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HELLDIVERS™ 2
Game
Game2025
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
Developer Sandfall Interactive
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is a 2025 role-playing video game developed by French studio Sandfall Interactive and published by Kepler Interactive. Set in a dark fantasy Belle Époque-inspired universe, the game follows the members of Expedition 33 as they set out to destroy the Paintress, a mysterious entity causing the yearly "Gommage", which results in those at or above an ever-decreasing age being erased from… From Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)
1,014 reactions from 4 sources (Steam reviews, Bluesky, Lemmy, Mastodon) · newest Nov 5, 2026 · last updated Nov 5, 2026 · How this works
Audience score
92
LovedLoved
719 positive · 65 negative
95% range 90–93%
| Source | + | − | = |
|---|---|---|---|
| Steam reviews | 719 | 65 | 0 |
| Bluesky * | 53 | 7 | 137 |
| Lemmy * | 1 | 0 | 16 |
| Mastodon * | 2 | 2 | 12 |
* shown, not counted in the score (label accuracy below our 85% bar or not yet audited).
Steam's own rating
Overwhelmingly Positive
136,344 of 141,338 reviews positive (all languages, per Valve)
What players are saying
90% recommend · 310 yes, 33 no
Counted from the reviewers’ own thumbs up/down on the 343 English Steam reviews we collected, not by the AI. Valve’s all-language rating: Overwhelmingly Positive (267,056 of 280,455 positive).
Some reviewers criticize the story and gameplay for becoming repetitive and lacking depth. [1][2][3] A few players note performance issues on Steam Deck and a game-breaking bug. [4][5]
Liked
Representative posts
- [1]
Most overrated game in a while. Story has a good setup, but becomes awful the longer you play, most characters literally becoming meaningless, the dialogues are absolutely boring and the game pulls some of the worst cliches in fiction. The gameplay is fun at first, but gets worse the longer you play as well, it becomes a rhythm game devoid of any real strategy.
- [16]
These devs left Ubisoft and the first game they make is a masterpiece. GOTY material for those who come after.
- [9]
One of the best movies I've seen, featuring probably the best soundtrack I've ever heard, yet it manages to unapologetically remind you that it's a video game in the most wild of ways. All wrapped within a resonating lesson on the nature of what it means to be alive. This was a unique experience that I don't anticipate being rivaled for a long time. Truly a game made by gamers for gamers. Thank you, Sandfall …
- [11]
Before the game: "this game is definitely overhyped" During the game: crying a LOT (I broke down in tears literally in first 15 minutes of the game) After the game: dépression Picto "Thank you Sandfall Interactive" Luminas Effect: When you complete the game (NOT IF. WHEN.) you leave a part of your soul in this game.
- [4]
I love this game! Unfortunately it does not do well on steam deck. If you have a good PC then great but I do not. I bought it on Xbox instead and am loving my time. I am just writing this in case you were wondering how it performed on steam deck. I tried tweaking settings for 30 min but couldn’t get it looking right. Otherwise highly recommend!! Update: I know it says verified on Steam Deck now and that there are …
Summarised from 34 of the 479 public posts collected about this game; every point cites the posts behind it ([n] opens the post) and the split is counted from the posts’ own ratings. Updated Oct 10, 2026. How summaries are made
RottenBot@rottenbot · automated account
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 sits at 92% positive across 784 opinionated reactions from 4 sources. Fresh or rotten — where do you land?
Critics, per Wikipedia
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 received "universal acclaim" from critics according to review aggregator website Metacritic. This sentiment was also echoed by the users, with the game attaining the highest Metacritic userscore rating of all time. Fellow review aggregator OpenCritic reported that 98% of critics recommended the game. On Steam, it reached an "Overwhelmingly positive" review score of 95%, with well over 100,000 users leaving favorable feedback. In Japan, four critics from Famitsu each awarded the game a score of 9 out of 10, for a total score of 36 out of 40. Expedition 33's art direction and visual world design were praised by reviewers. Edge described them as "dreamily…
From the “Reception” section of Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. Critic context only — not part of the audience score.
