Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 reviewed by Michael Higham on PlayStation 5, additionally accessible on PC and Xbox Sequence X|S.
In so some ways, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 jogged my memory of quite a few basic and trendy RPGs I like, however developer Sandfall actually understood why these video games are particular and made these items its personal. Its artistic turn-based fight system is improbable, conserving me engaged whereas spectacular visible thrives carry all of it collectively. The story could be a contact messy and melodramatic at occasions, however there’s nonetheless an earnestness to the way it frames mortality and grief, and the totally different, harmful methods we could deal with it – all delivered by improbable performances from an A-list solid that give its story the guts it wants to actually hit. The distinction between its inventive sensibilities and old-school RPG design philosophy reveals a readability of imaginative and prescient, as if it was scoped excellent to concentrate on the issues that matter most, making it a real trendy throwback. And so, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 stands sturdy alongside its inspirations, and I hope that it too might be an inspiration for many who come after.