Though I hate to admit it now, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 was nowhere on my radar until my Virtual Bastion comrade, Hatm0nster, wrote about last spring. Hindsight being 20/20, I should have played then when its hype was beginning to amass. But at the time, I was on my own train with a bevy of different new games that I had been planning to try/play. With the turn of the new year, and my of-the-moment RPG, The Outer Worlds 2, in the rear view, I set my sites on Clair Obscur. As of writing, I’m deep into the game’s second act, and I get. I get the praise, the awards, and the non-stop accolades. Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 exceeds expectations and defies “industry standards.” Is it perfect? No. No game is. But it excels across the board, from graphics to storytelling to music. It’s with that last in mind that brings us to today’s subject: Monoco’s theme.

I won’t go as far as to say who Monoco is, only that he is, initially, a boss-level encounter. As with other bosses in the game, he comes with his own theme song. But holy cow, not just any theme song, oh no, no, no. Monoco receives one of the most enthralling, unexpected, and grooviest boss themes I’ve ever heard in a game. I mean, that growling beat that comes crashing out of the gate is one thing, but the upbeat saxophone and synth piano that follow are like icing on the perfect cake. The theme’s fusion of jazz, funk, and industrial is like nothing else. I found myself so very captivated by this music that I almost had trouble concentrating on the battle at hand. I simply couldn’t believe what I was hearing and how good it both sounded and worked with the scene. It really put my brain through a “does not compute” moment, and I loved every second of it!

Look, we’ve all played games with excellent soundtracks. Clair Obscur’s soundtrack has tinges of music that I’d expect to hear in a Persona game, jazzy music infused with rock sensibilities alongside quieter tunes of reflection and melancholy. The music of Clair Obscur captures the epic feel of a cinematic masterpiece while also remaining deeply rooted in the world of the game. Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 has been widely celebrated, and this sentiment is likely to prevail until the “next big thing” hits players out of nowhere. It truly is a must-play, and its soundtrack is a must-listen.

Lede image captured by author during Xbox gameplay of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 (© Sandfall Interactive).