So, here’s the deal, 2025 is bringing us a game that’s got my curiosity meter shooting through the roof — yeah, I’m talking about Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. It’s the first baby of Sandfall Interactive, a studio trying to make its mark, and it’s mixing up the gaming soup with turn-based JRPG vibes, but with a pinch of action RPG thrown in. Kind of like if Persona and, say, Devil May Cry went to the same party and decided to make a duet.
Anyway, back last summer, this game caught my eye — probably yours too when it showed up during Microsoft’s big Xbox Developer Direct thingy. It’s popping onto Xbox Game Pass, so if you’re already on that train (or thinking about it), you might wanna keep an eye out. Let’s face it, when something’s on Game Pass, it’s like everyone’s got the golden ticket.
Now, about when you can actually whip out your controller and dive in, that’s got folks buzzing a bit. Turns out, the developers dropped the release date ages ago, but just in case you’re like me and forgot, they’ve also mentioned the specific ticks on the clock we can hit that download button. Everything you need — the what, why, when, and even the how-heavy-it-is — is down below.
So, what’s this game all about?
Picture it: a fantasy world that looks like someone smashed a mood board of the French Baroque period. The voice cast? Out of a blockbuster lineup. Think actors who’ve graced The Lord of the Rings, Baldur’s Gate 3, all the biggies. At the heart, you’ve got this expedition crew trying to stop the Paintress, a nasty piece of work who, well, paints numbers and those numbers vanish people — cue chills down the spine.
Gameplay? Oh, it’s a spicy blend — turn-based moves mixed with real-time reactions. You’re pounding those buttons rhythmically, dodging attacks, and when you hit a parry just right, BAM! A sweet counter-attack straight back at ‘em. Imagine the old Mario & Luigi RPGs had a baby with Eternal Sonata’s flair.
And, hey — if you’re hankering to play it cheap, the PC version’s got this juicy preorder price on CDKeys. Although, if you’re on consoles, you’re a tad outta luck discount-wise, but the Game Pass safety net is there if you’re on the Xbox side of the street.
Alright, here’s when and how it drops:
We’ve been on tenterhooks since they revealed it in 2024, but soon, my friends, soon! April 24, 2025, is marked for takeoff. Around the globe, we’re talking 8:00 a.m. BST sharp, so you might be rolling out of bed with fresh coffee to boot it up or staying awake until the wee hours if you’re stateside. Check your timezone, clutch your pearls, whatever you gotta do, it’s happening.
Preloading and sizes?
Now, the kicker for all you I-need-it-first folks: preloading is a thing. Xbox peeps and PC (with the Xbox-y version) can, as the kiddos say, get it cracking early. But if you’re on Steam or PS5, no news yet if you can jump the gun. Let’s hope they toss a bone around before release.
For those worrying about bloat — fear not! Clair Obscur is pretty chill at roughly 43GB. Which in the gaming world is more of a jog than a marathon, space-wise. But, you do need an SSD, so dust off the specs of your machine. If it’s ancient like grandma’s PC, you might be looking at some spring cleaning to make room.
Take it or leave it, but Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 might just sling-shoot its way into the ranks of the best games list of the year. It’s out next week — ready your machines, folks!
