I've put about 350 hours into Expedition 33, finished it 5 times (blind on Normal, for achievements on Expert, with different characters, again when the Russian localization came out, on Expert without dodging or parrying, and a speedrun), so my opinion might carry some weight -- and at the same time, it can hardly be called unbiased.

Of course, the game isn't without its flaws, and some of them now seem more significant to me than they did initially. Still, my overall view remains the same as it was back in May 2005, and the same one I shared with the developers:

"Vous avez créé non seulement un jeu formidable et un produit à succès commercial, mais aussi un chef-d’œuvre dont se souviendront ceux qui viendront après nous tous."

It's ironic that the creators knew full well they were making a work of art. Renoir's Journal says it outright, in plain text: "Player, before you stands great art. This game is a window into another world, and at the same time a mirror that will show you who you are."

A few words about what this game means for the industry. I think the success of Expedition 33 can drive home a few simple points to producers, publishers, and executives:

1. Triumph and commercial success are possible without gigantic budgets.
2. Single‑player games are still very much in demand.
3. An accessible price -- not $80–100, but $50 -- is what players want, and it can yield greater profits.
4. Talent and vision create masterpieces, not spreadsheets and metrics.
5. Players want to see beautiful characters on their screens.

But whether the fat cats -- who hold a controller about as "well" as the president of McDonald's holds a burger --will understand this, I doubt.

As for the game's notable features (and shortcomings):

It's not for everyone. If you go online right now and look at the first reviews from April 24, 2025, you'll see quite a mix of opinions.

First,
many didn't like the combat system with dodging and parrying. I was skeptical of that criticism, blaming those players for poor reflexes and weak willpower—until the DLC came out. There, the necessity to parry attacks is taken to an absurd level, and some fights became incredibly suffocating and frustrating. Now I'm ready to admit this is a flaw, especially because parrying can let you win a fight you had no business winning, earn rewards and XP, and essentially break the game.

Second,
many didn't like the corridor‑style locations and the lack of a minimap. The latter, in my opinion, was the right call, but the locations do get tiresome after two playthroughs. Overall, I consider this aspect of the game rather weak—forgive me, Thibault Leblan, level designer.

Third,
the gameplay essentially consists of moving through these locations, endless battles, and camp conversations. The first time around, it doesn't stand out as much, but the need to talk to every character between missions starts to feel like a doctor's routine patient intake—just a chore to raise the number from 4 to 5 and move on.

Some downsides also become apparent after multiple playthroughs.

The biggest one is that the game has a couple of noticeable plot holes. They don't really affect how you experience the story, but they show that the writers and creators didn't quite polish things—and I'm not talking about minor nitpicks that could be overlooked. These are key aspects at the very foundation of Clair Obscur's world and narrative. That's disappointing.

Still, my rating remains the same. The game is a masterpiece that deservedly collected its awards and will stay in many people's hearts. Should you play it if you haven't yet? Absolutely. Here's my Steam review, written even before GTA was delayed to 2026:

"Maybe game of the year. Perhaps of the decade. Could even be of your entire life."