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As you've probably already seen, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 swept up 9 awards during The Game Awards 2025 last night, including Game of the Year.
Now that the game is once again in the spotlight and receiving so much recognition, I'm sure many people are going to dive into this incredible story for the first time.
I became absolutely obsessed with Expedition 33 shortly after it released in April, beating it within a few weeks. I'm not exaggerating when I say that developer Sandfall Interactive and publisher Kepler Interactive's turn-based RPG is a masterpiece, from its poignant story and engaging combat to its somber art style and hauntingly beautiful soundtrack.
Like many of you, I ended up listening to its main themes, "Une vie à t'aimer" and "Maelle," sung in French, multiple times on Spotify after starting my first playthrough. These melodies convey an acute sense of longing and awaken a bittersweet emotion, satisfying some unconscious part of my soul.
Thing is, I never took the time to look up a translation for either of these songs until now — and I'm glad I didn't until after beating the game.
It turns out the lyrics for "Une vie à t'aimer" and "Maelle" actually revolve around the main conflict and plot of Expedition 33.
As such, I recommend you don't look up the translation (or don't focus on it too much if you speak French) before beating the game unless you're okay with spoilers.
And for those of you who have beaten the game already, I recommend looking at the translation to see for yourselves what it was telling you all along.
That all said, listen to these beautiful songs again
To be fair, Expedition 33's plot is incredibly complex, more so than many other video game storylines, so you might not fully understand what the lyrics to these songs are alluding to, depending on where you are in the game.
Still, the sentiments the songs convey might make you come to a realization earlier than you'd like. And I personally like to come into a game plot not knowing anything.
I don't want to spoil anything, so I'll just say that Expedition 33's ending went somewhere completely different from where I expected it to go. My husband and I have had several long discussions about it, and I won't say more than that, or I'll end up spoiling something.
That all said, as long as you don't speak French (or don't pay attention to the lyrics too much if you do), then I highly recommend giving these songs a listen again. They're too beautiful to only experience within Expedition 33, as wonderful as that game is.
Lyric translations from Google Translate [SPOILERS AHEAD]
For those who really want to know what the lyrics say, I've included them below, one after another. Spoilers ahead.
A Lifetime of Loving You [Une vie à t'aimer]
[Verse 1]
Stop loving me, I will always love you
Put down that brush, leave that canvas, Renoir (Aline)
I will always paint, stop painting
Put down that brush, leave that canvas, Renoir (Aline)
[Verse 2]
Blazing colors
Fiery red, life taken away
A painting I cannot see
Close my eyes, only darkness remains
In black, his sad eyes
Through the gold, his laughter persists
In every color, a part of him
To love him always, even if he is no longer here
[Chorus]
Painting love, painting life, crying in color
On the canvas our love is dying, I love you
Painting love, painting life, crying in color
On the canvas our love is dying (remains), I love you
Maelle
[Verse]
I will always love you
I will still dream I will still cry
To love, to forget, and to dream I will cry for you
[Chorus]
Maelle has a life to paint
Sweet faded star
Alicia has a life to paint
A verse in the night
Moon near him
[Chorus]
Maelle has a life to paint
Sweet faded star
Alicia has a life to paint
A verse in the night
Moon near him
This game is amazing and everyone should play it
If you haven't played this year's Game of the Year winner, then I highly recommend you do so. I've enjoyed playing it on my gaming PC and my Xbox Ally X. It's a title that I'm sure I'll revisit several times in the coming years.
Hell, I think I might start yet another playthrough now that new content was revealed for it during The Game Awards.
FAQ
What game won Game of the Year at The Game Awards 2025?
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 walked away with 9 awards total including Game of the Year.
Is Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 worth it?
Yes, especially for those who enjoy turn-based combat, single-player adventures, and game with engaging plots.
How long does it take to beat Clair Obscur: Expedition 33?
It typically takes players around 35 hours to beat the game's main story, but if you take the time to do everything the game has to offer, you can easily spend 80 hours or more playing it.
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