Reactions
60 of 1,014 · most liked firstClair Obscur feels like one of those games that shouldn’t exist, but somehow does because a bunch of passionate weirdos decided “yeah, why not?” The dev story alone is wild: A French dude who speedruns Sekiro gets tired of his job at Ubisoft and just… quits to make his dream game. He calls his old university buddy, who ends up becoming the lead tech. He finds a musician on SoundCloud who makes the entire OST. He finds a girl on Reddit who agrees to voice the demo for free and she eventually…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Indie Game Awards Disqualifies Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Due To Gen AI Usage insider-gaming.com/indie-game-a...
neutral · AI labelView post →Sorry if this is mean. But it is bonkers to me that a team of talented creatives can spend years making what looks like an incredible game and then send it out into the world with a title like "Clair Obscur: Expedition 33"
negative · AI labelView post →I love this game! Unfortunately it does not do well on steam deck. If you have a good PC then great but I do not. I bought it on Xbox instead and am loving my time. I am just writing this in case you were wondering how it performed on steam deck. I tried tweaking settings for 30 min but couldn’t get it looking right. Otherwise highly recommend!! Update: I know it says verified on Steam Deck now and that there are those who have managed to get good results with Decky Loader and what not. I love…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →These devs left Ubisoft and the first game they make is a masterpiece. GOTY material for those who come after.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is GAME OF THE YEAR at The Game Awards
neutral · AI labelView post →Accepting the 'Game of the Year' award for Clair Obscur Expedition 33, director Guillaume Broche thanks Final Fantasy series creator Hironobu Sakaguchi who "made me fall in love with games and inspired me to become a game dev."
neutral · AI labelView post →No yeah Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is Game of the Year, there is literally no contest. This game deserves to scoop up game awards on the level of Lord of the Rings Return of the King with oscars. Absolute modern masterpiece
positive · AI labelView post →Clair Obscur Expedition 33 has won more game awards than any game EVER MADE and I'm so happy. Absolute modern masterpiece of a game Game of the Year Best RPG Best Score And Music Best Independent Best Debut Indie Best Direction Best Narrative Best Art Direction Best Performance (Jennifer English)
positive · AI labelView post →One of the best movies I've seen, featuring probably the best soundtrack I've ever heard, yet it manages to unapologetically remind you that it's a video game in the most wild of ways. All wrapped within a resonating lesson on the nature of what it means to be alive. This was a unique experience that I don't anticipate being rivaled for a long time. Truly a game made by gamers for gamers. Thank you, Sandfall Interactive.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →‘CLAIR OBSCUR - EXPEDITION 33’ has won 9 awards at #TheGameAwards, the most for any game ever • Game of the Year • Best RPG • Best Narrative • Best Art Direction • Best Score & Music • Best Game Direction • Best Debut Indie Game • Best Independent Game • Best Performance (Jennifer English)
neutral · AI labelView post →I hope Clair Obscur sweeps the Game Awards like Return of the King with Oscars. 12 nominations is insane
positive · AI labelView post →If this doesn't win GOTY I will shove 33 esquie plushies up my *** because there is no way on the painter's green earth it ain't. Absolutely criminal that this got snubbed at the grammys when the OST literally went dimdim da dada and sat at the top of the charts for weeks, absolute cinema Game so good it made me post my first steam review when I heard of that tomfoolery, recommending this game for those who come after
