Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
has emerged as a top contender for 2025’s Game of the Year, setting itself
apart from many other releases. Its strengths lie in both its narrative, a
profoundly moving and intricate tale, and its captivating and skillfully
designed gameplay.
The game’s captivating musical score is another major factor in elevating
Expedition 33 from a
notable French fantasy JRPG
to a truly celebrated and memorable experience.
Primarily created by Lorien Testard, the soundtrack is a unique
fusion of traditional orchestral music
with contemporary production techniques, enhanced by beautiful and
unforgettable vocal performances. Describing its impact with words alone
doesn’t do it justice; it’s something you need to hear for yourself.
While the score has garnered significant praise within the gaming community,
Laced Records, the owner of the soundtrack rights, is actively campaigning
for its recognition at the prestigious Grammy Awards.
Award Season Beckons
In a recent announcement on X, the record label has nominated the entire OST for Best Score Soundtrack
for Video Games and Other Interactive Media. Additionally, the song
“Lumiere,” featuring Alice Duport-Percier, has been put forward for
consideration for Best Song Written For Visual Media.
Given the
limited competition in the video game sector this year, both nominations seem extremely well-deserved and could very well lead to
wins in their respective categories.
The story of Lorien Testard’s involvement with Clair Obscur’s creation is
fascinating. During the game’s development phase, Game Director Guillaume
Broche was searching through niche online forums for music to potentially
use when he stumbled upon Testard’s work.
After connecting via email and exchanging concept art, as well as early demo
tracks, Testard was invited to the studio for official recording sessions.
It quickly became clear that the collaboration was a perfect fit. Testard
immediately connected with the project’s vision and narrative, while Broche recognized the extraordinary musical talent he had
discovered.
The entire team at DualShockers extends its best wishes to Lorien Testard,
Laced Records, and the Clair Obscur team. We’ll be rooting for their
success in potentially securing a double victory at the award ceremony in
Los Angeles this February.
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
- Released
- April 24, 2025
- ESRB
-
Mature 17+ / Blood and Gore, Strong Language,
Suggestive Themes, Violence - Developer(s)
- Sandfall Interactive
- Publisher(s)
- Kepler Interactive