I'd make it depend on the length. Expedition 33 is shorter. So if you want an experience that you can finish quickly you should choose that. If you want to spend weeks to months on a game choose BG3.

Both are great. Maybe play E33 first and go to BG3 after that.

They're very different games, in my opinion. If "bang for your buck" is most important then BG3 has objectively more content. It's way longer, has way more side content and can support many playthroughs.

I think BG3 is a very good game, but it is not perfect and it is somewhat overrated. It's a great game, but not the best game ever. It has a fair share of flaws, and while the writing is fine it's still very much videogamey.

Expedition 33 is more of a work of art. It still has its problems too, but at all the critical points it delivers in spades. It's got a great cast of characters, beautiful art direction and a story with resonant themes that will hit home with most people. Plus one of the best soundtracks of all time. It's got fantastic presentation, some incredible set pieces and moments and phenomenal voice acting, direction and facial expressions. Even though the game is turn-based, the implementation of active elements like Parry and Dodge will feel very familiar to you coming from Elden Ring. In fact, one of the gameplay designers used to be a Sekiro speedrunner, and it shows.

From your frame of reference BG3 is more like Skyrim I'd say, in that it can almost be your "forever-game". People put thousands of hours into it over dozens of playthroughs and it has a very vivid modding scene. Expedition 33 is all about that one, cinematic impactful playthrough. Maybe you play it a second time to pick up on foreshadowing and stuff like that.

For me personally I had a great time playing BG3, but I will eventually forget about it. I spent fewer hours in Expedition 33, but the experience will stay with me way longer.

They're very different, so you need to figure it out for yourself. Both are great, but we don't know your tastes. I would recommend BG3 though, for what is worth.

However, if you're strapped for cash, I would recommend playing indie games. They're often more interesting than these larger budget games (though these two are exceptions to large budget games being shit), and they're usually like $20 max. Most people can get more out of Factorio or Dwarf Fortress, for example, than they can out of these games, at a much lower price.

Expedition 33 is very good at what it does. It's a great experience, well worth the money (though I found combat to be repetitive over time) and as others have already explained, a lot more artistic.

BG3 however was a mind-blowing game for me. The amount of choices you have at every point was something I'd always wanted, and I'd always been let down.

I still think about E33s story often after my ~20h playing it, but for BG3 I really wish I could play it again for the first time, after having played over 200 hours already.

If you mostly play Souls games, I have to lean towards E33 due to the real-time parry mechanic. Both games are amazing and you won't regret playing either.

I completely and utterly loved both of those games, but if I had to choose I'd go with Baldurs Gate 3, simply because it gave me many many more hours of gameplay while keeping things fresh enough for multiple playthroughs and is very fun multiplayer with up to 4 people, though also fun single player. Expedition 33 is a lot of fun but strictly single player and for 1 playthrough, replays are just the same but a little harder.

Highly recommend both when you can, each will consume a nice part of your life

BG3 is a master class in RPG fwiw.

BG3 never goes much below it's current sale. It's slowly going lower, but it's going to stay that prices for a while because it's worth the money and it's in high demand.

Both games are on sale on resellers as well which might get you some better prices:

https://isthereanydeal.com/game/baldurs-gate-3/info/

https://isthereanydeal.com/game/clair-obscur-expedition-33/info/

I'm not usually a fan of turn based games.

Baldur's Gate 3 hooked me. It was one of my favorite gaming experiences ever. I played through it two and a half times, consecutively.

I couldn't get through Expedition 33. It's very well done, but the story itself never hooked me. It just felt too abstract, like it never got me emotionally invested.

And the gameplay was too narrow. I'm sure it opened up after a while, but it would still be the same kind of turn based combat the whole time.

What others have failed to mention is how Expedition 33 is much more of a linear story where BG3 is comprised of a multitude of non-linear branching paths where "save-scumming" is important for new players.

Skyrim has the non-linear branching paths, but Bethesda doesn't like cutting you off from content based on the path you choose so usually you can still continue to pursue other paths. Baldur's Gate 3 is much much less forgiving and makes your choices matter and impact the paths you can take deeply. This can be daunting for new players.

I personally love games in the style of BG3 with non-linear branching paths and decisions that force specific paths, but they can be tricky to get used to if you haven't experienced them before.

If you are more comfortable with the more linear stories, Expedition 33 is probably closer to what you'll be comfortable with. However they are both worthwhile in many differing regards.

No wrong choice. Though if you like Skyrim so much I’d say you’d prefer BG3, ever so slightly

If you're strictly speaking about how many hours of playtime you will get out of it, than BG3. Both games are awesome though (in totally different ways).

If you have a strong stomach for unbelievably cringeworthy theater kid energy but really fun gameplay, go for Baldurs Gate 3.

If you want to be upset during really fun gameplay, go for Clair Obscur.

I didn't care for BG3 at all, don't understand all the hype. Expedition 33 is genuinely great though.

Baldurs Gate 3 only because it has numerous endings while Expedition 33 has 2. Otherwise difficult choice.

I enjoyed both, but members of my family who are into souls like games enjoyed E33 more.

You could get GamePass and play Expedition 33 at a cheaper price.

Also, three examples you quoted are both first person based, while BG3 is not.

They're both amazing games so I don't think there's a wrong choice here. I'd say art, music, and story go to Clair Obscur while gameplay, replayability, and sex scenes go to Baldur’s Gate 3.

For interesting game mechanics and replay value: Baldur's Gate 3.

For beautiful music and nice scenery: Expedition 33.

If I had to choose, it would be BG3.

I think bg3 just went on sale.

Yes

BG III is significantly longer, so if that's important to you 🤷‍♂️ Otherwise both are great games

I played BG3 twice but I bounced off of E33. But I’m not as much of a fan of JRPGs so /shrug. I might go back to it at some point though.

I recommend starting with bg3. It felt like more bang for the buck and the characters are chefs kiss. Both are soulful story-driven rpgs so can't go wrong either way.

I'm playing Baldur's Gate III right now and I'm having a blast. Great game so far! Play with friends if you can and adopt roles, even funnier that way! (I'm a bard who is always trolling)

I enjoyed Expedition 33 much, much more. BG3 just made me feel stressed and confused. But if you're used to Souls games you probably wouldn't have the same issue I did.