Oxenfree

Oxenfree is a two-dimensional adventure game that puts an emphasis on dialogue and character-driven storytelling over action or combat. In this inspired indie coming-of-age tale, players step into the shoes of Alex, a teenage girl who sets out for the curious Edwards Island for a weekend getaway with her friends. As Alex and her friends explore the seemingly abandoned landmass, supernatural occurrences lead them down a rabbit hole of supernatural oddities. In terms of gameplay, Oxenfree is a bit slow-paced, but any gamer who enjoys a well-told story with some significant surprises will surely appreciate this underrated title.

Main Game Features

• Explore an eerie and mysterious island
• Branching story paths depending on your choices
• Discover smartly hidden collectibles

Story

Oxenfree revolves around Alex, a teenager dealing with the recent death of her brother, a new family situation, and the everyday issues of adolescence. Hoping to escape some of her problems for a few days, Alex and her friend Ren, along with Alex's new stepbrother Jonas, head to the nearby Edwards Island for a weekend of hanging out. Upon arrival, they meet up with best friends Clarissa and Nona, forming a ragtag group of unruly teens. Discussing rumors of an abandoned military outpost and ghost sightings, the group head out to explore the island, uncovering some dark secrets along the way. Full of intrigue, mystery, and tons of plot twists, Oxenfree contains an endearing story that's both intimate and exciting. Fans of all-things supernatural will definitely enjoy this creeping trek through the ominous Edwards Island.

Gameplay

While Oxenfree contains a handful of unique gameplay mechanics, the biggest focus is on the story, which is continuously affected by how the player interacts with the world and its characters. A large portion of the game is spent in conversation with other characters as you walk around the island, where you can choose from a variety of dialogue options. Depending on how nicely or poorly you treat your pals, new relationships may form, or rivalries may form. When you're not talking to someone face-to-face, you'll often have discussions over handheld radios, which also play into the exploration element.

By tuning into special frequencies while exploring, players can discover various supernatural events, ranging from ghost sightings to otherworldly portals and more. We don't want to give too much away, but there are some truly memorable and awesome moments to experience. There's no way to lose in Oxenfree, similar to other narrative-driven games like Life is Strange, but negative actions can have big effects on the outcome of the story. While the gameplay feels passive and occasionally tedious, the riveting plot more than makes up for it.

Conclusion

Depending on your taste in games, Oxenfree will either be very interesting or far too passive. If the idea of searching a gloomy island for signs of the supernatural sounds like an intriguing premise and you don't mind a lot of dialogue, you'll likely enjoy it. For those players who prefer their adventure games to have complex puzzles or intense combat, you'll probably find it slightly boring.

Pros

• The script is good and dialogue feels natural
• Your choices matter in the story
• Pleasant art style and music

Cons

• Gameplay can feel pretty passive at times
• Some characters aren't as interesting as others
• Slow pacing that needs some action