Game of the Month #67 (August 2020) - Oxenfree

Oxenfree is a supernatural thriller about a group of friends who unwittingly open a ghostly rift. Play as Alex, a bright, rebellious teenager who brings her new stepbrother Jonas to an overnight party on an old military island. The night takes a terrifying turn when you unwittingly open a ghostly gate spawned from the island's cryptic past. How you deal with these events, your peers, and the ominous creatures you've unleashed is up to you. YOU determine every aspect of Alex's story while exploring Edwards Island, uncovering the base's dark past, and changing the course of your friends' lives.

I'm excited about this. I've had the game in my backlog for a while and I've always been very curious about it. And because of what it looks like, I think this will generate interesting discussions.

Like I said in another post, the game was included with the itch.io bundle. I think it's also availability with Game Pass, and Epic gave it away a while ago as well.

I played this some time back. I think it was from Games with Gold. I enjoyed it, gave it 8/10 - same as I recently gave Wind Waker. It's an interesting game with some plot twists that were...well, interesting. IDK what kind of replay value it has.

The game's description, IMO, is a bit misleading - though not to the detriment of the game. It's not really horror or a thriller. There's little tension most of the time as it's slow-placed, but it had a fun atmosphere that most games don't do. Kind of spooky, supernatural, but not too scary to present a roadblock to my completion.

Gameplay itself is...there? Pretty minimal. It's actually similar in some ways to a TellTale game but with less interaction and no QTEs. There's also collectibles, which as always I don't recommend going after even though I did. I was disappointed because I couldn't find the last anomaly :/

But overall, good game. Not sure I'd call it a must-place for any reason but the general atmosphere, but that's a good enough selling point to lift the game up.

I came away with a mixed-to-negative impression of this game when I played it back in 2017. I won't be participating this month but hopefully you all have a better experience with it than I did!

I've never played Oxenfree before. I just started the download on switch and I will start my playthrough soon.

Sounds interesting. Count me in :) Just starten to download it on switch.

Just had my first playthrough

I've just been to the Fort and saw clarissa jump out a window and her body disappear right after. I've now head into the woods to find ren

At first it didn't really grab me and felt alot like one of those teenage camp type stories with lot of teenage drama surrounding it but after I made the first major choice of the game the mystery started to pick up and now I'm interested to see where it goes. I won't say it's the most thrilling story out there but i probably have a decent story along the way so i'll continue

At the moment the thing that really sticks out to me is it's more dynamic dialogue options. I think this the only I've played where all conversations feel more fluid then the stop and start of other games like this where people stop and stare and wait for your input before making a choice. Of course it hs it's limits as the other side will just stop talking when you make your decision.

Alright, so I'm an hour in to it and the game is very interesting so far. It's a bit slow in the first 20 minutes but after that there's this huge mystery and the game becomes part horror. I think the backgrounds look great but they ruin it by putting 3d models over it. So far, I like it.

I remember hearing about Oxenfree around when it came out I think. Then I forgot about it for a while. I almost got it on the Switch semi-recently but passed on it. Then it showed up in the giant itch bundle and so it went into the backlog. I won't be starting it yet I don't think as I have some other stuff I want to tackle right now but definitely going to get to it later this month. It sparked my curiosity and the dialogue progression sounded intriguing.

I didn´t like Oxenfree when I first played it, because I expected something different from what the game turned out to be in the end.
I was looking for a mystery and what I got was generic spooky stuff and I hated how the dialogue system was handled.

I've just had my first session of my first playthrough. Played for ~70 minutes and I'm at EXACTLY the same spot as knalb. So far it's interesting. The first 20 minutes were annoying like Finnedorb has also mentionned. I think Ren may have some anxiety issues since he talks so fucking much. I like the ambiance and the soundtrack fits the game well. I'm intruiged by the story and I'm curious to see where this goes...

The whole dialogue thing was annoying at first but once ou get used to it, it does feel a lot more fluid. I'd like to share some nice screen captures but it's hard to do without spoilers as pretty much everything that is interesting to capture in this game is spoiler material.

Edit: I'm playing with a gamepad and really like the button mapping for the dialogues. It's quick and easy to choose what to say next. The game controls nicely with a gamepad in my opinion.

I guess I can share this one from very early in the game. I thought the scene looked nice...

