In Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, your final choice shapes a haunting narrative with two distinct endings-each a bittersweet reflection on reality and illusion. Will you side with Maelle, embracing a fragile world of painted memories, or with Verso, confronting harsh truths and the cost of freedom? Discover how to unlock both endings and unravel the fate of the Canvas in this definitive guide for PC, PlayStation, and Xbox players.
Following dozens of hours of parries, jumps, and gradient counters, you’ll return to Lumiere. This leads to an epic final clash (against someone you can likely predict but who we won’t spoil), after which you’re given a choice – and everything isn’t quite what it seems. You’ll be met with what seems an impossible decision, and it’s the only choice that truly matters in the game.
Read on to see how to get all endings in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, plus some thoughts about if there’s a best ending.
[Ed. note: This guide contains spoilers for Clair Obscur: Expedition 33.]
Can you see all Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 endings in one playthrough?
It is not possible to see all endings of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 in a single playthrough. The game features two distinct endings-Maelle’s and Verso’s-determined by a pivotal final choice. However, after completing the game and viewing the credits, you can reload a save file from just before the final boss to experience the alternate ending without replaying the entire game.
It’s not technically possible to see both Clair Obscur: Expedition 33’s endings in one playthrough. That said, after finishing the game and rolling credits, you can reload your save to spawn in right before the final choice, if you’d like to see both endings.
There are two endings to Clair Obscur: Expedition 33:
- Maelle’s ending
- Verso’s ending
Read on to see how to get both endings. And note too that there are no achievements or trophies behind the two endings besides the one you’ll get for reaching the ending.
How to get Maelle’s Ending in Expedition 33
To get Maelle’s ending in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, you need to choose to fight Verso in a one-on-one duel near the game’s conclusion. This battle is reminiscent of Maelle’s earlier duel with Gustave and is more cinematic than a typical fight. After defeating Verso, a touching cutscene follows where he fades away, pleading with Maelle not to repaint him as he departs for the afterlife. This ending reflects Maelle’s desire to remain within the Canvas, embracing those inside it as her family, and leads to a poignant resolution of her story.
Maelle’s ending of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is accessed by choosing to fight Verso as Maelle in a 1v1 battle reminiscent of the duel between Maelle and Gustave in the prologue.
This fight is more of a cutscene than an actual battle, and at this point in your playthrough, you should be more than able to take him down. Defeating Verso leads to a sad cutscene where Verso gommages, and on his way to the afterlife, he begs Maelle not to repaint him.
How to get Verso’s Ending in Expedition 33
To get Verso’s ending in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, you must choose to fight as Verso in the final confrontation against Maelle. This triggers a one-on-one duel where you control Verso, and upon defeating Maelle, an emotional cutscene follows where Verso consoles her as she begins to fade away. This ending results in Maelle leaving the Canvas, forcing the world outside to accept reality, and it is often considered the “good” ending because it allows Maelle to face her grief and accept her life beyond the painted world. Verso’s ending also unlocks the Renoir Outfit for Verso, added automatically to your wardrobe after the ending sequence.
The Verso ending of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is accessed in the same choice that allows you to get the Maelle ending. But instead of choosing to fight as Maelle, you must fight Maelle as Verso.
This will trigger a 1v1 fight exactly the same as the Maelle counterpart, except this time you’re on the opposite side of the ideology battle. Defeating Maelle leads to another sad cutscene of Maelle disintegrating in Verso’s arms. Verso consoles her and tells her that as long as she paints in the real world, she’ll never live an undesirable life.
Is there a true ending in Expedition 33?
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 does not have a single definitive true ending. Instead, the game offers two distinct conclusions based on a pivotal choice between Maelle and Verso’s conflicting ideologies. Maelle’s ending embraces staying within the painted world, valuing the family found there, while Verso’s ending advocates facing reality and breaking free from the cycle of grief. The developers designed this choice to be challenging and subjective, reflecting the complex themes of grief and coping. Ultimately, which ending feels “true” depends on the player’s personal perspective, with Verso’s ending often regarded as the one that brings closure to the story’s conflict.
While there is no definitive true ending in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, the best ending in the title will depend. on you. It’s up to you to decise whose ideology you agree with in the game’s finale.
“For me personally, there’s no canon ending,” Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 lead writer Jennifer Svedberg-Yen told AELGAMES. “I think it’s very specifically something we wanted people to, it’s not meant to be an easy choice, and it’s not meant to be an obvious choice. And it’s okay if some people feel there’s an obvious choice, that’s totally cool. If players feel they gravitate towards one or the other, that’s great. But that’s really up to the player based upon who they identify with, based on their own lives and perspectives, what feels right to them.”
At its core, Clair Obscur is a story about grief, and the two extremes of how we deal with it. The title is Clair Obscur, after all. (The French version of chiaroscuro is a painting technique that strongly contrasts light and dark – same coin, two sides, that sort of thing.)
Maelle is tired of the suffering and pain of the lives she has lived. She wants to bring everyone back with the canvas, letting everyone live the long life they deserve, and she is willing to lose herself to the painting. Conversely, Verso believes that while life is unfair, it is essential not to get lost in fantasy while the real world passes you by. He is aware that the grief of his real-world death is tearing his family apart, and the only way to truly make things right is to move on. Neither side presents a perfect solution, but with a topic as complex as grief, you were never gonna get a neat resolution.
Want to discover the secret behind unlocking both endings in Clair Obscur
To unlock both endings in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, you must reach the final confrontation between Maelle and Verso after defeating the last boss, Renoir. At this point, you choose which character to fight as, which determines the ending you get.
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For Maelle’s ending, select to fight as Maelle and defeat Verso in a one-on-one duel. This leads to an emotional scene where Verso pleads not to be repainted and fades away, symbolizing a desire to move on from the painted world.
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For Verso’s ending, choose to fight as Verso instead, defeating Maelle. This ending is often considered the “good” ending, where Maelle vanishes, and Verso comforts her before the canvas and its inhabitants are erased, allowing the spirits to rest.
You cannot experience both endings in a single playthrough, but after completing the game, you can reload your save before the final decision to explore the alternate ending.
What specific choices lead to unlocking both endings in Clair Obscur
The specific choice that leads to unlocking both endings in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 occurs after you defeat the final boss, Renoir. You are then presented with a pivotal decision to fight either as Maelle or as Verso in a one-on-one duel, which determines the ending you receive:
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Choosing to fight as Maelle: You must defeat Verso in the duel. This results in Verso pleading not to be repainted and fading away, symbolizing Maelle’s desire to preserve the Canvas and live in the painted world with her new family.
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Choosing to fight as Verso: You fight Maelle instead, and upon defeating her, Maelle disintegrates while Verso comforts her. This ending emphasizes acceptance and moving on from the painted world, effectively ending the Canvas and allowing the spirits to rest.
You cannot experience both endings in a single playthrough, but after completing the game, you can reload your save before the final duel to explore the alternate ending. Each ending reflects different ideological perspectives on grief, sacrifice, and reality, making the choice emotionally significant rather than simply good or bad.
