The year 2025 has been one of the strongest periods gaming has ever seen. I’ve discovered some of my all-time favorite games in just the last few months, starting with Kingdom Come: Deliverance II back in February. After wrapping up my journey across Bohemia, I was convinced that KCD2 would sweep Game of the Year without even breaking a sweat…until I played a game made by 33 French developers who once worked at Ubisoft.
I’m obviously talking about Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 from Sandfall Interactive. This was a title I knew nothing about, went into completely blind, and finished as a changed man — and honestly, a little somber. Why somber? Because in that moment, I understood that my favorite game of the year, KCD2, no longer stood a chance at winning the 2025 GOTY award.
Drawing a parallel between Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 and KCD2 is important. It highlights the sheer brilliance of a small team of 33 developers, whose work forced me to accept defeat for my own favorite game long before The Game Awards nominations were even finalized. From this point forward, this op-ed will be entirely dedicated to Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, and why I believe it is the clearest, most obvious GOTY 2025 winner — likely sweeping multiple categories in the process.
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Brings Out Every Human Emotion
The moment you boot up the game, one of the best pieces of music composed in gaming history floods into your ears and pulls you directly into the world of Expedition 33. Lorien Testard doesn’t just make music — he tells a story with every single note.
It’s a story set in a mysterious world filled with equally fascinating beings. The world of Clair Obscur is gorgeous, hilarious in unexpected ways, emotionally heavy, sometimes flat-out depressing, and at times brutally difficult. From Monoco, Verso, and Gustave’s comedic moments to Lune, Maelle, and Sciel’s deeply emotional conversations, every moment in this game brings out a different emotion in you.
Gustave acts like the protective older brother but cracks when forced to make painful choices. Lune acts strong while quietly longing for someone to protect her. Sciel constantly seeks love and overextends herself to shield others. Maelle is forever lost in the unraveling of her own fate. Monoco talks tough but hides a complicated inner world. Verso tries to spread happiness even at his own expense. And then there’s Esquie — a lazy, ancient, wine-vomiting mythical giant with pet rocks and the funniest accidental humor you’ll see in a game this year.
These aren’t just characters. They feel like real beings with individual histories, emotions, flaws, fears, and dreams. With every new area you explore and every new camp you rest at, you learn more about them. Within hours, they feel like family — people you want to know, protect, understand, and desperately keep alive.
The magic of Clair Obscur’s writing is that nothing ever feels like an NPC interaction. Every performer didn’t just act — they lived their roles. And that reflects clearly in the game’s three nominations in the performance category.
Funny Encounters Are a Core Strength of Expedition 33
Sandfall Interactive has the kind of humor that many AAA studios desperately lack today. Even while delivering a narrative built on tragedy, hardship, and suffering, Expedition 33 still gives you room to laugh, breathe, and enjoy the journey.
Gestral Village remains one of the funniest locations I’ve visited in a game. From random vendors to energetic kids, everything and everyone feels absurd in the best way possible. I still remember lines like “Time spent yapping is better spent training,” and the Gestral who randomly broke into breakdancing mid-conversation. And the funniest part? None of them have real dialogue — they speak pure gibberish, yet somehow convey more emotion than fully voiced NPCs in most modern games.
