How a $50 Indie RPG Took Over 2025 - Clair Obscur Expedition 33

Clair Obscur Expedition 33 won game of the year. Now the big question, who is this game for and is it worth the hype? Clair Obscur opens with one of the most gripping and simple premises we’ve encountered in an JRPG. In this world, every year, a mysterious figure called the Paintress marks a number on a distant tower, and everyone of that age simply vanishes into nothingness. When you start your play through, this year is set to 33 and you are Expedition 33, a group of people with one year left to live, setting sail to stop the Paintress before the next countdown begins. This setup instantly hooks you into the atmosphere as you wonder why this Paintress figure is doing all this and how has this been going on for so long. The prologue also does an excellent job of showcasing the emotional stakes, so you get invested into the story even before the expedition starts. Let's dive into the full story and see if you should play this one.