Clair Obscur: Expedition 33's Unexpected Triumph: Why Devs Underestimated Their Own Masterpiece

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, the debut title from the young French studio Sandfall Interactive, unexpectedly clinched the title of "Game of the Year 2025." This turn-based RPG, deeply influenced by the Japanese school of design, surpassed all expectations, achieving a phenomenal 92 out of 100 from critics and an average user score of 9.5/10 on Metacritic, solidifying its place as the highest-rated game in the platform's history.

In an interview, François Merisse, co-founder of the studio, confessed that the team initially aimed for a maximum of 85 points. Just six months before release, internal trial reviews projected scores closer to 80.

Merisse stated, "We conducted several trial reviews six months to a year before release and ultimately received anticipated scores around 80. Our official goal by the end of production was to achieve 85 points on Metacritic. In the final months, we put in a lot of additional work to improve quality. We were hoping for 85, but breaking the 90-point barrier was truly a fantastic reward for the team."

He further added that his role always involved "planning for the worst and hoping for the best," which meant he didn't allow himself "to hope too much." Managing the team's expectations was crucial, and the entire production group "came up with many terrible scenarios of what could go wrong. But it was worth it, as we definitely exceeded our expectations."

Art Director Nicolas Maxson-Francom confirmed that the developers were prepared for the game to remain a niche project. He remarked, "I think most of us were aiming for around 80. We believed it was a perfectly decent game. We were proud of what we made, and even if sales were low, we would have been happy."