Deal | Game of the Year favorite hits lowest price – innovative RPG tops Metacritic charts and is cheaper than ever on Steam
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 comes from French studio Sandfall Interactive, founded by former Ubisoft developers seeking greater creative freedom after years spent working on major AAA titles. The result is a true passion project – proof of what a small, focused team of just around 30 people can achieve with vision and heart.
The game draws players into a hauntingly beautiful world gripped by a cruel mystery. Each year, an unknown woman paints a number on a towering monolith – and at the start of the game, it’s 33. Everyone of that age vanishes without a trace. You lead an expedition determined to uncover the source of this phenomenon and put an end to it. The game’s powerful premise is brought to life through layered characters, emotional twists, and a narrative crafted with remarkable care.
In terms of gameplay, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 blends JRPG and Soulslike elements in a fresh and engaging way. You explore the world from a top-down perspective, but once you enter an instanced area, the view shifts to third-person. Combat is turn-based, yet far from passive – players can actively dodge or parry incoming attacks, and triggering abilities often involves quick-time events that deal bonus damage when timed correctly. This system adds a strong skill-based layer to each encounter, rewarding those who study enemy patterns and think strategically – an approach more commonly seen in action RPGs like Dark Souls or God of War.
Expedition 33 also features a rewarding RPG system. Each character has a unique playstyle, and a wide range of weapons, gear, talents, and perks allows for highly customizable builds. This encourages experimentation: support-oriented characters can keep the team alive longer, while experienced players who’ve mastered enemy attack patterns might prefer a more aggressive setup. After all, sometimes the best defense really is a good offense.
Record-breaking score on Metacritic
Alongside its gripping story and fresh gameplay, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 impressed in 4Players' German review with its rich presentation. The game offers detailed visuals and an immersive world, elevated by a custom soundtrack and strong voice acting – including a standout performance by Andy Serkis. The editors praised Sandfall Interactive for delivering a AAA-level experience despite its small team. The only downsides mentioned were minor technical issues on consoles and a few underwhelming but optional mini-games.
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 has received outstanding reviews across all platforms. 4Players awarded the game a perfect 10 out of 10, calling it a “surprise hit.” On Metacritic, it holds a Metascore of 92 and an impressive User Score of 9.6 – the highest ever recorded on the platform. The Steam community shares that enthusiasm, with 96% of more than 170,000 user reviews rating the game positively. For many players and critics, it’s already the frontrunner for the 2025 Game of the Year awards.
20% off on Steam for the first time
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 launched in April 2025 and normally sells for around $50 on Steam. Until November 6, however, it’s available at a 20% discount for just under $40 – its lowest price yet, according to SteamDB. The game is rated “Playable” on the Steam Deck (currently available for about $440 on Amazon) and should run well on the go with a few minor tweaks.
Disclaimer: Notebookcheck is not responsible for price changes carried out by retailers. The discounted price or deal mentioned in this item was available at the time of writing and may be subject to time restrictions and/or limited unit availability.
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