Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is The Game of The Year 2025

If Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is 'one of the few' games you've actually managed to enjoy, maybe gaming isn't the hobby for you

If the list of enjoyable experiences is that short, perhaps it's time to find something else that actually sparks your interest

You know, just looking out.
 
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One of the few g
If Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is 'one of the few' games you've actually managed to enjoy, maybe gaming isn't the hobby for you

If the list of enjoyable experiences is that short, perhaps it's time to find something else that actually sparks your interest

You know, just looking out.
I didn't like the game at all, quite the opposite.
 
If Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is 'one of the few' games you've actually managed to enjoy, maybe gaming isn't the hobby for you

If the list of enjoyable experiences is that short, perhaps it's time to find something else that actually sparks your interest

You know, just looking out.
I think I'll be just fine.
 
Saw this from a mile away, and I'm happy for them. They won a ton of awards, lol. Wish I cared about playing it myself, but it's just not for me.
 
I mean yeah, no shit, it was incredibly obvious and most everyone who finished it will probably agree with it. It's a masterpiece through and through, one of the few games that verges on perfection across everything it sets out to do. More than anything, it's just good to see a good old fashioned sweep. No token awards, no doubt, no questions. It's a momentaneous occasion, a rare event, a fucking BEAST of human ingenuity as we venture forward into an AI generated nightmare. Fucking aces.
 
I was expecting an Expedition 33 sweep in most cathegories, and thats what happened. Deserved with the exception for best Role Playing Game. Kingdom Come 2 is a much better RPG.
 
Easiest win in the history of the awards, and well deserved. You had to be delusional to not see this coming.

Well let's see if GTA 6 has any RPG elements to it. Who knows? I'm sure there are other categories it could potentially win. If GTA online comes out at the same time, it could win Multiplayer?
GTA5 won two awards, there is literally zero chance GTA 6 comes anywhere near E33 in total awards.
 
For my tastes and what I look for in games, Clair Obscur doing so well this year is good for the future of RPGs IMO. I think a lot of creators are afraid to make old school JRPG style RPGs because they won't appeal to a mass audience. It's why you see new mainline FF titles stripping away so many of those elements into games that are unrecognizable to us long time FF fans. Linear, no exploration, overly cinematic in the battles, hardly any strategy. They want to appeal to a mass audience. This year shows that you can appeal to a mass audience with a JRPG style RPG with old school elements if it's made well. You can still make a great game with great sales with a turn based battle system. You can still appeal to gamers with a world map.

Square should take note. Because frankly, I hate where FF is going and I thought 16 sucked. If that's the way FF is going to go from now on, consider me checked out and just looking for their remakes and remasters, which is depressing. And other developers take note as well.
 
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You're meaning to tell me the most hyped game of the decade won't get glazed? Ok sure if you say so.....
Yes, and I'd bet my life savings on it. It will probably win GotY and maybe soundtrack or something, but it's not going to win a ton of categories because they never do. GTA5 was hyped through the roof and got mogged by TLoU in awards, ffs.
 
GTA/RDR games are usually amazing in many categories but they always had mediocre gameplay.
Their mediocre gameplay is still better than whatever you want to call Claire Obscure's "gameplay". I don't think this is the thread to criticize GTA's gameplay. Can't throw stones if you live in a glass house.
 
Yes, and I'd bet my life savings on it. It will probably win GotY and maybe soundtrack or something, but it's not going to win a ton of categories because they never do. GTA5 was hyped through the roof and got mogged by TLoU in awards, ffs.
What's next year's equivalent of TLOU? Maybe I've missed it but there's no game even close to that caliber scheduled for next year barring GTA.
 
Their mediocre gameplay is still better than whatever you want to call Claire Obscure's "gameplay". I don't think this is the thread to criticize GTA's gameplay. Can't throw stones if you live in a glass house.

What's wrong with E33 gameplay? Moving around is standard stuff but fights are A tier turn based RPG with action elements (that innovate the formula).
 
Well deserved.
But not a goat status. It's a good game, yes and enjoyable, decent story, but i hope that placing it to level of legends like ff7 og ps1, chrono trigger, zelda ocarina, or xenogears has too stop. Its just a lucky year. No big game type of a game like gta6 or wolverine to compete against. Death stranding 2 is great for me but its considered niche, badly judge and not commercial success, while GOY or KCD2 are just good games. I doubt if the sequel will have same success.
 
If TES6 is anything close to what No Man Skyrim was It wont even get a nomination.
It looks like they started from scratch more than twice just like the Bioshock team except that they did not give up on this game, it's gonna be anything but ordinary. Comparing it to Avowed is bad analogy.
 
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But not a goat status. It's a good game, yes and enjoyable, decent story, but i hope that placing it to level of legends like ff7 og ps1, chrono trigger, zelda ocarina, or xenogears has too stop. Its just a lucky year. No big game type of a game like gta6 or wolverine to compete against. Death stranding 2 is great for me but its considered niche, badly judge and not commercial success, while GOY or KCD2 are just good games. I doubt if the sequel will have same success.

E33 doesn't need to be better than all time classics from 20/30 years ago. It's JUST the best game this year (and IMO, the best game since 2015 - The Witcher 3).
 
What's wrong with E33 gameplay? Moving around is standard stuff but fights are A tier turn based RPG with action elements (that innovate the formula).
I didn't find the turn based combat enjoyable. Merely serviceable and served as a way to get to the next narrative point. Put another way, if E33 story wasn't so great, I would've bailed out of the game after 5 hours. The gameplay loop doesn't hook me at all.
 
Excellent news. By far the best game I've played in 2025. The fact it was made with such a jaw-dropping low budget should be a MAJOR wake up call for the industry.
It won't.
The people responsible for overblown budgets are immune to wake up calls. They live in a bubble, and as long as their pocket is steadily getting fuller, they don't give a fuck about the quality of videogames, sales or the closing of studios.
And small studios don't need a wake up call, they know what's up. They just need the right idea at the right time, and that isn't something which you can plan for. It happens through making art with passion and dedication/devotion and hitting the exact spot they need to hit, be it the time, place and community to release their game to.
 
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E33 doesn't need to be better than all time classics from 20/30 years ago. It's JUST the best game this year (and IMO, the best game since 2015 - The Witcher 3).
Yes just an easier competition and so much sympathy for being an indie with just a few team member and small budget. For me its not even top 20 rpg of all time.
 
I didn't find the turn based combat enjoyable. Merely serviceable and served as a way to get to the next narrative point. Put another way, if E33 story wasn't so great, I would've bailed out of the game after 5 hours. The gameplay loop doesn't hook me at all.

So you dislike turn based games, that's ok. I dislike strategy games for example.

I also hate BG3 gameplay, can't get into it at all, but at the same time I can see and respect that this game is among the best games in CRPG genre. Same is true with E33 and JRPG games.
 
Deserved. Great game overall. Although I still don't think that story twist quite works for me. The sole area their next game needs attention IMO.
 
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