I understand why Grand Theft Auto 6 is at the top of everyone’s list for 2025’s GOTY winner. Not only is it the sequel to one of Rockstar’s most beloved games ever made, but it’s also been a long time in the making, with anticipation for it at an all-time high. Frankly, the fact that GTA 6 is coming out at all baffles me, especially considering just how long it’s been since GTA 5, or even Red Dead Redemption 2, was released. So, the hype for it makes perfect sense to me, and even I have high hopes for it.

However, while I’m sure if it does release in 2025, GTA 6 will snag GOTY at every awards ceremony, it isn’t my pick. Instead, one of 2025’s most-anticipated RPGs is at the top of my list thanks to some detailed gameplay trailers and breakdowns, alongside what it promises fans of the genre. Because, as much as GTA 6 marks the return of a legacy franchise, this RPG is something completely new, something I’ve never quite seen before, and that has me excited beyond belief.

I’m Beyond Excited For Clair Obscur: Expedition 33

It’s Easily Going To Be One Of 2025’s Best Games

When I first heard about Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, I was extremely excited. Before the game’s star-studded cast was announced, and long before the game’s in-depth Developer Direct breakdown showcased its very best features, I was hooked. The premise – which revolves around a group of people venturing out to stop the Paintress who writes a number each year that dictates what age will die next – was immediately compelling. It is the kind of high-concept idea that you wish you’d come up with, one so creatively novel and full of abundant potential that I’m amazed it hasn’t been done before.

However, what really sold me, the one feature that has me coming back to watch its trailers, to be filled with that beautiful sensation of hype and eager anticipation we all crave, is the soundtrack. JRPGs, even the worst ones, have some of the best soundtracks in all media. One of my all-time favorite soundtracks is that of the much-maligned Final Fantasy 15, with tracks like Apocalypse Aquarius living rent-free in my head. Sandfall Interactive, the developers behind Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, clearly understand this, as they have crafted a truly remarkable soundtrack unlike any other.

Admittedly, my excitement for Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 lies largely in being able to have this beautiful, swelling, operatic soundtrack contextualized through gameplay. Its powerful emotional melodies are already enough to get me to cry, so I shudder to think at how distraught I’ll be actually experiencing Expedition 33’s narrative. Of course, there is so much more to Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 that has been revealed since that initial trailer, and a singular song – titled Une vie à peindre for those interested – hit YouTube that has me beyond excited.

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Is My Perfect Kind Of JRPG

A Cinematic Narrative-Focused Adventure

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is my perfect type of JRPG for one particular reason. While a lot of Western-made JRPGs typically skew toward the nostalgic side, replicating the SNES classics through gorgeous pixel art and chiptune soundtracks, Expedition 33 offers a cinematic experience more akin to modern titles such as my all-time favorite series, Xenoblade Chronicles. With an unbelievably star-studded cast and impressive cinematography – not to mention the aforementioned incredible soundtrack – Expedition 33 looks set to tell its sweeping narrative through gorgeous cutscenes.

As much as I adore titles like Sea of Stars and Chained Echoes, as they are truly exceptional, it’s amazing to see Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 attempt something more ambitious. There are few other titles that have within this genre, and even those, including the likes of the somewhat impressive Edge of Eternity, fall short due to budgetary limitations. However, it doesn’t seem like Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 has such issues, especially when it is getting spotlighted in Xbox’s prestigious Developer Direct.

The unique turn-based combat also has me excited, especially as, while the Persona series has been pushing the format forward, no other title has made it look quite as flashy as Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. It is also reassuring to hear that Sandfall Interactive has fine-tuned the real-time elements of its combat to ensure that even those with terrible reaction times such as myself can still enjoy it. I haven’t even mentioned the game’s phenomenally designed characters, nor the stellar writing displayed in the various trailers. However, were I to ramble on too much, we may be here all day.

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Might Beat GTA 6

It Feels More Unique

For those less interested in the JRPG genre, or perhaps even those who adore it, stating that Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 might beat GTA 6 as, at the very least, my own personal GOTY, will likely sound outlandish. Of course, everyone is entitled to their own opinions, and one shouldn’t be disparaged simply for not swooning over the biggest AAA game of the year. However, there’s a good reason why I value Expedition 33 so highly over what should be the most-anticipated game of 2025. I think first and foremost, GTA 6 simply doesn’t feel real at this point.

As someone who adores JRPGs and sees a ridiculous amount of potential and creativity in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, I can’t help but feel like it’ll quickly climb to the top of my GOTY list for its heart and passion alone.

Rockstar has been extraordinarily tight-lipped when it comes to information about GTA 6, and has only released one trailer since the game’s official announcement. It’s hard to get excited about a game that barely exists outside a vibes-based teaser, even with the legacy its predecessors have left giving it all the goodwill in the world. Additionally, Grand Theft Auto, as beloved as the series is, has never interested me all that much, especially thanks to its plethora of copycats diluting the open-world urban third-person shooter.

Rockstar’s design philosophies also have begun to feel outdated and restrictive, likely due to the fact that innovations in game design happen long into its games’ extensive development cycles, meaning it’s frequently behind. Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, on the other hand, very much feels real, with its myriad of trailers and confirmed release date making it a tangible product. I can allow myself to get excited about it in a way that I simply can’t with GTA 6. It feels like a game made with so much passion and reverence for its inspirations, which I’m concerned GTA 6 will lack.

I often worry that the gargantuan success of GTA Online will take precedence during the development of GTA 6, forcing Rockstar to prioritize the game’s multiplayer mode over its single-player story, something that I am personally more inclined to enjoy. Regardless, Grand Theft Auto 6 will almost certainly be an incredible game, but as someone who adores JRPGs and sees a ridiculous amount of potential and creativity in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, I can’t help but feel like it’ll quickly climb to the top of my GOTY list for its heart and passion alone.