ApexReaper Reviews

Why Expedition 33 is the Best Game of the Year

Expedition 33, developed by Sandfall Interactive, features a captivating story where a city fragment becomes an island, threatened by an entity called the Paintress. Players embark on a journey to stop her. The game boasts breathtaking graphics, unique characters, and engaging turn-based combat. Overall, it receives a perfect 10 out of 10.

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Released on: April 24, 2025
Developed by: Sandfall Interactive
Published by: Kepler Interactive
Available on:
PlayStation
Steam
Xbox

The Story

The story of Expedition 33 involves an event called the fracture. A part of the city Lumiere was detached from the mainland and became an island. An entity known as the Paintress is erasing everyone that are the age she paints on the monolith. This is known as the gommage and the Paintress lowers the number every year giving humanity a clock to extinction. Groups of people set off to the main year every year. Their mission is to put a stop to the Paintress. This journey is known as an Expedition. You play as Expedition 33.

That is a general description of the story of this fantastic game. The story will have you questioning what is happening and will shock you at points. It’s so hard to wright about the story without giving anything away. I will say I was so invested in this story it is top tier.

I will give the story of Expedition 33 an easy 10 out of 10.

Rating: 10 out of 10.
A cinematic image shows a male character in a long dark coat and a female character in a red skirt, viewed from behind, standing in the ruins of a city. They are gazing up at a colossal, spectral figure that dominates the scene. Floating above the figure are the glowing number "33." The setting is dark and dusty, with building fragments scattered around, and the overall effect suggests a post-apocalyptic or fantastical environment, accentuated by an ethereal golden glow around the figure. The background features celestial elements, suggesting a cosmic scale.
Three silhouetted people stand on a rocky ledge, gazing at a tumultuous, otherworldly landscape. Floating rocks and debris fill the scene, illuminated by a bright, golden light emanating from a prominent rock formation. On the top of the rock formation there is a golden "33". Smoke and dust add to the sense of chaos. An old stone arched structure is visible in the center of the image amongst the chaos. The Paintress sits with her arms crossed and her head resting on her arms.

The world & Graphics

Everything in this game is amazing that includes the world and the way this game looks. The world is so interesting the theme of this game is painting. You will see these awesome friendly creatures that have paintbrush hair. The world is full of art like references, and this fits the story so well. The world looks beautiful and is full of mysteries for you to explore and solve. The different levels this game has, and the level of creativeness is next level. From an area that looks underwater but is not to a battlefield full of bodies. The dev team went all out on the world design in this game.

Though out the world you will find mini games for you to play. These min games are fun to play. With the exception of the volleyball mini game. This was the most infuriating part of this game. Who ever made this mini game WHY!!!!.

The graphics are exceptional. They provide everything you would want out of a AAA game. This is the first game this team has made and that makes it even more impressive. Along with the graphics I got to talk about the animations. They are so good from the stand still animations to the combat animations. Each character has unique animations. The skill animations are some of the greatest animations I have seen. I could talk about all the animations from movement to skills all day. I will say you will not be disappointed if you appreciate all the little details in video games.

For the world and graphics, its without question a 10 out of 10.

Rating: 10 out of 10.
  • Wide shot. The silhouette of a woman at left, facing right third of frame. An underwater landscape filled with stone ruins and large coral formations stretches into the distance. The water is murky, lit with a diffuse, blue glow. There are floating pieces of debris and what appears to be the remnants of wooden structures. Red and purple plant life dots the foreground. The composition conveys a sense of depth and atmospheric perspective.
  • From behind, a woman in dark, ornate clothing stands overlooking a misty landscape. In the distance, a towering, monstrous figure with red, armored plating and elongated limbs looms through the fog. The foreground features red alien-like plants, enhancing the otherworldly atmosphere. The scene creates a sense of impending danger and tension.
  • A woman with long, dark hair stands on a rocky, moss-covered ledge. She wears a striped swimsuit and looks to her left, into an exotic landscape filled with red trees and floating debris. A waterfall cascades down a cliff to her left. In the distance stands a massive, robot-like stone monolith. The sky is a hazy red.
  • A woman with dark hair, dressed in dark, tailored clothing, stands on a rocky ledge in a desolate, surreal landscape. A ruined Ferris wheel is visible in the mid-ground. In the background, there are floating rocks, a distant mountain range, and a cloudy sky. Another figure with raised arms is on another rocky outcrop to the right.
  • In a temple-like setting, a woman with dark hair stands near the edge of a stone platform covered in red petals, observed by a robot. The woman gazes towards a large statue with outstretched arms standing in the center of an ornately decorated, cave-like structure.
  • A dark, silhouetted figure stands in a surreal, apocalyptic landscape filled with floating rocks, fragmented architecture, and distorted gravity. The chaotic background features swirling golden and brown hues, hinting at a dreamscape or otherworldly dimension. Discarded picture frames add to the sense of broken reality.

The characters & Enemies

There are plenty of characters you will meet in this amazing game. Each will their own unique personality. I found it so cool that all the party members were really different from each other. It gave the game so much life, if that makes sense.

Each party member has their own goals in life and for the expedition. throughout the game you will learn their past and why they signed up for the expedition. The interactions between the party members are so well done you will feel for them and laugh with them. Then there are the bad people they are so interesting. I don’t want to say anything more about them I don’t want to spoil the game.

Another fun part of this game is there is cosmetics for each character. You can get hair styles and clothes.

