Summary
- Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 and South of Midnight excel in utilizing music to enhance gameplay and story.
- South of Midnight's soundtrack complements the Southern Gothic fairy tale narrative and standout boss fights.
- Clair Obscur's music mirrors its eerie fantasy/steampunk setting, offering a mix of classical compositions and modern beats.
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is making waves as one of the highest-reviewed games of this year so far. Developer Sandfall Interactive's impressive debut has captured players and critics with its unique setting and premise, and gameplay that combines tactical turn-based combat with real-time mechanics. Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 has found itself in the spotlight for how it balanced these elements to provide a highly engaging title in the RPG genre.
Earlier in April, South of Midnight, Compulsion Games' latest title, launched, and similarly drew attention and praise for its stop-motion art style and affecting tale based on Southern Americana folklore. Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 and South of Midnight are compelling games for many reasons, but there's one particular aspect that they also focus on to a degree that most others usually don't. Both of their soundscapes are more closely designed to integrate with plot events and underscore the emotional states of mind of the characters, and the way each incorporates music is notable for how effective it is within their respective experiences.
Both titles are currently available on Xbox Game Pass Ultimate.
6 Best Video Game Soundtracks
The best video game soundtracks of all time stick with players long after their stories are complete.
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 and South of Midnight Represent Two of the Best Uses of Music in Games
South of Midnight's Southern Folk Twang Matches its Moods
South of Midnight's score includes a range of mournful tunes accompanying protagonist Hazel Flood as she finds herself drawn into a magical realism adventure deeply rooted in Southern Gothic fairy tales. Navigating through the game's flooded, foggy bogs and other, more fantastical areas, the score emphasizes and accentuates the striking atmosphere. Oftentimes the tracks contain hints within the lyrics to guide players through regions and to the next mythological figure.
Many of these are true blues bangers, mirroring Hazel's situation and that of the figures she seeks. But there are also upbeat toe-tappers with blazing guitar or banjo solos that celebrate life's wonder and joy as a counterpoint to the tragedies and misfortunes presented in the story. The true highlight, though, is the songs that go along with South of Midnight's boss fights. The lead-up to these encounters features tracks regaling each creature's respective history and heartbreaking situation. They all tell a tale unto itself, adding great diagetic context and a heightened sense of catharsis when Hazel is able to subsequently mend the wounded's spiritual scars and help them move on.
Clair Obcur: Expedition 33's Score Elevates its Emotional Highs and Lows
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 whisks players to a steampunk-fantasy-flavored setting with a distinctly Belle Époque era flair. Like South of Midnight, its framework is a somber one. 100 years ago, an entity known as The Paintress began a countdown marking the age of people who would subsequently be "erased" from the world. As the title implies, that number has now reached 33, and anyone of that age will be gone by the end of the year.
It's a strange and surreal setup, and many of Clair Obscur's characters still don't have a clear picture of what's happening, and why. Nevertheless, they continue to press on with gathering as much information as possible with the goal of stopping The Paintress. The game's music channels its real-life historical era, making use of baroque classical compositions with sweeping orchestral strings and ethereal choirs to embody the otherworldliness of its shattered landscape and the party's reactions to the horrors they witness and reckon with throughout.
But like South of Midnight, there are hopeful and playful spots along with Clair Obscur's darker and more foreboding aural themes. It's also not strictly limited to classical stylings, with some funkier, jazzier songs as well as more modern-sounding dance beats, particularly in the battle music that reflects the types of enemies fans find themselves fighting. Clair Obscur's music swells or recedes accordingly, with the ambient soundscape attuning to the associated areas and each character's current situation and mental state at any given moment.
Both titles pour a lot of attention into their stellar sound designs to create ones that are intimately linked to gameplay and story in such a way that isn't often seen in gaming, and makes their other aspects even more impactful. South of Midnight and Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 provide excellent cases for them to be in the running for best soundtrack of 2025 at the very least, and their use of music is something that other titles should take note of.
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 92 /100 Critics Rec: 97%
- Released
- April 24, 2025
- ESRB
- Mature 17+ / Blood and Gore, Strong Language, Suggestive Themes, Violence
- Developer(s)
- Sandfall Interactive
- Publisher(s)
- Kepler Interactive
WHERE TO PLAY
- Engine
- Unreal Engine 5
- Genre(s)
- Turn-Based RPG, JRPG, Fantasy
