It’s Absurd for Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 to be Game of the Year and Best Indie

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Clair Obscur’s Unexpected Triumph at TGA – Underdog Indie Wins Over Big-Budget Titans

By Pedro Zambarda, Chief Editor Sandfall Interactive’s Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, published by Kepler Interactive, has become a sensation following The Game Awards 2025 (TGA), where it won nine awards. Often called the “Oscars of games,” the event saw Clair Obscur recognized with a budget smaller than Grand Theft Auto 6’s estimated $2 billion, but larger than both Silksong and Hades 2. For comparison, last year’s winner, Astro Bot, had a budget of approximately $75 million. Despite its success, Clair Obscur flew under the radar for many, especially outside the dedicated JRPG fanbase. The game made the cut for Best Indie at The Game Awards, leading some to question whether its estimated $10 million budget and cast including well-known Hollywood actors made it an unfair competitor against nominees like Dispatch and Hollow Knight: Silksong. In 2017, Hades overcame its comparatively miniscule budget of $10 million.

Unheralded Clair Obscur Outshines Blockbusters at TGA – Indie Giants Toppled by Underdog’s Triumph

Baldur’s Gate 3, which won Game of the Year in 2023 despite missing an indie nomination, had a budget of $100 million. Clair Obscur won awards for Best Direction, Best Narrative, Best RPG, Best Music and Score, Best Independent Debut, Best Art Direction, Best Indie Game, and Game of the Year. The team, comprised of former Ubisoft employees, told The New York Times that the RPG, reminiscent of Final Fantasy, cost less than $10 million to produce. Here is a rundown of some recent game and movie reviews: 1. Diablo 4’s Paladin class: Insanely fun. 2. Baldur’s Gate 3 actor Neil Newbon: Believes AI voices sound lousy and studios should instead pay actors to rerecord those lines. 3. Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 developers: Wanted harsh feedback during playtests to emphasize the player’s initial weakness. 4. Bungie’s Marathon: Survival extraction shooter returning in March 2026 for $40. 5. Megabonk: Halloween update featuring a new map and canned spaghetti, arriving just in time for Christmas. 6. Todd Howard: Encourages Fallout TV show fans to try Fallout 76, stating it is the game they are still most invested in. 7. Skate Story: Unique skateboarding game with striking visuals set in a gritty underworld.

Standout Titles of the Year: JRPGs, Horrors, Action, Dramas, and TV Shows Reviewed

8. Octopath Traveler 0: The strongest entry yet in this retro-styled JRPG series, with a focus on tactical battles. 9. Sleep Awake: An all-timer horror concept undermined by tedious stealth. 10. Metroid Prime 4: Beyond: Delivers the series’ best atmosphere but is hampered by a dull overworld and clunky psychic powers. 11. Routine: An imperfect but atmospheric moon-based horror game that leaves a lasting impression. 12. Five Nights at Freddy’s 2: A sequel two years in the making that builds on the original. 13. Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery: Returns Knives Out to its roots, creating a sequel nearly as good as the first. 14. Wicked: For Good: Builds to an incredibly emotional conclusion but is not as captivating as Part 1. 15. The Running Man: A Stephen King adaptation that falls short despite enjoyable action and Glen Powell’s charisma. 16. Predator: Badlands: Delivers as a blockbuster action-adventure, though hardcore fans may be underwhelmed. 17. Stranger Things season 5 volume 1: Suggests the Duffer brothers aim to stick the landing. 18. Pluribus: One of this year’s best dramas. 19. The Witcher season 4: The best yet, even with Henry Cavill no longer in the picture.

Game of the Year and Indie Success Stories: IT: Derry’s Return vs. Splinter Cell: Deathwatch, Clair Obscur’s Triumph

20. IT: Welcome to Derry: A confident return to Stephen King’s cursed town and killer clown history. 21. Splinter Cell: Deathwatch: A weak imitation of the long-dormant stealth franchise. Despite a conspiracy theory claiming it was created by only 33 people (matching the expedition number in the title), the game was made by a team of 150, including outsourced staff. Sandfall Interactive’s first game has surpassed The Last of Us: Part 2 as the most award-winning game in The Game Awards history. At The Game Awards 2025, it bagged nine awards, including Game of the Year. It also won honors for Best Narrative, Best Game Direction, Best Art Direction, Best Score and Music, Best Independent Game, Best Debut Indie Game, Best Performance (by Jennifer English), and Best RPG. Winning the Indie category, Clair Obscur blends art, painting, and a decaying Europe in a dark fantasy era.

Indie Rebranding? Controversy over TGA’s Definition of Independent Games in Spotlight

It is argued that TGA has distorted the concept of an independent game by excluding titles developed by a single person. Within development circles, some say the concept of “indie” is outdated and merely implies a poor developer, while others question the criteria for a “Triple A” game. Ultimately, “indie” describes a process, whereas the rest is simply industry. These simultaneous awards for Clair Obscur challenge the conventional understanding of what defines an “indie” game. Note: This text does not necessarily reflect the opinion of Portal Uai.

In Case You Missed It

“While we’re reminiscing about the past decade of gaming, Ahmed Hassan’s insightful piece ‘Kojima Productions Celebrates 10 Years with Mascot; Hideo Posts Video’ Kojima Productions Celebrates 10 Years with Mascot; Hideo Posts Video is a must-read, diving into the studio’s anniversary and their commitment to pushing boundaries through play. Meanwhile, Bruno Pferd’s recent article ‘South of Midnight Headed for PS5 and Switch 2’ South of Midnight Headed for PS5 and Switch 2 explores the challenges Compulsion Games faces as they bring their critically acclaimed Xbox title to PlayStation 5 and Nintendo Switch, promising an intriguing experience when it launches in Q2 of 2026. So, take a moment to revisit the magic of Kojima Productions’ anniversary and get excited for South of Midnight’s expansion!”

(/the-game-awards-pre-show-trailers-bradley-badger)::https://www.thegamer.com/clair-obscur-best-indie-game-awards-too-many-comparisons/|SEP|Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Just Made The Game Awards History::https://www.gamesradar.com/games/jrpg/clair-obscur-expedition-33-controversially-wins-best-independent-game-at-the-game-awards-sandfall-devs-dedicate-it-to-indies-who-put-creativity-first-and-push-forward-with-limited-resources/|SEP|Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 controversially wins Best Independent Game at The Game Awards, Sandfall devs dedicate it to indies “who put creativity first” and “push forward with limited resources”::https://gamedaily.com/features/did-clair-obscure-expedition-33-deserve-so-many-awards|SEP|If You’re Mad Clair Obscur Won Best Indie, You’re Comparing It To The Wrong Game::https://www.thegamer.com/clair-obscur-best-indie-game-awards-too-many-comparisons/|SEP|Best Independent Game Has Always Worked Like This::https://www.thegamer.com/clair-obscur-best-indie-game-awards-too-many-comparisons/”]