The upcoming title from the young French studio Sandfall Interactive has begun receiving early evaluations from gaming media. The game is being praised for its deep narrative, mature tone, and thrilling combat, with some calling it a modern Final Fantasy.

The reviewer from RPG Gamer was impressed by the fact that the debut project from these young developers provided the same level of experience in just a couple of hours as a game from a studio with decades of experience. If this pace is maintained throughout the rest of the game, Expedition 33 has every chance of winning at The Game Awards 2025.

A journalist from IGN wasn’t ready to stop after the demo gameplay session ended. They wanted to learn more about the game’s world and take part in even more battles. They, too, were amazed by what such a young team of developers had achieved.

The author from Kotaku even predicts that Clair Obscur will achieve the status of a turn-based classic—a new Final Fantasy—and admires the unique approach of integrating QTE mechanics into traditional turn-based battles.

Many reviewers also highlight the excellent visual style and the mature tone of the narrative.

Clair Obscur is set to release on April 24, 2025, for current-gen consoles (PS5 and Xbox Series) and PC (Steam).

Main image: expedition33.com

Comment on this