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Embarking on a deserted island getaway sounds idyllic, doesn’t it? A chance to escape the everyday and embrace the tranquility of nature. But what if that island harbored secrets, a hidden supernatural presence waiting to be awakened? This is the premise of Oxenfree, the debut title from Night School Studio, where a seemingly innocent overnight trip transforms into a thrilling and chilling adventure. Join Alex and her friends as they navigate the eerie mysteries of a haunted island, and discover why you should experience this captivating story.

Oxenfree – Game Review

A Branching Narrative with Multiple Endings

Oxenfree’s narrative centers around Alex and her group of friends as they explore a seemingly abandoned island. What begins as a typical teenage outing quickly takes a dark turn when their curiosity unleashes a malevolent supernatural force. As Alex, you must navigate the unfolding events and strive to escape the island with your friends.

The game’s core mechanic revolves around choice. Every dialogue option, every action you take, has a ripple effect, influencing your relationships with your friends, the storyline’s progression, and ultimately, the game’s ending. Oxenfree boasts a surprising number of diverse conclusions, especially considering its relatively compact size. This encourages replayability, allowing you to explore different conversational paths and actions to uncover the myriad possibilities.

Oxenfree – Game Review

Whether you achieve a “good” or “bad” ending depends entirely on your choices. The journey to each conclusion is a thrilling experience, filled with suspense, mystery, and a constant sense of unease as you and your friends grapple with the island’s strange phenomena and the ambiguous intentions of the supernatural entity.

Immersive Audio-Visual Experience

Oxenfree’s art style is deliberately minimalist, from character design and environments to its color palette. Despite this simplicity, the game effectively creates an atmosphere of eeriness and mystery. Fleeting glimpses of disturbing imagery add to the tension and horror, enhancing the unsettling nature of the island.

Complementing the visuals is an exceptional voice cast, featuring actors who have lent their talents to games like The Wolf Among Us, Tales From the Borderlands, and The Walking Dead. Their performances breathe life into the characters, delivering natural and believable dialogue that grounds the supernatural events in a relatable reality. Even in the most bizarre situations, the conversations feel authentic, avoiding melodrama and maintaining a sense of realism.

Oxenfree – Game Review

The soundtrack and sound design are equally impressive, contributing significantly to the game’s mysterious and suspenseful ambiance. The audio seamlessly blends with the narrative, immersing the player in the island’s unsettling atmosphere.

Technical Specifications and System Requirements

Developed and published by Night School Studio, Oxenfree falls within the adventure genre and was released on PC on January 15, 2016. Below are the minimum and recommended system requirements:

Minimum:

• OS: Windows 7
• CPU: Intel Core i3 2.0 GHz
• RAM: 2GB
• VGA: 1GB VRAM, Shader Model 3.0
• HDD: 3GB

Recommended:

• OS: Windows 10 Pro 64-bit
• CPU: Intel Xeon E3-1225 v3 3.2 GHz
• RAM: 8 GB DDR3 1600 MHz
• VGA: Colorful GTX 1060 3 GB
• HDD: Seagate Barracuda 1 TB 7200 rpm

Conclusion

Oxenfree offers a unique and compelling narrative experience, blending supernatural elements with realistic character interactions and a branching storyline. The minimalist art style, combined with the exceptional voice acting and sound design, creates an immersive and unsettling atmosphere. With its multiple endings and emphasis on player choice, Oxenfree is a must-play for fans of narrative-driven adventures.