If you’re playing on mobile, your current mission is straightforward: stop those pesky kids. Oxenfree ranks as one of my all-time favorite games. Its mix of natural, chatty dialogue and a creepy, podcast-style storyline hooked me right from the start. There’s something about those eerie radio signals, ghostly figures, and the strange warping of time and space that enthralled me as I watched a bunch of sarcastic teens on a final adventure before heading off to college. I’ve recommended it endlessly to friends and fellow gamers alike.
Then, 2023 rolled around, and out came the sequel. Oddly enough, I avoided playing it. I hesitated to dive in, perhaps out of fear that it wouldn’t capture that perfect experience I had with the first one. Plus, Night School’s other game in the meantime, 2019’s Afterparty, really didn’t click with me. However, I finally decided to set my concerns aside. While I was on a short vacation and armed with just my Android tablet, I craved a strong narrative experience and remembered that Oxenfree II was part of my Netflix subscription. To my delight, it’s fantastic! Really fantastic!
Sure, it stumbles more than the original—some parts of the narrative don’t quite line up (possibly due to the choices I made)—and it doesn’t clearly explain why the two main characters have such a strained relationship with teen Olivia. Yet, once again, the game shines with outstanding vocal performances and a captivating, if somewhat unbelievable, storyline (radios don’t work like that!). I’m nearing the end of the game, eagerly anticipating how it all concludes. — John Walker