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →For Those Who Come After Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is one of those rare games where logic and nonsense coexist perfectly. It’s dark-fantasy with a human heart, where characters actually talk and feel like people. Every dialogue, every pause, every breath matters. And that soundtrack - melancholic, jazzy, with a touch of saxophone - when was the last time you heard something like that in a video game? I’m sure it’s going to get an award at The Game Awards. It deserves one. (i'm absolutely…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →People trying to review bomb this game for AI Generated content. After also being upset and lookinf more into it, its important to note: The AI was used as placeholder assets, and removed from the game before launch. This game does not actively contain any AI generated content. I guarantee a lot of other companies are doing the same with their games.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Most overrated game in a while. Story has a good setup, but becomes awful the longer you play, most characters literally becoming meaningless, the dialogues are absolutely boring and the game pulls some of the worst cliches in fiction. The gameplay is fun at first, but gets worse the longer you play as well, it becomes a rhythm game devoid of any real strategy.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Absolutely incredible game, GOTY 2025 and probably a front runner for game of the decade. Only negative (other than picto UI) I have is a game breaking bug when fighting Renoir. Once Une vie à t'aimer plays I am stun locked IRL and can't do anything. 33/10
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →If the only three games that came out this year were Clair Obscur, Death Stranding 2, and Citizen Sleeper 2, it'd still be a historically good year for video game soundtracks
positive · AI labelView post →'Clair Obscur: Expedition 33' won 9 awards at #TheGameAwards — the most for any game ever 🎮 • Game of the Year • Best Narrative • Best Game Direction • Best RPG • Best Art Direction • Best Score & Music • Best Performance • Best Debut Indie Game • Best Independent Game
neutral · AI labelView post →'Clair Obscur: Expedition 33' sold 1M copies in its first three days 🎮 • Currently the highest-rated video game of the year on Metacritic • Made by a small team of ~30 devs
neutral · AI labelView post →CLAIR OBSCUR IS SO FUCKING GOOD, FUCK. PLEASE BE SUCCESSFUL. PLEASE HAVE WORD OF MOUTH CARRY THIS GAME. EVERYTHING PEOPLE ARE SAYING ABOUT IT IS CORRECT. I AM HOOKED.
positive · AI labelView post →Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 will receive a free update featuring new dungeon, enemies, bosses, costumes, text/UI game localizations, and more surprises Game has now sold over 5 million units www.ign.com/articles/cla...
neutral · AI labelView post →The Game Awards GOTY nominees leaked: -Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 -Death Stranding 2: On the Beach -Donkey Kong Bananza -Hades II -Hollow Knight: Silksong -Kingdom Come: Deliverance II
neutral · AI labelView post →After finishing the game, I used my free time to read a lot of positive and negative reviews. I saw a lot of negative comments, so I wanted to add my voice to balance that. I don’t write many reviews. I’m not a hardcore gamer. I’m just a casual player. I’m not a voice that matters. Just a casual player passing through. But I still wanted to leave a thank you. Thank you for sharing your creativity with me. At times it didn’t feel like a game at all... More like walking through an art gallery…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Charlie Cox’s first-ever video game role is Gustave in 'Clair Obscur: Expedition 33' 🎮 It’s now the highest-rated game of the year and sold 1M copies in just three days
neutral · AI labelView post →When you boot up Clair Obscur you are immediately hit with a song so French it knocks you on your ass. Buddy I haven't even started the game yet.
positive · AI labelView post →---{ Graphics }--- ☑ You forget what reality is ☐ Beautiful ☐ Good ☐ Decent ☐ Bad ☐ Don‘t look too long at it ☐ MS-DOS ---{ Gameplay }--- ☑ Very good ☐ Good ☐ It's just gameplay ☐ Mehh ☐ Watch paint dry instead ☐ Just don't ---{ Audio }--- ☑ Eargasm ☐ Very good ☐ Good ☐ Not too bad ☐ Bad ☐ I'm now deaf ---{ Audience }--- ☑ Kids ☑ Teens ☑ Adults ☐ Grandma ---{ PC Requirements }--- ☐ Check if you can run paint ☐ Potato ☐ Decent ☑ Fast ☐ Rich boi ☐ Ask NASA if they have a spare computer ---{…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I honestly feel like I am crazy for not enjoying this supposedly "game of the decade". I want to love this game, and I was sure I would, yet somehow this game managed to bore and disappoint me. I love story driven game. I love turn based RPG. I love parrying. But this game made me realize that just because the two things are good, doesn't make it a good idea to smush them together. It reminds me of that one Family Guy meme with Noah saying "What the hell is this?" to a child product of an…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 makes Game Awards history as most nominated game ever www.eurogamer.net/clair-obscur...
