Players can select dialogue options at any time during conversations, choosing to wait for other characters to finish, to interrupt, or to remain silent.
At the same time, Alex remains free to move around and navigate the game world.
Gameplay is built around the " walk and talk" mechanic: instead of dialogue occurring during cutscenes, speech bubbles appear over Alex's head, giving the player a choice between two or three dialogue options.
After accidentally unleashing a paranormal force on the island, Alex and company must figure out what the force is and how to stop it. The player controls Alex, a teenager visiting a local island with a group of friends. Oxenfree is a graphic adventure played from a 2.5D perspective, with three-dimensional characters navigating two-dimensional environments. The player has three possible dialogue options visible.
A sequel titled Oxenfree II: Lost Signals, as well as a series adaptation has been announced for the game.Īlex (left) and non-player characters Jonas and Ren converse while Alex tunes the radio. The game was nominated for multiple awards including "Best Narrative" at The Game Awards 2016 and "Outstanding Achievement in Story" at the 20th Annual D.I.C.E. Oxenfree 's release was accompanied by development documentaries, an alternate reality game, and a collector's edition, and was met with generally positive reviews, with critics praising the presentation and characters, although some of them were left wanting more. Musician scntfc composed the game's soundtrack, which features digital music production techniques alongside the use of vintage analog tape recorders and receivers. Oxenfree 's visual presentation marries dark, organic, and analog elements with bright, geometric, and digital ones. Influenced by classic teen films and coming-of-age shows, the developers wanted to create a story-driven game without cutscenes, allowing players to roam the environment freely. After seemingly supernatural events occur, Alex and her friends must unravel the secrets of the island. In Oxenfree, players assume the role of the teenage girl Alex on a weekend trip to a local island. PlayStation 4 and Linux versions were released later in 2016, followed by iOS, Android, and Nintendo Switch versions in 2017. It was released for Microsoft Windows, OS X, and Xbox One in January 2016. Due to the nature of the game it contains quite a number of ‘jump scares’.Oxenfree is a supernatural mystery/ horror graphic adventure game developed and published by Night School Studio. The words are seen in a large speech bubble above the head of one of the characters.
In this particular instance the sentence “I'd screw Clarissa" / "I'd screw Nona" is used in reference to the 2 female characters. This appears during a game in which a character is required to make a comment about another member of the group.
There is also the use of sexual innuendo during a ‘party’ on a beach. However, after a short while she stands up and walks away and does not display any injuries consistent with a fall from height. Whilst so possessed, they can be raised into the air and can be heard uttering guttural spluttering noises and then fall silent and drop to the ground only to recover a short while later a character that is possessed is seen to jump from an open window, the character lands on the ground with a thump. In Europe, PEGI state: The game features incidents in which characters are ‘possessed’ by unknown forces. Rated ESRB TEEN for Sexual Themes, Drug Reference, Violence, Language, Use of Alcohol And Tobacco.