One of the biggest surprises at the Xbox Games Showcase was certainly Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, a visually stunning turn-based RPG from Sandfall Interactive that is coming to Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, PS5, and PC in 2025.
A trailer for the upcoming game – narrated by Ben Starr (who you might recognise as the voice of Final Fantasy 16‘s Clive Rosfield) – debuted at the Xbox Games Showcase, showing off the title’s gorgeous visuals mixed with snippets of gameplay that demonstrated exploration and its fantastic-looking turn-based battle system.
Much like Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door and Xbox 360 classic Lost Odyssey, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33’s turn-based battle system features some real-time elements. These include hitting quick-time events to extend attack combos as well as performing blocks and parries.
In terms of story, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 sees the party rebel against an entity known as the Paintress, who governs the concept of death. At the end of a generation, the Paintress seems to wipe civilization and start from scratch. As the game’s official website states, the setting is inspired by Belle Époque era France, and indeed, we see what appears to be a warped and destroyed version of Paris in the trailer.
I’m a particular fan of the trailer’s soundtrack, which mixes haunting, Nier-like vocal performances with a sprinkling of rock and orchestral soundscapes. Here’s hoping the rest of the game’s soundtrack is just as strong.
A more concrete release date has yet to be revealed for Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 beyond its vague ‘2025’ window. However, you are now able to wishlist the game on your platform of choice.