by SmashPad Staff1. Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 (PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S)
“Expedition 33 was a game I didn’t know I needed, making it truly something special and unlike everything that came out this year. From utilizing the OST for its unique way of storytelling, to the bonds you form with the entire cast, it welcomes you into its world in one of the most stylistic ways I’ve ever experienced. The games themes of grief, loss, and hope helped me through a challenging year and gave me something to look forward to for weeks. Centering its overall message around moving forward no matter the circumstances and how challenging the situation may be, it could not have been more perfect for me and something I’ll remember for a long time.” – Adriana Rodriguez
“There really was no comparison this year. Releasing in April, this RPG masterpiece dominated the rest of 2025 by not only improving on typical RPG gameplay, but by giving us a story that is as wondrous as it is heart-breaking. A good game is fun, a great game can make you feel, and a masterpiece does both.” – Brandon Perkins
“Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 checks every box for me personally. I adore turn-based RPGs, deep character customization, and an emotional story rich with lore and history. Sprinkle in some light humor and a freakin’ overworld map, and voila, my game of the year for 2025. It’s clear that the team over at Sandfall Interactive intended this to be a love letter to a genre so many of us grew up with (and is a big reason why we’re in this industry at all), and its influences are clear without feeling too derivative. The inclusion of dodge and parry mechanics in a turn-based combat system helps the fights feel fresh and kept me engaged throughout the entirety of my playthrough. One of my favorite aspects of any turn-based RPG is boss battles, and Clair Obscur has some of the most cinematic, grandiose, mechanically unique encounters I’ve played in a while. The game’s story tugs at my heartstrings pretty hard, opting for some unconventional narrative decisions and misdirection that truly pay off. The conversation around this game in the broader industry has now fallen victim to annoying discourse, but I assure you that this one is special if you give it the chance. For those who come after.” – Myles Obenza
“Expedition 33 hit me at exactly the right time. Its exploration of grief, hardship, and the choices we make in response resonated with me on a deeply personal level. Experiencing those themes through a beautiful fantasy world and a turn-based RPG structure I already love made the connection even stronger. It is a game that stayed with me long after I stopped playing, which is why it sits at the top of my list.” – Kurosh Jozavi
“Everything about this game hit for me – the music, the story, the emotions, the characters, the design, the world. Sometimes, I’ll just be sitting there and suddenly thinking “dim dim dam dada dim dim da dada dim da lilam”. It’s in my DNA now. It helps me feel whee instead of whoo, but also makes me feel whoo when things happen between the characters. An advantage. En garde. For those who… Eh. I’ll keep it at that before I write another 7,000 words about why I love this game.” – Alex Quevedo
“I got the chance to review Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 during my time at ComicBook. Experiencing its story before many and the twists and turns it took was incredible. As a fan of RPGs, what Sandfall Interactive achieves on its first go is nothing short of a miracle. It’s intuitive, engaging, and just about perfect. Graphically, it’s a visual masterpiece fit for a museum, delivering spectacle after spectacle. Incredible performances from Jennifer English and the entire cast are the cherry on top of this love letter to the genre. Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is a masterclass of storytelling and turn-based combat, and my pick for Game of the Year 2025.” – Michael Murphy
“Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is a very good game. I liked it a lot, even though, once again, my review of the game was the lowest on OpenCritic. I play a lot of JRPGs and I have a lot of issues with it, and its score is probably relative to the fact that I had to abandon this game three separate times to focus on other games I was reviewing. But I do believe that it’s a testament to its quality that I came back and finished it. It’s beautiful. The soundtrack is absolutely exquisite. The battle system might be the best in turn-based gaming. I just thought there were stronger games (and JRPGs) than this one, and this is coming from somebody who had the game on my radar ever since it was first announced.” – Danreb Victorio, Executive Editor
“In spite of Clair Obsur: Expedition 33 being on the shorter side for its genre, I still have not beaten it yet to potentially place it higher on this list, but that’s not for a lack of interest in doing so. The story has been excellent so far, but it starts with a hell of a bummer note that wasn’t as enticing as it could’ve been for this potentially depressing journey. The battle system is very well done, with each character having their own mechanics within the battle system, though not every character I’ve seen so far has mechanics I want to bother with. That makes me bummed as my crew grows when they also don’t have experience sharing for the benchwarmers. I enjoy the moments when everybody gets to relax and have a little bit more fun in these new areas that come with the caveat that it’ll always end.” – Chris Selogy, Managing Editor
And there you have it. Our Top 10 Games of 2025.
2026 is already shaping up to be a heck of a year with a lot to be excited for. Capcom themselves will be bringing us a huge trio of releases with the return of Onimusha, the latest entry in Resident Evil, and a promising new IP in Pragmata. Square Enix is continuing to load their remake guns with Dragon Quest VII: Reimagined. James Bond is coming back in IO’s 007 First Light. The Trails series will be fully caught up within the second week of January with Trails Beyond the Horizon comes out, and Trails in the Sky 2nd Chapter was just confirmed for 2026 as well! We haven’t even mentioned the very real possibility of Grand Theft Auto VI!
We hope you enjoyed checking out our list and we look forward to a fun 2026!