Destructoid’s 2025 Game of the Year – Clair Obscur: Expedition 33

“For those who come after,” Destructoid is pleased to announce its winner for its 2025 Game of the Year Award, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33.

Sandfall Interactive’s debut title, a turn-based RPG set in a beautiful yet haunting world, has been praised across the gamut of the industry since launching earlier this year. Boasting gorgeous visuals, a gloriously bombastic soundtrack, and a harrowing story of love and loss, Expedition 33 is the best game of 2025 and one of the most memorable new titles in recent years.

Below, some Destructoid contributors have written their thoughts and explanations as to what makes this game so special and why it’s our Game of the Year for 2025.

Scott Duwe (Staff Writer)

Expedition 33 was a game that was on my radar from the moment it debuted in June 2024 thanks to its stylish spin on turn-based combat. Less than a year later, I was thrilled to be playing it for my first review at Destructoid. From its somber opening moments, it felt like a very special title, and that sentiment only grew from there. I scored it a 9.5, and felt validated as I saw all of the other tremendously high scores come flying in soon after.

Everything in E33 exudes quality, from the satisfying QTE-laden turn-based combat to the open world exploration in an apocalyptic painted setting, but its soundtrack stands out most to me several months after release. When I think of “needle drop” moments in gaming, E33 is at the top of the list for several of those where I was almost knocked back in my chair.

This video below illustrates just one of them:

From the moment I completed it, Expedition 33 became my top contender for game of the year. I’ve played and reviewed over a dozen other titles this year since then, but the story of Gustave, Maelle, Lune, Sciel, Verso, Monoco, and all the others has continued to reign supreme in my mind.

As an expertly crafted love letter to JRPGs of the past with several new mechanics to make it even more exciting, E33 didn’t really need to have a great story to be a good game, because the total package itself, outside of that, is so stellar. But the prolific gut-punch pay-off in the tale of the Dessendre family wrapped a melancholy bow around that package to create something truly memorable and put it over the top for my vote.

E33 is a monumental achievement made all the more impressive considering its origins and humble beginnings. It apparently had a budget of less than $10 million, and the game’s impressive composer Lorien Testard was discovered after sharing his music from SoundCloud, after some of Sandfall’s devs moved on from Ubisoft. It’s just a pretty incredible story overall.

And so when we put it to a group vote among all Destructoid writers and staff, the tallies confirmed what I’ve been saying since April: Expedition 33 is an instant classic, and well deserving of our GOTY honors.

Drew Kopp (Freelance writer)

Within the first hour, Expedition 33 transmogrified my eyes into waterfalls. It takes most other games at least 10 hours to do that.

Rachel Samples (Editor-in-chief)

Two words kept popping into my head throughout my Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 playthrough: “cinematic masterpiece.” From the first few opening scenes, this RPG declared itself a front-runner for GOTY long before other industry giants had a chance to stake their claims.

The game’s fantastical world-building and stunning visuals will pull you in, while its nuanced but lovable cast and heart-wrenching story will get you to stay. With fun and innovative gameplay mechanics, provocative voice performances, and beautifully crafted narrative, Expedition 33 will forever live on my list of favorites.

Hadley Vincent (Freelance writer)

Clair Obscur had me standing up, applauding, and telling my friends that this is GOTY before I even set off on Expedition 33. You give me a good narrative and I’m in, and E33 took me all the way with its otherworldly mystery, flawless OST, and haunting Gommage. E33 is a painful journey about hope, acceptance, and moving on.

Regardless of where you’re at right now, E33 is a story we can all learn from as expeditioners in life. I’m no turn-based RPG fan, but E33 did what others couldn’t — it changed my mind on the genre, and I’m thankful for my time on Expedition 33.

Ross Deason (Director of Content)

Only game I have actually completed in 5 years should tell you a lot.