I‘m in the same spot as you two. First playthrough aswell.

In the start I was searching for away to tone down the music, as I felt it was too loud which makes it harder to follow the dialogue. Maybe it‘s because I turned on the subtitles and lowered volumes or maybe I just got used to it or maybe the mixture is better but now it is okay for me.

The dialogue system is interesting. Feels like I can really control the story. In most other games I've played I felt a lot more limited. But i tend to select answers too fast and sometimes the persons stop talking before their finished.

I have mixed feeling on the dialogue system, and others like it. On the one hand, yeah it feels more dynamic and lifelike, but in real life I try not to interrupt people...I think that it should be timed and have a "time-out" dialogue state, but have you not interrupt unless interrupting will actually change the outcome.

The art style, yeah it's also mixed. I didn't mind the mixing of art styles, but I can see it being an aesthetic clash.

As I said, I thought it was a good, fun mystery game.

Also, tiamat: I don't think he has anxiety, just a talker IMO.

Started it today and played about two and a half hours. Been having a lot of fun with it! I like the art style, and I didn't expect to get into a kinda horror-y atmosphere like it did. Just knew it had some misteries, but since the story appeared to be the main draw of the game, stayed as spoiler free as possible. Just got to the part where You find the radio with new frequencies to open the door. and I think the game opened up a little more now. Not sure how much of it is left to be honest, unless I want to mess around, explore more and find the little hidden things.

While I don't think all the cast is really fleshed out so far, I have come to care for them, and like their interactions and social workings. I'm liking some of them more than others, definitely. But seems like an interesting group of people to get to know through the game. Not really people like them in real life tbh, but yes as interesting fictional characters.

Also, I don't know if it happened to anyone else or it was just me. But I actually got stuck at one point because of a glitch and had to re-start the game. Jonas just got stuck on a wall somewhere, and he was needed for the next event so the game didn't let me interact properly with the required object. For anyone curious it was when I decided to go towards Ren first, and I had to restore power to the lift. I couldn't actually interact with the switch to turn on the power, since Jonas wasn't there.

Really looking forward to continue with it this week!

Just played one more hour and got to the point where I get the radio with extended frequencies. Now I'm really curious to know what the hell is going on. Also, have you guys noticed that creepy thing about all those pictures Jonas is taking with his cell phone? I was like "What the hell is this?!". It's interesting because of each time you think you've made progress, you're actually adding more questions than answers. I can't wait to understand what's going on.

I've got a feeling that a lot of people will complete this game very early on in the month. ;)

Well, that was a short little experience - for the first time in a long time I've actually completed the GOTM before the end of the month... hell the month has barely started and here we are. Suffice to say that I really enjoyed Oxenfree, as it kept me interested enough to finish it in (almost) a single sitting. I played for about an hour this morning, then smashed out the final 4 hours or so this afternoon.

In short, I really like the presentation (graphics/soundtrack/voice acting), and the story was interesting and reasonably well put together. I don't do ratings, so I'll just say that I really enjoyed this game, but not without a couple of complaints and difficulties. I'll try and tag out anything spoiler-ish...

Initially though, I had issues getting the game to run at all, which was eventually fixed by opting into the "pre-localisation" beta on the steam beta branches. I don't know why, but it's a solution I found in the forums, and It worked for me. Additionally, when running in full screen the game was choppy and had an awful frame-rate, but in windowed mode it was smooth as butter. No idea why, but keep those things in mind if you have similar issues.

Also ran into a couple of bugs where I had to restart the game - mostly because another character got stuck somewhere and then didn't show up for a conversation or something necessary. It only happened a couple of times, but I had to retread a few scenes, which was a bit of a pain.

Before I forget, these are my end stats (obvious big end-game spoilers):
I ultimately got the happy ending where everyone loves me and everyone survives (woot)
Ren and Nona got together.
Michael didn't die, and he stayed with Clarissa so they're both there at the end.
Jonas is also alive, but not my step-brother, even though we bonded throughout the game, so we dig each other and gonna get freaky later.

I noticed that other than Ren and Nona getting together, my other outcomes were only shared with roughly 16% of other players, so they're probably a little bit on the rare side, which is fun.

