

And the world the team has created, ever altered by the supernatural beings in the style of an old VHS recording, is brilliant and immersive. The art direction is gorgeous and intentional, taking full advantage of the small studio’s equally small budget. The voice acting is generally excellent as well, especially by those portraying Alex, Jonah (Alex’s new step-brother), and Ren (Alex’s childhood best friend). The writing is excellent, and keeps you guessing along the way (particularly in New Game +, which I’ll cover in a bit). Overall, pretty par for the course.īut there is a lot in Oxenfree that elevates the game beyond the typical “thriller” status. The game is built around Alex’s journey to save her friends, overcome the supernatural, and escape the island. Things go awry, however, when the main protagonist, Alex, accidentally awakens something “other-worldly” with her hand-held radio. The pacing, intensity, and plot dynamics also go above and beyond for the gamer’s experience.” Patrick had a few complaints, namely a lackluster ending and an overly easy and straightforward experience.įor those who may not know, Oxenfree is a choice-driven narrative game about five teens who have traveled to an empty island for a night of campfires and booze. The atmosphere and feel of the game is totally engrossing and a marvel to look at. Needless to say, Patrick was enamored and gave Oxenfree a 9/10, stating “Overall, Oxenfree is a highly enjoyable experience that excels compared to most other narrative driven games. Night School Studio, the development team behind the project, was made up of Telltale and Disney alum, and it showed in the best of ways through a story about teen struggle, life and death, and the value of relationships. The game had released about a week and half prior to surprisingly positive reviews and had captured the interest and imagination of the gaming community with its strange premise and artistic approach. Back at the end of January, BagoGames’ own Patrick Kennedy published his review of the indie hit Oxenfree, the story-driven PC game that had seemingly come out of nowhere.
