When Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 first debuted at the Xbox Games Showcase, I called it the most exciting game from the presentation. Earlier today, Sandfall Interactive released a first-look gameplay trailer, and for now, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is my most anticipated game of 2025. The video showcases an early preview of the game’s initial stages, revealing more of its intriguing battle system that blends turn-based combat with QTEs and well-timed button presses to dodge and parry.
For those who missed the game’s debut, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 takes place in a world inspired by Belle Époque France. The story is set around a Paintress who wakes and paints a cursed number upon her monolith once a year. Those who are that painted age turn to smoke and fade away. As the number ticks down each year, more and more people are erased. The game is set the year before the Paintress is due to paint the number “33,” leading to the formation of Expedition 33, which aims to destroy the Paintress so she can never paint death again.
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is launching sometime in 2025 on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC.
