as the new leader.

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2026-05-04 20:46