Stellar Blade Director Declares Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 His Game of the Year

Despite being in the middle of producing Stellar Blade's highly anticipated PC port, Hyung-Tae Kim, director of Stellar Blade and CEO of Shift Up, has found time to indulge in other standout titles—the breakout RPG Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. And not only did he finish it—he declared it his Game of the Year.

Kim shared the news via social media, where he praised Expedition 33 and thanked developer Sandfall Interactive for creating such an impactful game. 

His praise wasn’t casual either: Kim revealed that he clocked 96 hours in total and earned every trophy on PlayStation.

“I finished Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 in 96 hours, and it’s my GOTY! Thank you, SANDFALL Interactive!”— Hyung-Tae Kim shared on Twitter.

A Shared DNA With Stellar Blade

Though Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is a turn-based RPG, its reaction-based combat—which includes real-time dodges, parries, and weak point targeting—clearly resonated with Kim, given the mechanical similarities to Stellar Blade.

And yes, Kim likely noticed another familiar detail: Clair Obscur includes light jiggle physics for both male and female characters. While more restrained than the exaggerated style found in Goddess of Victory: Nikke, it's the kind of stylistic detail Kim has become known for.

Praise Across the Industry

Kim joins a growing list of high-profile fans—including Twitch streamer Asmongold and even French President Emmanuel Macron—who have publicly praised Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. 

With over 2 million copies sold, a 94% positive rating on Steam, and a record-breaking Metacritic score, the game is widely seen as a top contender for Game of the Year 2025.