Summary
- Xbox Game Pass Ultimate now features Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, the highest rated game of 2025 so far.
- Subscribers can access the game on launch day at no extra cost on Xbox consoles, PC, and the cloud.
- Players explore the city of Lumiere in a captivating RPG with unique combat mechanics and a compelling narrative.
Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscribers now have access to the long-awaited turn-based RPG Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, which many gamers have been keeping an eye on since it was first announced in summer 2024. The highest tier of Microsoft’s gaming subscription service, Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, offers regular opportunities for members to check out highly anticipated games on launch day at no additional cost.
Sandfall Interactive’s Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is already the highest rated game of 2025. It’s currently sitting at a 91 average on OpenCritic, with reviewers praising the game’s emotional and compelling story, cinematic visuals and audio, and combat system that keeps things from getting tedious. Already, the words “game of the year” are being bandied about in discussions about Sandfall’s debut project.
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Review
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is a rare RPG that feels mechanically bold, emotionally grounded, and unforgettable long after the credits roll.
As with many other titles on launch day, Xbox Game Pass Ultimate members can now download Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, and it is available to subscribers on Xbox consoles, PC, and via cloud gaming. Inspired by France’s Belle Epoque of the late 19th century, Clair Obscur takes place in the city of Lumiere, where every year the Paintress writes a number on her monolith and everybody of that age is condemned to death. The next number she will paint is 33, and those with only a year remaining to live set out to put an end to the Paintress and her heartbreaking cycle for good.
Coming Soon to Xbox Game Pass
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Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 |
Apr 24 |
Ultimate, PC |
Day-one release |
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Towerborne |
Apr 29 |
Ultimate, PC |
Game preview |
|
Far Cry 4 |
Apr 30 |
Ultimate, PC, Standard |
|
|
Anno 1800 |
May 1 |
Ultimate, PC, Standard |
|
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Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 |
May 1 |
Ultimate, PC |
|
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Dredge |
May 6 |
Ultimate, PC, Standard |
|
|
Revenge of the Savage Planet |
May 8 |
Ultimate, PC |
Day-one release |
|
DOOM: The Dark Ages |
May 15 |
Ultimate, PC |
Day-one release |
|
To A T |
May 28 |
Ultimate, PC |
Day-one release |
Players take on the role of Gustave in Clair Obscur, one of the Expeditioners, who is accompanied by his foster sister Maelle. The pair are joined by others hoping to alter their fate as they travel across a vast world of incredible landscapes, mysteries, and monsters. The game features unique combat, a reactive turn-based battle system that requires mastery of real-time dodges, parries, and counterattacks in combination with classic turn-based mechanics. Sandfall’s goal was to fill a gap left by AAA games in recent years, and it seems the developer hit the mark.
The anticipation doesn’t stop there for Xbox Game Pass subscribers, however. The remaster of The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion just shadow dropped on April 22, though many people weren’t entirely surprised thanks to several leaks in preceding days. There are also several exciting games to look forward to in the coming weeks, including Far Cry 4, Modern Warfare 2, Dredge, Return of the Savage Planet, and Doom: The Dark Ages. The latter two will be launching day one on Game Pass Ultimate and PC.
