Oxenfree

Bought this game and played it multiple times on different platforms. Bought it on the huge sale going on right now to support the devs, and to write this review to encourage others to pick it up.

i first played OXENFREE in around 2018 or so. i remember it leaving me with a very strong impression, playing it six years later i felt that impression once again. at its core oxenfree is an adventure game, it's pretty dead-simple in terms of gameplay, which is a good thing. i could very easily see oxenfree being someone's very first video game, it feels almost designed in such a way to do that. it's also available on most platforms i can think people would have on-hand, including mobile and even as a part of netflix games (i dont actually know how that works, i just know that it's there.) navigation isn't exactly hard, and a majority of the gameplay is exploring screens with very few branching paths, it's all very railroaded, though that's not to say there isn't stuff to explore. on top of the main teen drama ghost story, there's a few collectibles and whatnot that give a bit of extra understanding to what exactly's going on, i think it's neat, and not really that much effort to get everything. the MAIN main stuff is the dialogue. there's a lot of it, and i really think you grow to like these characters (or hate, i liked them) along the course of the story. there's a few options i wish were maybe available, but i don't think their lack of inclusion necessarily harms the story.

oh and it's got a really good vibe. music's good, zones are neat. ghosts. weird geometry if you're afraid of that. it's nice and goes on sale pretty cheap, and i did two playthroughs in about 11 hours.

Right, so imagine you're at a party, yeah? And there's this group of people having what seems like the most riveting conversation of their lives. You want to join in, but you're walking across the room slower than my nan after her hip replacement. That's Oxenfree for you - brilliant chat, painful walking.
Now, before you roll your eyes and mutter "walking simulator" under your breath like some gaming snob, let me tell you something. This game's about as much a walking simulator as I am a flight instructor. It's all about the chat, innit?
The dialogue system's bloody brilliant, actually. You know when you're at the pub and everyone's talking over each other, and you've got that split-second decision to either interrupt like a proper bellend or wait politely and miss your chance? That's exactly what they've captured here. Three dialogue options floating above your head like thought bubbles in a comic strip, plus the option to shut up entirely - which, let's be honest, more people should consider in real life.
The writing's proper authentic too. None of that "How do you do, fellow kids?" nonsense you get in most games. These teens talk like actual teenagers - stumbling over words, talking absolute rubbish half the time, leaving sentences hanging like my mate Johan's DIY shelving project. It's refreshing, like finding a cold beer in the back of your fridge when you thought you'd run out.
The atmosphere's spot on as well. They're calling it horror, but that's like calling a mild curry spicy. It's more like that feeling you get when you're alone in your house at night and hear a weird noise - not scary exactly, just enough to make you question your life choices.
Now, there are some problems. The walking speed's slower than the queue at the post office on pension day. And sometimes you have to backtrack across the island with nothing but your thoughts for company - which, if they're anything like mine, isn't ideal.
It's a short game too, and while your choices do matter somewhat, don't expect dramatically different endings like you're directing your own Hollywood blockbuster.
But here's the thing - and I know this might sound odd coming from someone who made their career taking the piss out of everything - Oxenfree is actually pretty special. It's like that friend who doesn't say much at parties but when they do speak, everyone shuts up and listens. Sure, it might not be the longest game in your library, but neither was Pong, and that did alright for itself, didn't it?
So, should you buy it? Well, if you've got the attention span of a goldfish with ADHD and need constant explosions to stay entertained, probably not. But if you fancy something different, something that'll make you think and might actually surprise you - like finding out your cat's been secretly ordering takeaway on your credit card - then yeah, give it a go. Just don't blame me if you find yourself talking back to your screen like a proper nutter.

It's a fun teenage romp that takes a turn for the strange and spooky. Worth hunting down all the secrets by the way. No secret ending as far as I found, but does change how you earn your ending.

While the game is kinda slow (like what others are saying), the atmosphere is not too bad.
The walking/running mechanism could use a bit of speed up though.
In contrast, the speaking bubble/decision thingy is a bit too fast. Sometime it just gone when I finish reading all of it.

Oxenfree always seemed like a weird game based on what I’ve seen. I’ve played it purely for the 90% off sale on Steam and the fact that it’s a highly regarded game. So the gameplay can basically be boiled down to: go from point A to B, use your radio device to open doors or advance the plot, walk 90% of the time while you’re hearing conversations, make choices based on those conversations, see different outcomes/endings and find a few collectibles along the way. That’s really all there is to it, it’s simple but it’s well presented. The voice actors did a great job, the game has a good visual style and you can get some wildly different outcomes with the dialogues. I played it completely blind the first time and I was a total prick the second time to the point that everyone hated me. It was hilarious!
I highly disliked some of the achievements though. They’re not difficult but they’re incredibly tedious. You need to complete a run where everyone hates you and I felt like I did a good job but the game doesn’t agree, so I had to do another run to get it right. I’ve also tried to get certain characters to date twice and I failed both times because of one or two things I might have not chosen in the conversations. You guessed it, that means you can start a new run. Then there is the achievement where you have to complete the entire game without picking a single dialogue choice. OMG! What is the point of this aside from forcing you to play another run specifically for this and nothing else?! I don’t mind completing the game twice or so, but maybe be less strict about the requirements so you don’t ruin the fun of choices and consequences? Even though it was over 12 hours total, it’s a horrible feeling when you feel your time is being wasted.
With all that said, it’s still a good game to lovers of mysterious stories and different outcomes. When it comes to completionist players, you might want to keep a guide nearby at all times. It’s a shame since it’s all about making your own choices, especially the first time. The normal price of €10 isn’t outrageous but I’m not sure I consider it worth it. €5 or less is better safe than sorry.

Pros: Music, the art style, voice acting, the spooky atmosphere, making different choices.
Cons: The game is too short!
The best part comes when you start to figure out the story. That was quite jaw-dropping!
Tip: You have to play the game twice to get the "true" ending.