The biggest let-down for me were some mechanical issues that ended up being more frustrating than anything else. Like some others in the thread, I didn't enjoy the dialogue system, but mostly because it didn't function well for me. I was playing with mousey keys and often I'd click on a dialogue option, only to have it not register and then disappear before I noticed. Not sure why, but it just meant that every now and then I wanted to respond in a certain way, but the game thought I didn't click on anything and just moved on. I also didn't like how choosing responses would interrupt other dialogue and cut conversations short. I feel like I missed out on a lot of nuance and detail thanks to always interrupting everyone.

However, despite all that I still really enjoyed the game for the most part. I wouldn't say that it's very clever or mind-blowing, but it certainly presented some interesting situations. The "puzzles" if you can call them that, were very light and easy to get around - once you figure out that your radio holds all the answers to the universe, you're pretty much home free - so even though it felt like a point-and-click at times, it definitely avoided becoming a test of moon logic.

What really stood out for me was the beautiful environments and ambient soundtrack along the way. Of course, it might not be to everyone's taste, but I liked the hand-painted backgrounds, even if they stood out against the 3d-model characters at times. There are times like when manipulating the triangle-thingys in the cave where the mix between graphic styles really works well, and I ultimately enjoyed it all the way through.

Plus, even though some of the characters could be annoying as hell, I thought the voice actors did a great job. Especially considering how dialogue heavy this game ends up being, and how often I get annoyed at annoying voices, which didn't really happen here. Perhaps part of that relies on who you choose to take with you into certain areas, so maybe you don't get annoyed by that wanker you left behind, but I still think they did a decent job. I'm used to thinking that this kind of dialogue is a big old cringey try-hard fest, but not with this game. It actually kind of worked well.

Finally, here's some very spoiler-y interpretations of the plot that mean very little, but may be interesting either way:
For me, this wasn't really a ghost story, even though that's what it literally says it is. Simply because of how you can change the outcome with Michael and how it's possible to keep him alive and influence what other players will do. I LOVED how you eventually make some dialogue choices that other players will see in their games as the "reflections" that we saw earlier on. I researched it a little afterwards and it's pretty cool that you might get different prompts, depending on what another player chose to tell you in their playthrough.

Anyway, I though the story itself was more about grief and loss than anything else. The obvious points being that you brother died and now you're trying to deal with it in a place that you shared and is special to you both. Not only that, you're there with his girlfriend, who you don't like and your new step-brother who is potentially "replacing" him. All of that leads you through the time loops as momentary bouts of overwhelming grief, which you attempt to deal with in one way or the other. The fact that you can choose to be a total prick to everyone and leave them behind, kind of says that you're able to heal from the experience in a number of different ways. I chose to be nice to people for the most part and tried to make an effort with Jonas, but when given the option, I was determined to try and change what happened to Michael and to tell him how I felt.

That's perhaps the real magic in the game for me, as I really enjoyed the parts where you're remembering Michael and choosing what to say to him. I get sappy with just about any sibling relationship in stories, and this was no different. There were some truly touching moments here and there, which is an accomplishment on its own. Maybe that's why I feel like the ghosts and everything supernatural in the plot, is just a way to illustrate the conflict and emotional turmoil we're meant to be experiencing. It felt like the story of the sailors who died in the submarine accident was a real thing, but mixed with our character's grief, she manifested a way to externalise and deal with her loss by expanding on the story and creating fantastical elements that explain how she feels.

Anyway, that's some thoughts I had on the plot, but as with all things that are open for interpretation... I don't expect anyone else to agree or have the same experience. That's what makes reading everyone else's thoughts so interesting!

(edited for typos - hopefully got them all)

Started it today and played about two and a half hours. Been having a lot of fun with it! I like the art style, and I didn't expect to get into a kinda horror-y atmosphere like it did. Just knew it had some misteries, but since the story appeared to be the main draw of the game, stayed as spoiler free as possible. Just got to the part where You find the radio with new frequencies to open the door. and I think the game opened up a little more now. Not sure how much of it is left to be honest, unless I want to mess around, explore more and find the little hidden things.

While I don't think all the cast is really fleshed out so far, I have come to care for them, and like their interactions and social workings. I'm liking some of them more than others, definitely. But seems like an interesting group of people to get to know through the game. Not really people like them in real life tbh, but yes as interesting fictional characters.