neutral · AI labelView post →Game of the Year nominees at #TheGameAwards • ‘Clair Obscur: Expedition 33’ • ‘Death Stranding 2’ • ‘Donkey Kong Bananza’ • ‘Hades II’ • ‘Hollow Knight: Silksong’ • ‘Kingdom Come: Deliverance II’
neutral · AI labelView post →I know I'm a year late but I finally started playing Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 holy shit this game is so good
positive · AI labelView post →Maelle from Clair Obscur Expedition 33 What a great game, idk what else to say #Expedition33
positive · AI labelView post →I’ve just finished Clair Obscur. Impeccable. Simply an impeccable game.
positive · AI labelView post →Where do I even start...? For quite some time now, I've been trying to find a game that sparks my love for gaming. The same way I felt when I was younger. I'm not going to lie when I say I had ZERO interest in Expedition 33, my uncle showed it to me initially and it looked a bit cool. But still I wasn't interested. Until one day, I had received a gift on May 9th from my uncle. I decided, why not, it doesn't hurt to play it for a little bit. At first, the intro to the game was a bit…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Watched the Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 trailer. It's just another French RPG. Does every game really have to be fan service for the ouibs?
negative · AI labelView post →'Clair Obscur: Expedition 33' wins Game of the Year at #TheGameAwards
neutral · AI labelView post →Before the game: "this game is definitely overhyped" During the game: crying a LOT (I broke down in tears literally in first 15 minutes of the game) After the game: dépression Picto "Thank you Sandfall Interactive" Luminas Effect: When you complete the game (NOT IF. WHEN.) you leave a part of your soul in this game.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Inspired by the success of games like Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, French president Emmanuel Macron declares 'videogames are part of our culture' and announces a new international gaming festival.
neutral · AI labelView post →Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 launches April 24, 2025, on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S (Day One with Xbox Game Pass), and PC (Steam & Epic Games Store). Pre-orders for all platforms are available TODAY🤝 Take a closer look at some of the new characters in our latest trailer... youtu.be/EsElVZ0sLtU
neutral · AI labelView post →‘Clair Obscur: Expedition 33’ is getting a free update featuring a new dungeon, enemies, bosses, costumes, and more surprises 🎮 The game has sold 5M copies
neutral · AI labelView post →I’m glad that Clair Obscur game was good but I lament that the industry will now be filled with Frenchbornes and Frenchvanias and Québécoislikes
neutral · AI labelView post →Whups. I thought I had left a review for this game ages ago. 33/10 This game put me through such a rollercoaster of emotions. It is perfection. Beautiful game with the most gorgeous soundtrack, engaging (and emotional) story and characters, fun content to enjoy, absolutely wicked combat. Along with Elden Ring, this has got to be the best game I have ever had the pleasure of playing. I cannot wait to play through the story again. I have been nominating this game for all the awards where I can…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →"For those that come after" I've never seen a game undermine it's main theme so heavily by claiming to be looking forward to a brighter future whilst the story and it's characters are obsessively stagnating in the past. There is also no character development at all really, each character is the same as they were when they started. They never really look at their grief or loss any different than when it all started. At best they exchange witty banter every once in awhile and might share "dark…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Pride Month Special: Serving Magic, Trauma, and Thirsty Vibes With Daddy Wolfy! Game: Clair Obscur Expedition 33 Time: 7pm-10pmEST www.twitch.tv/wolfywolfang
neutral · AI labelView post →Sandfall Interactive, I am immensely grateful to you for such an unsurpassed masterpiece. You have proven to the whole world that games can still be works of art. This is my second favorite game on my list of favorite games. Thank you for the incredible story, mesmerizing atmosphere, and magnificent music. I learned to play “Alicia” and “Lumiere” on the piano and enjoy playing them. The gameplay is a bit weak and monotonous in places. Please diversify the combat in future games. Gameplay is…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I went into this expecting to be hooked, and while the presentation is impressive, the experience didn’t hold my attention. After about 2.9 hours, I realized I was pushing myself to play rather than wanting to. Everything feels competent, but the core gameplay loop didn’t grab me. If the style speaks to you, you might love it, but it wasn’t for me.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →My dude, this game. Nothing else like Clair Obscur.
positive · AI labelView post →Unforgettable story line and characters "I envy them, those who know not that they are not. And those who live, blithe and free, sins forgotten and thus absolved. A fresh dawn in their playground, while we live in shadows, swimming in ink. We are but a fragile dream, a singular weed, resisting, ever resisting, that iron dirt, that eternal law".
