Critical Play: Oxenfree

I played the free mobile version of this game (which is about the first 4 scenes) and wow I was entranced. I am considering buying the full version. I’ve never really played a game like this so I didn’t really know what to expect from a walking simulator.

Oxenfree is supernatural thriller about a group of kids who are on a spooky island. As soon as the game begins, the story does too. You are given the freedom to walk around in addition to the freedom of choosing your own dialogue, both of which affect the game. Even though there is no direct “action”, the game still demands attention, as there is still suspense in the discovery.

I expected more of a mystery type of game where there is less of a narrative, but in fact the characters’ background is quite important to the story line and dialogue. Walking not only allows the story to unfold, but also gives a deeper insight to the characters. It seems like there is so much of the world to uncover, but you are able to uncover in a way that follows the story. The story continues by literally just walking, discovering, and talking. This with the added vocal effects of the characters speaking gave me an experience that made me not put my phone down for an hour, and almost convinced me to buy the full version.