Fans of RPG games are feasting this week with the surprise launch ofThe Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remasteredand new IPClair Obscur: Expedition 33. But if you need to choose one to play immediately, there’s a clear winner.
Let me begin by saying that I think you can and should play both of these RPGs if and when you can. But if your options are limited, whether it be for time or money, thenExpedition 33is the one that deserves and needs your attention most.
Oblivion Remasteredis a wonderful feat by Virtuos Games and Bethesda, reinvigorating and reviving an all-time classic for a new audience, as a surprise shadow-drop priced at $50, no less. I enjoy a good Bethesda game as much as anyone, withFallout 3being my favorite example of what the studio can accomplish.
Bethesda is atried-and-true, successful company, and TheElder Scrollsis the most popular RPG series of all time, so it’s a huge draw and astory in gaming right now. But I cannot and will not deny the magical feeling thatExpedition 33has brought when it comes to producing something entirely new-feeling and exciting for RPGs, especially considering it’s the first project from a talented new studio and isa critical success.
And that’s why I think if you only have time or money for one game here and now in April 2025, thenExpedition 33needs to be the one you choose.
I think that gamers need to vote with their wallets and play time for a game likeExpedition 33because it is ambitious, it’s a new IP, and it’s made by a small developer team of about 30 people at Sandfall Interactive, whose passion for turn-based RPGs truly shines through in its spectacular debut. It’s an accomplishment that must be celebrated, and a game that must be played by anyone who considers themselves an RPG fan.
The only real comparison between the games is their genre, so the choice may already be made for many.Oblivionis an open-world game largely played in first-person, as is Bethesda’s forte, andExpedition 33is a turn-based RPG adventure similar to games likeFinal Fantasyor other Square Enix classics.
ButExpedition 33flips the turn-based formula on its head with dodging, parrying, and QTE-based attacks, making combat more reactive and thrilling than you’d normally find in a similar title. Its storyline is interesting and bleak and whimsical all at the same time, featuring jaw-dropping boss fights and cinematic cutscenes that left me with a feeling of true wonder that games rarely bring out of me anymore.
Both games deserve your time and attention, but inevitably, a choice must be made. If you have Game Pass, which offers both games as part of the subscription service, you still need to decide which one to play first.
By all means, go wild in both games if you have the means to do so, but supporting an ambitious developer building a new franchise and advancing the medium forward feels more important than a remade classic that’s already had its time to shine.
In the immediate future, I highly recommend everyone playExpedition 33and support new ambition over retreading (deserved and notable) nostalgia. But even if you chooseObliviontoday,Expedition 33needs to be next on your list.
