Early reviews are in for the upcoming title from French studio Sandfall Interactive. Critics are praising its rich storytelling, sophisticated tone, and exhilarating combat—some are even calling it a modern-day Final Fantasy.

The RPG Gamer reviewer was struck by how the debut project from this young team delivered an experience in just a few hours that felt on par with games from studios with decades of expertise. If the rest of the game maintains this momentum, Expedition 33 could be a strong contender for The Game Awards 2025.

An IGN journalist wasn’t ready to put the controller down after the demo ended—they wanted to explore more of the world and dive into more battles. They, too, were impressed by what such a new development team has created.

The writer at Kotaku goes so far as to predict that Clair Obscur will become a turn-based classic—a new Final Fantasy—and praised the inventive use of QTE mechanics within traditional turn-based combat.

Many reviewers also emphasize the game’s polished art direction and emotionally mature narrative.

Clair Obscur launches on April 24, 2025, for current-generation consoles (PS5 and Xbox Series) and PC via Steam.