Also, I don't know if it happened to anyone else or it was just me. But I actually got stuck at one point because of a glitch and had to re-start the game. Jonas just got stuck on a wall somewhere, and he was needed for the next event so the game didn't let me interact properly with the required object. For anyone curious it was when I decided to go towards Ren first, and I had to restore power to the lift. I couldn't actually interact with the switch to turn on the power, since Jonas wasn't there.

Really looking forward to continue with it this week!

I had the exact same issue at that part - he got stuck and didn't come over to flip the switch for the cable car and then later he didn't show up for another conversation and then teleported into the scene, but was lying down on the ground and kept talking from there. - very weird, but thankfully not too game-breaking!

Well, that was a short little experience - for the first time in a long time I've actually completed the GOTM before the end of the month... hell the month has barely started and here we are. Suffice to say that I really enjoyed Oxenfree, as it kept me interested enough to finish it in (almost) a single sitting. I played for about an hour this morning, then smashed out the final 4 hours or so this afternoon.

In short, I really like the presentation (graphics/soundtrack/voice acting), and the story was interesting and reasonably well put together. I don't do ratings, so I'll just say that I really enjoyed this game, but not without a couple of complaints and difficulties. I'll try and tag out anything spoiler-ish...

Initially though, I had issues getting the game to run at all, which was eventually fixed by opting into the "pre-localisation" beta on the steam beta branches. I don't know why, but it's a solution I found in the forums, and It worked for me. Additionally, when running in full screen the game was choppy and had an awful frame-rate, but in windowed mode it was smooth as butter. No idea why, but keep those things in mind if you have similar issues.

Also ran into a couple of bugs where I had to restart the game - mostly because another character got stuck somewhere and then didn't show up for a conversation or something necessary. It only happened a couple of times, but I had to retread a few scenes, which was a bit of a pain.

Before I forget, these are my end stats (obvious big end-game spoilers):
I ultimately got the happy ending where everyone loves me and everyone survives (woot)
Ren and Nona got together.
Michael didn't die, and he stayed with Clarissa so they're both there at the end.
Jonas is also alive, but not my step-brother, even though we bonded throughout the game, so we dig each other and gonna get freaky later.

I noticed that other than Ren and Nona getting together, my other outcomes were only shared with roughly 16% of other players, so they're probably a little bit on the rare side, which is fun.

The biggest let-down for me were some mechanical issues that ended up being more frustrating than anything else. Like some others in the thread, I didn't enjoy the dialogue system, but mostly because it didn't function well for me. I was playing with mousey keys and often I'd click on a dialogue option, only to have it not register and then disappear before I noticed. Not sure why, but it just meant that every now and then I wanted to respond in a certain way, but the game thought I didn't click on anything and just moved on. I also didn't like how choosing responses would interrupt other dialogue and cut conversations short. I feel like I missed out on a lot of nuance and detail thanks to always interrupting everyone.

However, despite all that I still really enjoyed the game for the most part. I wouldn't say that it's very clever or mind-blowing, but it certainly presented some interesting situations. The "puzzles" if you can call them that, were very light and easy to get around - once you figure out that your radio holds all the answers to the universe, you're pretty much home free - so even though it felt like a point-and-click at times, it definitely avoided becoming a test of moon logic.

What really stood out for me was the beautiful environments and ambient soundtrack along the way. Of course, it might not be to everyone's taste, but I liked the hand-painted backgrounds, even if they stood out against the 3d-model characters at times. There are times like when manipulating the triangle-thingys in the cave where the mix between graphic styles really works well, and I ultimately enjoyed it all the way through.

Plus, even though some of the characters could be annoying as hell, I thought the voice actors did a great job. Especially considering how dialogue heavy this game ends up being, and how often I get annoyed at annoying voices, which didn't really happen here. Perhaps part of that relies on who you choose to take with you into certain areas, so maybe you don't get annoyed by that wanker you left behind, but I still think they did a decent job. I'm used to thinking that this kind of dialogue is a big old cringey try-hard fest, but not with this game. It actually kind of worked well.

Finally, here's some very spoiler-y interpretations of the plot that mean very little, but may be interesting either way:
For me, this wasn't really a ghost story, even though that's what it literally says it is. Simply because of how you can change the outcome with Michael and how it's possible to keep him alive and influence what other players will do. I LOVED how you eventually make some dialogue choices that other players will see in their games as the "reflections" that we saw earlier on. I researched it a little afterwards and it's pretty cool that you might get different prompts, depending on what another player chose to tell you in their playthrough.

