Winner: Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
Writeup by Zach Wilkerson
It seems strange now to call Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 a “Sleeper Hit.” After all, I can still remember watching the trailer in my hotel room at Summer Game Fest 2024; I knew this game was my jam. That music! That combat! Oh, and look at how pretty it is!
Still, no one, not even the developers, could have predicted just how big of a hit Expedition 33 would turn out to be. How it would mash up tons of different games and systems and create something truly magnificent that transcends the genre and is now fully a part of the cultural consciousness. I mean, even my students who only ever talk to me about Sekiro want to hear my take on a French, turn-based RPG. If you told me that as I first got eyes on that trailer, I can only imagine the sound of my laughter. That sure sounds like a Sleeper Hit to me.
Runner-Up: Blue Prince
Writeup by Hilary Andreff
One of the best things I can say about Blue Prince‘s hit potential is that it fully gripped multiple colleagues of mine who don’t usually play videogames, and it did not loosen that grip. Every time I saw them, they were eager to tell me about their new discoveries exploring the mansion at Mount Holly, and I was equally excited to hear. Somehow, sole creator Tonda Ros found the perfect formula of gameplay, visuals, story, and music (from Trigg & Gusset) to create hours and hours of intrigue and satisfying problem-solving. I wasn’t even that mad when I got stuck! Just, don’t be afraid to talk through ideas with others and pay no mind to the giant conspiracy board of notes I created while playing.