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →---{ Graphics }--- ☐ You forget what reality is ☑ Beautiful ☐ Good ☐ Decent ☐ Bad ☐ Don‘t look too long at it ☐ MS-DOS ---{ Gameplay }--- ☑ Very good ☐ Good ☐ It's just gameplay ☐ Mehh ☐ Watch paint dry instead ☐ Just don't I'm not a fan of turn based games, but the innovative QTE during the opponents' turns make them so much more fun. ---{ Audio }--- ☑ Eargasm ☐ Very good ☐ Good ☐ Not too bad ☐ Bad ☐ I'm now deaf ---{ Audience }--- ☐ Kids ☑ Teens ☑ Adults ☐ Grandma ---{ PC Requirements…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I genuinely believe that Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is one of the greatest video games ever created. Not one of the best RPGs. Not one of the best games of this generation. One of the greatest games ever made. Every once in a great while, a game comes along that reminds you that video games are not merely entertainment — they are art. This is one of those games. Expedition 33 is a masterpiece in every sense of the word: breathtaking visuals, unforgettable characters, sublime music,…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Charlie Cox says he recorded ~40 hours of dialogue for a new SEGA video game 🎮 This will be his second video game role after voicing Gustave in ‘Clair Obscur: Expedition 33’ (via IGN)
neutral · AI labelView post →So, I'm obsessed with this game. New merch, ehe. #ClairObscurExpedition33
positive · AI labelView post →Approaching 60 hours of Clair Obscur. Still haven’t hit credits. This game man. 🤌🏽
positive · AI labelView post →Best Independent Game goes to Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
neutral · AI labelView post →"When one falls, we continue." This review is going to sound like it was written by a kid who just finished their very first video game. Which is funny, because it's exactly the opposite. After being a gamer for almost 40 years, I rarely get seriously impressed by a game. If anything, they often feel like a chore, just because of the "been there, done that" effect. But this? This is... Wow. Or should I say "owowow?" Anyway, our story begins with Ubisoft, the company known for its greed and…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Tried to distill a few building frustrations into a blog, while also offering my read on Clair Obscur as a Covid text and highlighting some great crit and analysis on the game. www.digitaltrends.com/gaming/can-w...
neutral · AI labelView post →Just play it blind. Don't look up anything in regards to the game until credits roll. I promise you won't regret it. "It's time to stop painting."
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I really really hope Clair Obscur Expedition 33 wins it all this year AND Game Of The Year. Just a total sweep. The whole entire development team & everyone else behind this passion project could not be anymore deserving of all of the good things coming their way. I LOVE this game so so so much. 🌹
positive · AI labelView post →Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 wins GOTY at the Game Developers Choice Awards Winners: Best Audio – Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Best Debut – Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Best Design – Blue Prince Best Narrative – Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Best Technology – Death Stranding 2
neutral · AI labelView post →---{ Graphics }--- ☑ You forget what reality is ☐ Beautiful ☐ Good ☐ Decent ☐ Bad ☐ Don‘t look too long at it ☐ MS-DOS ---{ Gameplay }--- ☑ Very good ☐ Good ☐ It's just gameplay ☐ Mehh ☐ Watch paint dry instead ☐ Just don't ---{ Audio }--- ☑ Eargasm ☐ Very good ☐ Good ☐ Not too bad ☐ Bad ☐ I'm now deaf ---{ Audience }--- ☐ Kids ☐ Teens ☑ Adults ☐ Grandma ---{ PC Requirements }--- ☐ Check if you can run paint ☐ Potato ☑ Decent ☐ Fast ☐ Rich boi ☐ Ask NASA if they have a spare computer ---{…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →
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