The reviews for Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 are in, and it looks like the race for this year’s Game of the Year is only getting tighter.
Clair Obscur is a stylish RPG with hybrid turn-based and Souls-like real-time combat, andreally wowed our own Jake Valentine in his review, calling it a “frontrunner for Game of the Year” and “a well-paced, polished, and unforgettable experience.”
He’s not the only one, either, as the game sits with an incredible 91 average score onOpenCritic, giving it the “Mighty” rating, with 96% of reviewers recommending the game,which launches in only a few short hours worldwide on April 24.
What Reviewers Are Saying About Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
The consensus from critics is that Clair Obscur is a fantastic debut outing from developer Sandfall Interactive, and that’s reflected in the review scores.
Publication
Review Score
GamesRadar+
DualShockers
IGN’s Michael Higham gave the game a 9/10, and had particular praise for the game’s combat:
I’m confident when I say Clair Obscur has one of my favorite turn-based combat systems, ever – even if it has room to grow in a potential sequel, it’s already brilliant.
Ed Nightingale ofEurogamergave it four stars, and mostly praised the story and its artful messiness, especially toward the end:
Clair Obscur’s plot sensitively tackles traumatic themes of death and grief, but it’s also convoluted and impressionistic, like a mess of colour that very slowly takes shape as you step back.
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Global Start Time and Graphics Modes Revealed
Info on trophies/achievements have been revealed too, and there’s a lot to obtain.
Josh Cotts ofGame Rant, meanwhile, had a better impression of the story in his 10/10 review:
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 has a lot going for it in terms of gameplay, but its narrative is what makes all of that gameplay actually mean something. Backed by a cast of unforgettable characters and their impeccable voice talents, Clair Obscur’s story is one that lingers long after the credits roll.
Justin Wager ofPC Gamerwas more critical, giving the game a more modest 70%, finding that the combat didn’t land with him as well as some other reviewers, and that it was mostly based on memorization rather than strategy:
It’s easy enough to get your party dishing out 9,999 damage regularly – the cap for most of the game – and while I struggled on nearly every boss fight, I never overcame them by adjusting my strategy. I always won because I memorized their animations and parried at the right moment every time.
Otherwise, though, it seems like Clair Obscur is an absolute critical darling, and just another addition to this year’s packed race for game of the year, along with major hits likeBlue PrinceandSplit Fiction, among others.
For now, though, we can only wait and see if this critical success resonates with players when Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 launches tomorrow.
Clair Obscur: Expediton 33 Won’t Have One Staple Of The Genre, So Players Can Explore More
Sandfall does have something in mind to help players not get lost.
