Long-time adventure gamers have seen it all; the highs, the lows, the dead husk of their once favorite genre wrapped up in the burrito shells of third-person shooters… Adventure gaming releases like the ones in the ’90s under LucasArts and Sierra were long gone for the better part of a decade, but the 1080p versions of Choose Your Own Adventure books have had a phoenix-like rise back into relevancy in recent years.
The golden years of adventure games, like when Tim Schaefer ruled the world and full motion video thought it would take over storytelling with “interactive movies,” are long gone, but there is a healthy corner of the gaming community loyally dedicated to more narrative-based outings, and yes, they’re much more than just walking simulators. Oxenfree is a perfect distillation of the adventure game resurgence.
Since its announcement trailer in spring of 2015, it seems like Oxenfree‘s hype has been directed more towards who is behind the game than Oxenfree itself. Formerly of Disney and Telltale, cousins Sean Krankel and Adam Hines founded Night School Studio with a crew of ex-Disney/Telltale staff in 2014. Maybe to escape the chains of franchise fatigue and create something they could call their own.
In Oxenfree, you’ll take control of Alex and her a group of friends; high school juniors full of angst who are just, like, lookin’ to have a good time, you know? They’ll make crappy jokes, look to connect with Alex on a personal level, and as you’d expect, explore dynamic relationships that can branch out depending on who you like, dislike and how much of a jerk you are to those around you. You’ll use a radio as a primary gameplay mechanic, but that’s easily dismissed as something to keep your fingers busy as you walk from location to location, build relationships with your friends, and un-peel the onion that is this weird island.
Don’t expect any spoiler alerts. I’ll say right now that if the trailer interests you, and you’re down for a spooky afternoon or evening on the couch while being enveloped in some superb voice acting, you’ll want Oxenfree in your game library.
Artistic Achievement
Oxenfree‘s visuals are clean, fresh and smooth with a gorgeous and unique art style. The gameplay is simple. Rather than “walk here, press this button, watch this cutscene,” you can partake in conversations while sitting down, drinking a beer from a plastic cup, and make choices that will change the way your dopey buddy who won’t share the weed brownies looks at you forever. The dialogue options reveal exposition without being hammy about it, and the voice actors are top-notch, nuanced and interesting. Seriously — I’m on my second time through, and it’s easy to get sucked in by Oxenfree‘s realistic dialogue — even if it sometimes relies on easy jokes that admittedly seem like a clever high school junior and her stoner buddy would spout off. It’s kind of like Gilmore Girls had a vacation in Alfred Hitchcock Presents.
The soundtrack is pulsing and creepy. Maybe like an LCD Soundsystem Halloween album. You’ll probably end up wanting to have it in your collection after you finish the game, but that would put the price tag at $25.
Innovation
Oxenfree is less cinematic than some adventure games, but more immersive. This may ruffle some feathers, but I felt like this was more engaging than the latest few Telltale titles. It may be unfair to have to constantly compare the companies, but that’s the curse they bear. Little things, like being able to cut off dialogue when responding to your mates on the island, some odd choices in tone, and a heavy-handed third act don’t take away from the real emotions this game can bring out. Still, this is a simple game, and that’s a good thing. Everything works. It’s not innovative, but it perfects the genre it embraces so lovingly.
Staying Power
Hand the controller over to someone you know who likes an interesting story, but doesn’t game, and they’ll probably finish Oxenfree in one sitting. It begs to be played at least twice, but after that, it’s all about how much you really want to unlock every achievement possible. Does the story have staying power? The Walking Dead creator Robert Kirkman’s movie studio is looking to adapt Oxenfree to the big screen, if that helps you make a decision on the story. Oxenfree demands multiple play-throughs, but at $19.99 sans soundtrack, it’s already a pretty steep price tag considering what their competitors charge. Still, it’s a small price to pay for quality, and Night School Studio has clearly created a quality game full of touching moments to go along with the low hanging fruit.
Bullsh*t Factor
It’s hard to get over what could be one of the worst dick jokes to ever grace videogaming, if not all of modern storytelling, but Oxenfree is a game made with love that adventure game fans will probably play for many years to come, although there’s very little to do beyond chasing trophies once you beat it once or twice. Because of this, the price tag is a little high, and there are a few bugs, like clipping into the environment, which we were told have been fixed before the official release.
Final Thoughts
Night School Studios’ first game is a weird and sometimes obnoxious title full of heart and style. Put simply, Oxenfree is a combination of Dear Esther, Everybody’s Gone to the Rapture, Gone Home, Telltale’s various (fantastic) games like The Walking Dead, A Wolf Among Us, with a heavy dose of Broken Age, Vanishing of Ethan Carter and Kentucky Route Zero. If you’re a fan of any of those titles, you’ll like Oxenfree. And if you’re a relative newcomer to the genre, you’ll probably love it.