I just finished this game. To tell you the truth, it was amazing. It’s been in my queue for quite some time, and I purchased Oxenfree on a whim two days ago. The soundtrack is great, full of luscious electronic tracks, and really fits the feel of the game, whether you’re traveling through the woods or visiting with ghosts.
In this single-player video game, you play as Alex, a rebellious teen who lost her brother roughly a year ago. She brings her new stepbrother, Jonas, to a military island. Along with several other friends, she opens a rift that opens up a temporal timey-wimey crack in time, allowing ghosts to talk to them directly through magical triangles, radio signals and the occasional possession of one of her friends. Determined to get off the island, and figure out the mystery behind the ghosts, Alex, Jonas, Ren, Clarissa, and Nona all must embark on a dangerous journey.
The artwork is beautiful for this game. It’s simple, yet wonderful in it’s coloration, and overall feel. I love the crackling bonfires. I love the triangular trees, so lush and full of greenery. I love how the soundtrack ties into the overall game-play, and how the world around you changes due to song or glitches that leave the screen all wobbly and fizzy like on a VHS. (Please tell me you remember the white and black lines of tuning VHS’s. I swear I’m not that old.)
I love how the dialogue choices are different colors, and how they get bigger once you’ve selected your choice. It’s wonderful, effective, and interesting all at once.
I love it when your choices matter in video games, because it’s like a virtual feel of a choose your own adventure type book. Oxenfree gives you choices like make enemies with all your friends, for example. This video game challenges you to make the right choice only in a short amount of time, like when you’re having a real conversation with someone. (I sometimes missed my opportunity to speak because the choices went a little too quickly at times.)
This is a fabulous game, one that is definitely re-playable. I highly recommend Oxenfree to anyone who likes having choices in video games.
The Nerdy Nook 