Oxenfree is a single-player graphic adventure game played from a 2.5D perspective, with the player controlling a teenager named Alex. Its central mechanic is a "walk and talk" system, where dialogue appears as speech bubbles and the player chooses responses in real time while still moving and exploring, shaping relationships with the other characters. Puzzles are solved largely by tuning a handheld radio to specific frequencies or adjusting tape recorders. The game has no fail state, and the player's choices lead to one of several possible endings. It was followed by a sequel, Oxenfree II: Lost Signals.
A genuinely creepy creation, Oxenfree combines a clever story and smart dialogue mechanics with superbly sinister music to leave a deep and lasting impression on the player, one that should encourage an all-important second playthrough. Fans of Stranger Things and Poltergeist will love the direction this game takes – if not to hell and back, exactly,...
Inventive, spooky, and compelling, marred only by an overly vocal cast. The story is clever, you will want to see this to the end. Surprisingly deep mechanics, and a different take on managing NPC opinions. Overall a very logical and thoughtful game.
Oxenfree isn't a horror game with a message, but it's still got lots to say.
Oxenfree was an unexpected delight for me. Atmospheric, beautiful and with the ability to feel real connections between its characters.
In a lot of ways, OxenFree is the first game in quite awhile that focuses on the art of audio and video to engage the player. Limbo comes to mind, a title that might be more expressionistic than this, but nonetheless both get under the skin. Also, like Limbo, OxenFree begs to be replayed beyond just the reward of multiple endings. What resonates most...
