In a sweep that should surprise no one, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 has won most of its nominated categories in the Game Awards, which includes Best RPG, Best Narration, Best Indie Game, Best Debut Indie Game, Best Score and Music, Best Art Direction, Best Performance (by Jennifer English who voiced Maelle, also, this category had three VOs from Clair Obscur), Best Game Direction, and of course, the award for Game of the Year, making a history at the event for raking all these awards.

Clair Obscur was also nominated for Best Audio, but Battlefield 6 took that award. The indie game was also nominated in the Player’s Voice, which, personally, I was expecting to go to Hollow Knight: Silksong. The game did, after all, crash Steam. However, it went to Wuthering Waves instead.

As part of the celebration of the Game Awards, Clair Obscur developer, Sandfall Interactive, released additional content for the game that saw quality-of-life improvements, such as the option to select loadouts for each character, photo mode, and new areas to explore.

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is that kind of game that comes once every decade or so. It is a turn-based RPG added with modern touches, including quick time events, real-time parrying and dodges, so players are still actively engaged whether it’s their characters making actions or even if it’s the enemy’s turn.

In a time where games have gotten bigger for the sake of being big, there comes the tendency to fill open world maps with dull side missions, unimpressive collectibles, and all kinds of bloat. Clair Obscur, however, dodges this, by making a big game that never overstays its welcome. Areas are big but not massive, and every exploration is rewarded with both lore and items that will make your characters stronger, eventually letting them deal millions in damages, which is wild and satisfying to achieve.

The game’s art is fantastical and surreal, and blends multiple art styles such as art deco, Art Nouveau, and Belle Epoque, under the technique called chiaroscuro, which is a technique that uses a strong contrast between light and dark to show a dramatic and emotional visual depth.. (The French term is Clair Obscur, light-dark).

However, what made the game really shine is the story. It’s impossible to say anything without spoiling. It’s a story that should be experienced to be appreciated. It merely sets out as an expedition to defeat the Paintress, a being who erases the existence of people every year. It grows so much more than that in ways any amount of spoilers will ruin the story experience.

Sandfall Interactive was founded by former Ubisoft veterans who left the company to build their own independent studio. Clair Obscur is reasonably priced at a rate where most gamers can afford. It does not have micro-transactions and locked content.

Clair Obscur, along with other indie titles, such as Hades 2 and especially Hollow Knight: Silksong, are testaments that indie games can thrive and achieve mainstream success. And, personally, should serve as an inspiration. For the aspiring game developers who come after, tomorrow comes.