Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Has an Absurdly Stacked Cast Filled with the Finest Actors
A cult classic in the making.
We’re in the midst of a massive renaissance for turn-based RPGs — from the smash hit success of Baldur’s Gate 3, to the surprising subversion of Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth and Metaphor: ReFantazio. RPGs are going through a boom we haven’t seen in decades, and that doesn’t seem to be stopping in the next year, because of one game in particular. Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 seemingly came out of nowhere with its announcement in August, and has quickly turned into one of the most promising games on the horizon — now with a surprisingly star-studded voice cast to go along with it. If you love RPGs or turn-based games in any way, it’s one you’ll want to keep an eye on.
Expedition 33 was first announced at the Xbox Showcase during Gamescom, with a dazzling trailer that showed off a gorgeous fantasy world complete with intense turn-based combat. This looked like something you’d expect from any big-budget studio like Ubisoft or Square Enix, but it’s actually the very first game by independent developer Sandfall Interactive. It’s being published by Kepler Interactive, the publisher behind titles like Sifu, Pacific Drive, and Flintlock: The Siege of Dawn.
Expedition 33 features classic turn-based combat with a twist, where you need to time attacks and interact during battle.
Now two months later we’ve learned about the game’s voice cast, and it’s genuinely incredible. The cast includes Charlie Cox (Daredevil in Daredevil: Born Again), Andy Serkis (renowned actor behind Gollum, Planet of the Ape’s Ceasar, and more), Ben Starr (Clive in FFXVI), Jennifer English (Shadowheart in Baldur’s Gate 3), and Kirsty Rider (Emanuela in The Sandman). That’s an absurdly stacked cast filled with some of the finest actors of recent years, with more likely to come down the road.
It’s fair to say that Expedition 33 is already the most fascinating game of 2025; a gem that seemingly came out of nowhere and feels like it’s doing everything right. The talent of the cast speaks for itself, but it helps that Expedition 33 genuinely looks like an incredible game already.
Shortly after the reveal, the developers at Sandfall talked to PSBlog about how Expedition 33 is a “homage” to classic RPGs, saying they "have a love for JRPGs like Final Fantasy, the Tales series, Lost Odyssey, and Persona.” But at the same time, the studio also loves action games like the Souls series and Devil May Cry, and the way you have to learn attacks, timings, and weaknesses. Sandfall wanted to translate the experience of those action games into a new genre, thus resulting in Expedition 33’s turn-based battles that put a huge focus on interactive elements, requiring you to time attacks and skills just right. Battles look fast, fluid, and stylish, with a bold menu design that can even rival Persona.
But there’s also a complex class system clearly inspired by the likes of Final Fantasy, where you can fine-tune your characters into hyper-specific builds or setups. Every weapon has learnable skills and passive abilities, and ranged weapons can open up a wealth of new options. Armor can also grant different abilities, allowing for dozens upon dozens of combinations. Interestingly, creative director Guillaume Broche told GamesRadar he wants players to “break the game with crazy builds and stupid combinations.”
That feels like a throwback to some of the best RPGs of the PS1 and PS2 era, where customization really lets you exploit the entire game and create some crazy options. Final Fantasy VIII is a perfect example, where the Junction system, if used right, let you super-power your characters and completely steamroll every enemy, even secret bosses.
Expedition 33’s world feels a lot like the Souls games, with a mix of high fantasy and grimdark.
Every turn-based game that’s been a hit in recent years has innovated the genre in some way — from Baldur’s Gate’s complex battles and interactive environments to the dynamic job system of Metaphor. That idea of innovation seems to be central to everything in Expedition 33; it’s a game inspired by the classics, but wanting to provide its own unique spin.
All of the pieces are there for Expedition 33 to be something truly incredible — a compelling setting, gorgeous visual presentation, complex turn-based combat, and a cast made up of incredible actors. It’s not often a game that looks this much like a home run right out of the gate, but it’s impossible to look at Expedition 33 and not feel like its whole schtick is inherently compelling. 2025 is already looking like a busy year for games, but Expedition 33 is one that you should put near the top of your list, if you haven’t already.
