Raw Fury, an indie publisher, noted that “everything more or less gets buried” under a shadow drop like the launch of The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion Remastered, which threatened to suck the air out of the industry for at least the rest of the week.
- Indie games often struggle to compete with the marketing muscle of bigger publishers.
- Shadow drops can overwhelm the market, making it difficult for smaller titles to gain traction.
- Kepler Interactive’s response to the surprise launch, with a plate of recognizable sweet rolls, was seen as a humorous attempt to acknowledge the situation.
However, the surprise launch of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, a new turn-based JRPG from developer Sandfall Interactive, has brought a welcome breath of fresh air to the industry.
The Debut Title of Sandfall Interactive
Expedition 33 is the debut title from developer Sandfall Interactive, and its launch was met with concern from fans and developers alike.
- Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is a turn-based JRPG with a kinetic, reactive bite.
- The game has received widespread critical acclaim, with many praising its razor-sharp gameplay and achingly gorgeous visuals.
- Expedition 33 is now one of the best-rated games of the entire year, according to various reviews and ratings.
| Platform | Release Date | Reviews |
|---|---|---|
| Steam | April 24 | 2,000+ glowing reviews |
| Xbox and PC via Game Pass | April 24 | N/A |
Expedition 33 has also received a boost from big publishers, including Bethesda Game Studios and Kepler Interactive, which have expressed their enthusiasm for the game.
“We can’t wait to play!” – Bethesda Game Studios Twitter account
Kepler Interactive even responded with a plate of recognizable sweet rolls, which was seen as a humorous attempt to acknowledge the situation.
According to Steam marketing expert Chris Zukowski, Expedition 33 has instantly made it to the front page banner of Steam and is on track to ride the algorithm to considerable success.
It’s also worth noting that Expedition 33 is now one of the best-rated games of the entire year, and it’s certainly doing well for itself.
A Bonafide Banger and a Certified Hit
Expedition 33 looks like a bonafide banger and a certified hit – quite the debut for a studio largely assembled from ex-Ubisoft devs.
Definition: A bonafide banger is a term used to describe a game that is exceptionally good and has a high chance of success.
