Xbox Game Pass is losing one of the best RPGs I've ever played, but you still have time to roll credits

One of the greatest RPGs of all time, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, is leaving Xbox Game Pass very soon, but subscribers still have time to finish its story for free before it returns to its full RRP.

Released in April 2025, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 took the video game industry by storm, instantly becoming a leading Game of the Year contender. For the record, the Sandfall Interactive RPG pretty much made a clean sweep at some of the industry's most prestigious ceremonies, taking home a host of awards.

Without giving too much away, Clair Obscur has one of the most emotional stories in recent times. It’s set in a dark fantasy world inspired by Belle Époque France, where you follow Expedition 33 as they attempt to stop the mysterious Paintress, who kills people of a certain age.

Don’t make the mistake of skipping Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 on Xbox Game Pass

Clair Obscur is leaving Xbox Game Pass on October 15, 2026. This should give you plenty of time to finish the story of this critically acclaimed RPG before it leaves the service and then you have to pay for it. In that respect, it also saves you $49.99/£44.99.

According to the aggregate website HowLongToBeat, if you focus purely on the story, it can be finished within 30 hours. If you want to do all the extras, you’d then be looking at 45 to 70 hours.

How many times have you looked at a game that’s free on Xbox Game Pass or PlayStation Plus and thought to yourself, “I’ve heard how great that game is; I’ll play that later”? But you never do, and when you do decide to play it, that game has left the service. You can’t let that happen with Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. Don’t regret it.

What games are similar to Clair Obscur: Expedition 33?

In general, if you love the RPG genre, there’s every chance that you’ll fall in love with Clair Obscur. While it is a really unique game in its own right, its turn-based RPG combat does share some similarities with the likes of the Final Fantasy series, as well as Persona and Metaphor: ReFantazio.

That being said, since Clair Obscur launched last year, I’ve seen many gamers comment on social media and talk in videos about how this game is not only their first RPG, but specifically their first turn-based RPG, even for those who had no interest in the genre before. So, in other words, whether you’re an RPG fan or not, you need to give Clair Obscur a chance ASAP before it leaves Xbox Game Pass.

READ MORE: Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 DLC dream teased, actor 'wants more'

What do players think of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33?

On the aggregate website Metacritic, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 scored 92 from critics and 9.4 from users. It more than earned its “Must-Play” accolade. On OpenCritic, it’s 98% recommended by critics and scored 100 from users, earning the “Mighty” accolade.

“There were moments I was brought to spilling a couple of tears, alongside some that had me laughing riotously. The battles, which can so often feel stagnant in a bustling genre, are refreshing, tactical, and delightful,” we said in our review, scoring it an “excellent” 8/10.

“This is a wonderfully imaginative game, bursting with identity, and it has a lot to say about important topics. Yes, the path is a bit muddy and cumbersome, but the destination is worth it, and the journey is magical.”

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is available on PC, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S.