The enemies you will fight are so cool looking. They are also massive in size but in battle they are smaller to make it easier to see them. Each enemy has their own set of attacks for you to learn to dodge or parry. Some enemies have high dodge to attacks making you have to use your free fire to take them out. The enemies are so unique in design you will be able to easily recognize them and know their attacks. As for the bosses they are so much fun to fight.

You will also find journals from the other expeditions. In these you will learn about them and what they went through. The characters & enemies in this game make this world seem full of life. It’s a well-deserved 10 out of 10 from me.

Rating: 10 out of 10.
  • Low-angle shot of a digital rendering in a cavern with bioluminescent blue details. A large, ancient golem composed of grey stone with weathered textures is positioned to the left. The golem has a smooth, cylindrical cannon-like head with a prominent central opening and a series of smaller holes running downwards. Its body is clad in worn stone armor, particularly a perforated chest plate.
  • In a hazy, blue-toned forest, two cloaked figures stand in awe before a colossal, robed statue. The enemy is ancient and towering, appearing to be made of twisted wood with a strange symbol adorning its chest. The scene is mystical and perhaps ominous, with a dense fog shrouding the background.
  • A woman with red hair and light eyes is smiling in dim lighting. There are specks of dirt on her face. She wears a dark jacket with gold trim. Part of another person, with curly brown hair and a patterned black and gold jacket, is visible on the left side.
  • A woman stands looking up at a colossal creature with long, red fur. The creature has a round, painted wooden mask with concentric red and white circles around the eye. The woman wears a dark blue and gold outfit. The creature's large, leather-covered hand and arm are partially visible with detailed quilting. The scene is shadowy, giving a sense of danger and mystery.
  • A close-up portrait of a woman with dark, shoulder-length hair styled with loose waves, captured in a dimly lit, atmospheric setting. She has fair skin, is looking directly at the viewer with a slight smile. The woman wears a dark blue, quilted, outer collored piece over a tan shirt. A silver pendant with intricate design hangs around her neck. The backdrop is dark and blurry, indicating a background of night or shadow
  • A close-up shows a mottled, turquoise, purple, and brown robot face-to-face with a cylindrical object of similar color. The object has a metallic band around it and emits a puff of purple smoke from the back. The background is a blurry abstract of deep red. The robot and object appear weathered and textured
  • A large, imposing creature stands partially obscured in a low-lit, nighttime setting. The creature has grey fur, a dark banner attached to its back with red symbols, and stylized armor plates with carved symbols around its midsection. It holds a thick wooden staff with a bell hanging from it.
  • A young woman with dark hair and a brown and gold outfit stands looking up at a towering, mysterious entity. The entity has a mask-like face, a coiled neck, and green, leafy hair. Its large hands are raised, and leaves and petals swirl around them. The entire scene is bathed in a warm, dusty light, with rocky, abstract forms in the background, evoking a dreamlike or surreal atmosphere.
  • A fantasy scene depicts a group of warriors on a circular platform with a gold and purple patterned ground. Above them, framed by a dark, rocky archway, a figure in dark clothing falls towards the warriors from a brilliant glowing ring in the sky. Blue sky is visible through the top of the arch with water streams visible alongside the arch.
  • A figure stands on a misty ground in a dark, cosmic space, carrying a sword that emits a faint green glow. A semicircle of bright yellow light arcs overhead, connecting to vertical, glowing swords protruding from the ground on either side of the figure. Asteroids float between the swords and the ground adding to the surreal scene.

The Combat & Gear

The combat in this game is turn based. You also can dodge and parry you enemy’s attacks. If you parry all the enemies attacks you will do a counterattack. Dodging attacks is easier than parry them.

On you turn you can basic attack or use a skill or item. Along with that you have free fire this is your ranged attack. You can use free fire as much as you want as long as you have the energy. Your skills also have energy and sometimes other requirements depending on the character. you can free fire then use attack or skills.

A really fun part of this game is each part member has a unique play style. You can also build each character to deal massive damage. There are some other combat mechanics you will unlock as the story unfolds.

There is so much to this combat system. You can make it so you can have multiple turns in a row or have a bunch of buffs. A massive part of this combat system is the Pictos.

Along with the weapons that give you buffs there are Pictos. Pictos are equipment that give you some amazing buffs. A great thing about Pictos is it’s a lot like the equipment from Final Fantasy IX. Once you stay alive for 4 fights you learn the skill. You than can equip the skill as a Lumina each Lumina cost a set amount of points. You can have as many Lumina equipped as you have points. You get items that give you more points allowing you to build very powerful characters.

Some of the buffs Pictos can give you are 20% chance to burn on free fire. Heal on parry. Increase counterattack damage. Start the turn with more energy. Then the big ones being unlocking the damage cap & get an extra turn every turn. The Pictos make this game so much fun. They allow you to create many different builds. You can have a solo fighter that does not die. You can also form a team that works well together and deals massive damage.

This game combat system is one of the best I have played. That with the way the Pictos work make this without question a 10 out of 10.

Rating: 10 out of 10.

Should You Play?

YES 100% YES this is my game of the year. I did not want to put this game down it was so much fun. It was even fun fighting hard bosses that would kill you if they hit you. So you needed to dodge or parry them, but they were winnable and that’s what made them fun. The world, the characters, the story, the visuals, and the music all work so well together. All This makes this video game one of the greatest of all time.

Please do yourself a favor and play this game and take your time with it. One last note this game is a fairly easy completion I’m talking about Achievement’s & Trophy’s.

The scoring on this review is real easy I give Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 my first perfect score 10 out of 10

Rating: 10 out of 10.

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