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The backdrops for the Island are varied and interesting, taking inspiration from paintings and boasting a type of hand-drawn approach not many developers attempt, and it pays off very well. The art direction is equal parts both simplistic and rich. Bear in mind though that this mainly comes a problem at the end for the last 30 minutes or so. Later on however, when you are trying to pick up the last secrets, where there is no conversation, it can be very monotonous and slow as the characters insist on walking at a leisurely pace. It isn't a main issue for the most part, since the dialogue is interesting so you will want to stop and listen. You will find that you'll spend most of your time holding the analogue stick down, while watching Alex and friends walk then stopping when someone begins a conversation so you can have any chance of paying attention and responding to the dialogue. Oxenfreejuggles these feelings with ease and superiority but it is not immune to some stumbling and pacing issues.Īs you might of noticed in the title, I describe Oxenfree as a 'Walking Simulator.' The reason for this is the lack of input while traversing the game's Island. There are moments that made me cry, some made me laugh, and particular segments made me feel very uneasy. Although this games is a type of coming of age story, it does not shy away from hitting particular emotional topics, such as suicide and the death of loved ones. Each character has their own past and personality that shines through allowing them to react realistically to the supernatural and deadly events that unfold in the story. A character you might despise at first can become one that you understand and relate to as information provided by certain 'flashbacks' comes to light. The characters are also central to the plot and narrative, and the relationships you forge feel realistic and human. What's worse is that once you pick a response, it cuts out the character speaking mid-sentence so you are unable to sometimes hear the whole conversation. Many times I had to pause the game to read each response, and that it broke the immersion. However, the system does have a problem where the responses fade away too quickly for you to listen to a character and make your own response. This allows for a lot of replayability, as there are multiple endings dependent on the conversations you have with everyone around you. You will usually have three choices of things to respond with or, you don't need to say anything at all, each has interesting and unique responses from your companions and even affects the outcome of the game.
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One of the standout features of the game that helps to carry the story is the branching dialogue system - a well appreciated choice that allows for a realistic branching narrative. For the most part the story holds together well, however if you are unable to find all the secrets it can be even more confusing than it already is. Throughout the 6 hours, your friends become possessed, you have to break time loops and try to contain these beings. Alex has an old style radio and upon venturing in a cave, you tune into an anomaly that manifests into a rift in time to the discovery of 'ghosts'. You meet Ren, (her good friend) Nona, (a shy but likeable girl) and Clarissa (the stereotype 'better than you' character). The game begins on a boat traveling to Edwards Island, as Alex, (you the main protagonist) a rebellious teen who takes her brand new Step-Brother Jonas to an overnight annual party.