Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 has officially sold 1 million copies in the 3 days following its initial release. Sandfall Interactive, the developers behind this achievement, celebrate the commercial success alongside their publisher, Kepler Interactive. However, Sandfall claims this number does not account for the Game Pass players. With that said, let’s take a look at why Expedition 33 is just what 2025 needed and what made it an instant hit.
There are several reasons this game’s success keeps ramping up. As players embark on their expedition to prevent the Paintress from weaving more death, they’ll quickly uncover what makes this expertly crafted game special. Expedition 33 feels like a project that the devs legitimately cared about, which cheerlessly seems more like an esoteric concept in today’s gaming world.
Aside from the entrancing French Belle Époque-inspired setting, the real charm comes from the new standout combat system. During each turn-based combat encounter, players will have the ability to either parry, dodge, or counter in real time, adding layers to the strategy aspect. There is also a massive degree of customization options, meaning players can synergize their team’s abilities via unique builds suited for their playstyle. It’s innovative to its very core.
While holding an astounding 92 Metascore and a 9.7 User score, Expedition 33 has powerful potential to claim game of the year, as gems like this don’t come that often. Not only is that an impressive Metacritic score, but it’s also the highest user score ever from the review aggregator, earning Universal Acclaim from both critics and players alike. Between 63 critics and nearly 3000 user ratings, Expedition 33 has already made an unfading impression on gaming history.
Expedition 33 does style, progression, and narrative in a way we haven’t seen in quite some time. It’s as refreshing and vibrant as a fresh stroke of paint, as long as you aren’t that Paintress that is. It will be interesting to see if any other release this year will dethrone this colossal success. Regardless of what the future holds, Expedition 33 is a must-play RPG.
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