Anyway, I though the story itself was more about grief and loss than anything else. The obvious points being that you brother died and now you're trying to deal with it in a place that you shared and is special to you both. Not only that, you're there with his girlfriend, who you don't like and your new step-brother who is potentially "replacing" him. All of that leads you through the time loops as momentary bouts of overwhelming grief, which you attempt to deal with in one way or the other. The fact that you can choose to be a total prick to everyone and leave them behind, kind of says that you're able to heal from the experience in a number of different ways. I chose to be nice to people for the most part and tried to make an effort with Jonas, but when given the option, I was determined to try and change what happened to Michael and to tell him how I felt.

That's perhaps the real magic in the game for me, as I really enjoyed the parts where you're remembering Michael and choosing what to say to him. I get sappy with just about any sibling relationship in stories, and this was no different. There were some truly touching moments here and there, which is an accomplishment on its own. Maybe that's why I feel like the ghosts and everything supernatural in the plot, is just a way to illustrate the conflict and emotional turmoil we're meant to be experiencing. It felt like the story of the sailors who died in the submarine accident was a real thing, but mixed with our character's grief, she manifested a way to externalise and deal with her loss by expanding on the story and creating fantastical elements that explain how she feels.

Anyway, that's some thoughts I had on the plot, but as with all things that are open for interpretation... I don't expect anyone else to agree or have the same experience. That's what makes reading everyone else's thoughts so interesting!

(edited for typos - hopefully got them all)

I kind of wish I'd not played this originally so I could experienced it again and remember more. As it stands, I don't really have an "interpretation," but I tend to take stories at face value. If it shows me spooky stuff and time loops, that's what the story has IMO, even if the developers say "oh it's actually a manifestation of the character's emotions." Not saying I disagree with your interpretation, just that I have my own straightforward one even if Word of God says I'm wrong. Though that creates a sort of no-win scenario for me: I don't like wishy-washy "it didn't actually happen" twists but I also don't like that there's an infinite time loop.

Anyway, looking at my achievements, the endings I got were:
Not everyone hated or loved me, I think. I suspect I annoyed Nona, because...
Ren and Nona didn't get together. I think I may have liked Ren but not Nona and kept them apart.
I didn't save Michael, so Jonas is my stepbrother. I have this...hang-up about changing the past, even if I want to. Too many variables, unseen consequences. Better the devil you know, right? Had to let him die. The timeline demands it.

I may replay it anyway for some achievements and use a guide to catch the last anomaly.

I kind of wish I'd not played this originally so I could experienced it again and remember more. As it stands, I don't really have an "interpretation," but I tend to take stories at face value. If it shows me spooky stuff and time loops, that's what the story has IMO, even if the developers say "oh it's actually a manifestation of the character's emotions." Not saying I disagree with your interpretation, just that I have my own straightforward one even if Word of God says I'm wrong. Though that creates a sort of no-win scenario for me: I don't like wishy-washy "it didn't actually happen" twists but I also don't like that there's an infinite time loop.

Anyway, looking at my achievements, the endings I got were:
Not everyone hated or loved me, I think. I suspect I annoyed Nona, because...
Ren and Nona didn't get together. I think I may have liked Ren but not Nona and kept them apart.
I didn't save Michael, so Jonas is my stepbrother. I have this...hang-up about changing the past, even if I want to. Too many variables, unseen consequences. Better the devil you know, right? Had to let him die. The timeline demands it.

I may replay it anyway for some achievements and use a guide to catch the last anomaly.

That's precisely why I enjoy different interpretations - I don't think there's any "correct" way to interpret something (especially when it deals with fantasy elements and obvious fiction). I love that your take on the story was different to my own, that's rad! Also, I'm not actually sure what the intended message was supposed to be - but often I agree with you and hate it when there's a big bait and switch type twist in the story - like "it was a dream the whole time" - that kind of story telling is lazy IMO and I'd much rather something like Oxenfree where I feel like my own take on the story was something I pulled from it - not something that was shoved down my throat =)

Love seeing the different ending stuff as well - very cool.

