🎮 Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 (COE33) became the most awarded game in The Game Awards history, sweeping the 2025 ceremony with an unprecedented nine wins. The turn-based RPG from the French studio Sandfall Interactive didn’t just make numerical history, it surpassed The Last of Us: Part II’s previous record, proving that indie studios could compete with the industry’s biggest names.

Set in a dark fantasy setting inspired by turn-of-the-century France, COE33 presents a haunting premise: every year, a mysterious being called the Paintress paints a number on her monolith, and everyone of that age turns to smoke and disappears. After 67 years of counting down from 100, Expedition 33 sets out to destroy the Paintress and end the cycle of death. The world-building is exceptional, blending French Belle Époque aesthetics with surreal, nightmarish imagery. Players explore breathtaking locations like the Island of Visages and the Forgotten Battlefield, each area meticulously crafted to feel both beautiful and unsettling.

The game enhances turn-based combat with real-time mechanics — players can dodge, parry, and counter attacks in real time, aim ranged attacks freely like a third-person shooter, and complete quick-time events to improve skill effects. This hybrid approach, which evolves as you progress throughout the game, breathes new life into the turn-based genre, making every encounter feel dynamic and engaging rather than static.

The numbers speak for themselves. The game sold 50k copies within 24 hours, hitting one mn copies within three days, and exceeding five mn by October 2025. Of 80k reviews on Steam, 97% were positive. After this year’s Game Awards, the devs went home with titles for not just game of the year, but eight other trophies from 13 nominations. The ceremony itself opened with a full orchestral performance of the game’s central rock opera (just in case anyone was wagering who the gold medalist was set to be).

Our verdict: COE33 represents everything great about modern game development — a passionate indie team with a clear vision, innovative gameplay that respects genre traditions while pushing boundaries, stunning audiovisual presentation, and a story that genuinely moves players (to tears). Its historic sweep at the Game Awards wasn’t just deserved, it was inevitable. This is essential gaming, a landmark title that will be remembered as one of the generation’s finest RPGs.

💯 Rating: 10/10 on Steam, 96% audience rating

⌛ Hours of gameplay: 28.5 hours for the main story, 66 hours for the completionists

🔁 Replay value: 5/10

👾 Platforms: Steam for PC, Epic for PC, Playstation, and Xbox.

💵 Price: USD 34.99 for the standard version, USD 41.99 for the deluxe on Steam and Epic, USD 49.99 for the standard version, USD 59.99 for the deluxe on Playstation and Xbox

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