Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 – Deluxe Edition Upgrade Review Summary

A masterpiece with exceptional music, jaw-dropping art, and fun cosmetic outfits, though the DLC and Deluxe edition offer disappointing value.

Praise for DLC outfits: Reviewers frequently highlight the DLC outfits as beautiful, stylish, and visually appealing. This is a common positive point across multiple clusters.

Overall game masterpiece: Many reviewers describe the game as an absolute masterpiece or one of the best they have played. This sentiment is expressed across several clusters.

Exceptional music and sound: The music and sound design are praised as incredible, magnificent, and top-notch. This is a recurring theme in the feedback.

Supportive developers praised: Reviewers appreciate the developers' talent and passion, and feel they deserve praise and payment. Many are happy to support the team.

Fabulous characters: Reviewers find the characters fabulous, fun, relatable, and well done. This indicates strong character design and writing.

DLC adds limited cosmetic content: Multiple reviews note that the DLC only includes a few outfits, head attachments, and hairstyles, with no substantial gameplay additions. This makes the content feel minimal and not worth the price.

Deluxe edition disappointing value: Players criticize the Deluxe Edition for lacking an original soundtrack and art book, and for offering few extras beyond clothes. The upgrade feels overpriced and incomplete.

Outfit design criticized: Some outfits are considered uncoordinated, such as shorts with stockings and boots, or too fashionable for a first playthrough. The costumes are also seen as ugly or weak compared to existing skins.

Rune system frustration: Players find the rune system inconvenient in late game due to too many runes and limited insight points for configuring combinations. This leads to a frustrating experience.

Music collection incomplete: The soundtrack collection does not include all the music from the game, disappointing some buyers. This incomplete offering affects perceived value.

Cosmetic Outfits and Dress-Up: The game includes cosmetic skin options, outfits, and clothing for players. Many reviewers mention dress-up elements and new outfits available during play.

Turn-Based Combat with Parrying: Combat is turn-based but incorporates parrying and dodging mechanics that rely on timing. Players need quick reflexes and rhythm to succeed.

Deluxe Edition and DLC Content: There is a Deluxe Edition upgrade that adds cosmetic items like costumes, hairstyles, and an art collection. A DLC bundle is also available, and purchased content appears in the wardrobe after reloading the save.

Unique Gameplay Systems: The game features a rune system with filtering and insight point allocation, unique character mechanics, and allows defeating bosses above the player's level. It offers a photo mode and a fashion system.

Story Structure and Acts: The game's story is divided into acts, with a twist at the end of Act 2. Reviewers note significant content, being only one-third through the game.

Excellent Performance and Optimization: Players report stable 120+ FPS even at 4K resolution, indicating highly effective optimization. This smooth performance enhances the overall gameplay experience.

Mixed DLC Purchase Advice: Opinions are split on DLC value, with some saying not to buy it separately while others call it a no-brainer. Many suggest the Deluxe Edition or bundle offers better value than standalone DLC.

Highly Recommended Game Overall: Most reviewers strongly recommend the game, giving perfect scores and calling it a must-play. The hype is considered justified, and many say not to skip it.

Consider Deluxe Over Standard: Some suggest buying the Deluxe Edition for extra value, while others recommend the standard version or waiting for a discount. The Deluxe upgrade is seen as optional, mainly for supporters or cosmetic variety.

Skip for Extra Content Alone: Several reviewers say the DLC is not worth it for the extra content alone, and story-focused players can skip it. Only buy if you really liked the base game or want to support the developers.

Turn-Based Appeal Varies: The game is recommended even for non-fans of turn-based games, but those who dislike the genre are advised to avoid it. Using story mode or low difficulty is suggested for players focused on story.

Community fair range: $20.00 - $30.00.

The Dev-Supporting Patron: Completes the main campaign and story, then buys the upgrade purely to support the studio and personalize their team. Motivation: Rewarding and sustaining the developers of a game they love, not acquiring in-game perks. Stance: buy.

The Fashion Completionist: Story-driven playthrough with heavy attention to cosmetic unlocks and character appearance. Motivation: Making the characters look as good as possible while replaying or finishing the story. Stance: sale.

The Value-Conscious Cosmetic Skeptic: Compares base-game unlockables, mods, and DLC contents before deciding what is worth paying for. Motivation: Getting meaningful content for the money rather than paying for a thin cosmetic pack. Stance: no buy.

Monetization: The reviews describe a one-time-purchase game with optional cosmetic/support DLC. Players buy it voluntarily to support the developers and do not report pay-to-win, real-money gacha, loot boxes, battle passes, paid convenience, currency obfuscation, or aggressive FOMO. Base-price and other-game comparisons are context only and do not qualify as predatory monetization evidence. No direct evidence supports a score above 20.

DLC and Deluxe Are Cosmetic: The DLC and Deluxe Edition contain only cosmetic items such as outfits and hairstyles, with no additional story or gameplay content. Reviewers frequently note this limitation.

Purchases Support the Developers: Many reviewers bought the game, DLC, or Deluxe Edition specifically to support Sandfall Interactive. This sentiment appears across multiple clusters, emphasizing goodwill toward the studio.

Available on Game Pass: The game is available on Xbox Game Pass, and some reviewers played it there before purchasing on Steam. This accessibility is noted in multiple clusters.

Developed by Sandfall Interactive: Reviewers mention that the game is developed by Sandfall Interactive, and some note it is the studio's first game. This information is shared across several clusters.

Soundtrack Compared to NieR: Reviewers favorably compare the soundtrack to NieR: Automata and other notable games like Silent Hill 2 and Undertale. This praise highlights the music's quality.