As we near the Xbox Game Pass release of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, a final batch of previews have landed for the upcoming RPG - so we thought we'd gather some of them here to give you a flavour of the game ahead of its Game Pass arrival next month.

These are pre-release previews based on a few hours of gameplay, so that's worth baring in mind as you get stuck into them. The full version of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 will be available for all Game Pass Ultimate subscribers on April 24th, and it'll also be included with PC Game Pass and Xbox Cloud Gaming.

IGN

"When my time Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 was up, I wasn’t ready to stop. I wanted to fight more battles, learn more about the world, and spend more time with these characters. Sandfall Interactive is a new studio, but you’d never know this was their first game from playing it. Surprise. Conviction. Curiosity. Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 nails all three. It had my interest before I played it; now it has my undivided attention. If Sandfall can stick the landing, they’ll have put together something remarkable."

GamesRadar

"Clair Obscur might not quite be the exact flavor of turn-based AAA RPG I've been longing for, but after a few hours getting to grips with its battle systems, I've fallen with its combat regardless. If the game's world and story can make good on the promise teased by its early hours, RPG fans are in for something truly special."

Kotaku

"In the short time I got to play Expedition 33, it introduced plenty of lore and jargon that I hope will make more sense when seen in the context of the full game, but even if I don’t know what all its proper nouns mean yet, I’m already intrigued by how the game commits to a broken world that feels beyond saving. And yet, the party moves forward anyway. It’s tantalizing, and luckily the turn-based combat is just as compelling."

TechRadar

"Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 then, is shaping up to be the JRPG for people who grew tired of JRPGs. While recent years have seen no shortage of nostalgia-soaked JRPG homages, Sandfall Interactive seems determined not to just rehash the past, but to ensure the genre’s future."

Eurogamer

"It's this combat that still makes me excited for Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, but please for the love of all that's holy, I'm going to need a goddamn map if I'm ever going to be as thrilled by the exploration side of the game. Just like the ever-present 33-painted pillar on the horizon, I can clearly see the brilliance lying at the heart of this game. I just hope that its final release on April 24th won't get too bogged down in the tedium of navigation to let us appreciate it in all its glory."

The Gamer

"After four hours with Clair Obscur I am now aggressively optimistic about the full experience. Sandfall is taking a cherished formula and moulding it around the studio's budding identity. The unique touches added to combat and exploration elevate the entire experience, and I hope this ambition is able to reach its full potential when it arrives this April."

GameReactor

"So far, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is shaping up to be a real dark horse for 2025. A game that is so clear in its commitment to its vision that it is difficult not to fall for it. I never thought of myself as a JRPG fan before, but this more active take on the traditional formula has hooked me more than I thought it would, and I'm eager for more."

Hyped to go hands on with Clair Obscur? Talk to us about this upcoming expedition down below.