I think it's just a credit to the game that at least the writing doesn't get in its own way and allows for multiple takes, which is better than some other options out there!

So uh, I got the bad ending. Unless that's the only ending, in that case what the f*ck Oxenfree. Everything ended on a timeloop that will likely repeat until the end of time

Ignoring the ending though, the game was pretty good. I wasn't a fan of the art style, but the dialogue felt real (ignoring the ghost sh*t) and the characters were good except Jonas.

Overall pretty good.

I just completed the game. It was shorter than expected at 3h30. Not sure I really understand all that happened. Which is both cool and wierd at the same time. Back to the main menu, what does "Continue the timeline" means? Is that you can try the loop again until you get a better/different ending?

I think this is what's cool about the game. You keep questioning what the hell is going on. I kinda like that. It's like, you keep thiking about stuff you've said and done and wonder "what if". Since it was so short, I'm considering another playthrough to see if I might actually do things differently. Especially those 3-4 moments where you talk to yourself through reflections. Is it possible that you need to repeat the same sentence, and if you don't, things to bad?

I just completed the game. It was shorter than expected at 3h30. Not sure I really understand all that happened. Which is both cool and wierd at the same time. Back to the main menu, what does "Continue the timeline" means? Is that you can try the loop again until you get a better/different ending?

I think this is what's cool about the game. You keep questioning what the hell is going on. I kinda like that. It's like, you keep thiking about stuff you've said and done and wonder "what if". Since it was so short, I'm considering another playthrough to see if I might actually do things differently. Especially those 3-4 moments where you talk to yourself through reflections. Is it possible that you need to repeat the same sentence, and if you don't, things to bad?

I think the "Continue the timeline" thing is simply starting again and replaying the "loop" - if you recall, right at the end when you're looking at the photo, the voice over goes from recalling the events, to prefacing their trip to the island.. implying that it looped back to the start again =)

The other part with the reflections, are based on other players - as in, the reflection you see and the dialogue that occurs, are from another player during their game - when you're on the other side and select your own dialogue options, those will appear in another player's game in the future - it's kind of a way for other players to influence your decision making as they suggest choices that you could make, but you're not actually tied to it. It's a really interesting system!

I think the "Continue the timeline" thing is simply starting again and replaying the "loop" - if you recall, right at the end when you're looking at the photo, the voice over goes from recalling the events, to prefacing their trip to the island.. implying that it looped back to the start again =)

The other part with the reflections, are based on other players - as in, the reflection you see and the dialogue that occurs, are from another player during their game - when you're on the other side and select your own dialogue options, those will appear in another player's game in the future - it's kind of a way for other players to influence your decision making as they suggest choices that you could make, but you're not actually tied to it. It's a really interesting system!

Yeah, I did notice that time glitch at the end of the credits where the whole thing starts again.

As for the other thing, it does make sense now. I was wondering why there was my actual name (Michel) above Alex's head at the end part of the game. I've just checked my recording from the scene at Adler's house and there is a "Charlie" above my reflection in the mirror. I had notice the names before but could not understand why they were there. It is very clever

Yeah, I did notice that time glitch at the end of the credits where the whole thing starts again.

As for the other thing, it does make sense now. I was wondering why there was my actual name (Michel) above Alex's head at the end part of the game. I've just checked my recording from the scene at Adler's house and there is a "Charlie" above my reflection in the mirror. I had notice the names before but could not understand why they were there. It is very clever

Where is it pulling these names from, I wonder? Do you put it in at some point?

Also, for anyone who wants replay spoilers: the time loop continues until you make the right set of choices that preempts the loop to begin with. It's another reason I don't like the ending: either the game never ends or it never starts. I wish there was a way to escape the loop after the game happens, so it doesn't feel so pointless.

Where is it pulling these names from, I wonder? Do you put it in at some point?

Also, for anyone who wants replay spoilers: the time loop continues until you make the right set of choices that preempts the loop to begin with. It's another reason I don't like the ending: either the game never ends or it never starts. I wish there was a way to escape the loop after the game happens, so it doesn't feel so pointless.

No, I never had to input my name anywhere. I'm playing on Epic. I've just checked and my username on Epic is tiamat911, as usual. But if I go in the account management on Epic's website, I did input my first and last name in there. That's the only possibility I can think of.