I did not expect Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 to be my game of the year. Nor did I expect to see it set a new record at The Game Awards, having netted nominations among 12 categories in a feat not seen since 2023. But two years after Baldur's Gate 3's clean sweep, Expedition 33 developer Sandfall Interactive seems to have learned something from Larian Studios that might be the key to its blazing success.
Expedition 33 and Baldur's Gate 3 are two very different RPGS, but what they have in common is a precise balancing act. Quirky stories with innovative characters and narrative design are baked into a familiar formula, creating an approachable novelty that I for one cannot get enough of. Even alongside a host of equally unique, surprisingly niche video games, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 deserves to be 2025's standout GOTY because it knows exactly what players want: more of what they love, only on a much deeper level than ever before.
