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I missed the boat on the original Oxenfree when it was released back in 2016. The supernatural tale about a group of friends that discover supernatural events while exploring an abandoned island provided characters with a unique experience in storytelling, allowing players to make dialogue choices while exploring in a manner that combined gameplay and dialogue in ways never seen before. The story was an expertly crafted tale that borrowed from greats like Steven Spielberg while allowing players to fill in the blanks with their own decisions. By the time I played it, I completely understood why players were enamored with the game.
Oxenfree II: Lost Signals carries the torch lit by the first game to wonderful results. Rather than focus on Alex and her friends from the first game, the long-awaited sequel follows brand new characters and a new setting that ties into the original. New players will have no problem understanding the new story, which is something I’ll always welcome.
The sequel puts players in the role of Riley Poverly, who’s returning to her hometown of Camena for what seems like a routine job of setting up transmitters around the town. Soon the job becomes far more than she bargained for when time-loop portals begin opening up and causing havoc. Together with local handyman Jacob Summers, they’ll have to navigate Camena and its ties to Edwards Island from the original game.
Riley is an interesting departure from Alex in the original game. Whereas the first Oxenfree relied on teenage nostalgia and problems, I found the character of Riley to be far more relatable. She represents that period after high school in early adulthood where life feels a little aimless. Her exterior persona may seem like she has it all together but its soon shown that she has internal struggles and doubts. Players can dive deeper into her and Jacob’s backstory through dialogue choices made throughout the game, and I found this to be a completely unique way of building characters. With a focus on less main characters than the first game, Night School Studios are able to dive deeper into their characters in more meaningful ways. It reminds me of some of my favorite “mumblecore” movies in the best way possible.
Oxenfree II employs the same dialogue system from the first game. This means that players will make dialogue choices while navigating the environment, which accurately conveys the feel of two people making conversation while trekking up a mountain or searching a room. Oxenfree II fixes the issue I had with the first game where every character talked too fast, leading to run-on sentences or a jumbled incoherent mess of dialogue. Oxenfree II isn’t afraid to take its time to allow you to get to know its characters through thoughtful dialogue choices. You can have Riley open up about herself and her past as much as you’d like; with every choice I made, I felt like I was peeling back layers until I reached an emotional core. Oxenfree II takes the formula that worked so well in the first game and strips away the nostalgia to deliver an enthralling narrative.
Like the first game, player choice comes through in a lot more than dialogue choices. For example, when Riley is tasked with placing transmitters around Camena, she’s given an open choice where to go first. I chose the first path and was greeted in the 2nd path by an event that could’ve been wholly avoided by taking that path first. Oxenfree II feels far more freeform than the first game which at times felt like it was on a straight line. After seeing certain events unfold, I’m already curious to start up another playthrough and see what different decisions I can make. It’s an engrossing experience to say the least. If you were a fan of Telltale’s style of storytelling, I can confidently say you’ll like what’s on display here. The game also introduces a new walkie-talkie mechanic where Riley can call and receive calls from various characters on her journey. This allows for moments where she can constantly be on the move while interacting with side characters and having dialogue that does some excellent world building.
Oxenfree II lacks in the puzzle department, however. Not only does the game bring back the radio dial puzzles from the first game but also employs a few other surprise puzzles. Though some are creative, others are frustrating to solve, often requiring the use of both thumbsticks in multiple axis positions. Regardless of how I felt about the puzzles, they always ground the story to a complete halt. Even if they weren’t frustrating, I feel they’re uncommon enough that their existence is unjustified.
Speaking a bit more on the story, Oxenfree II delivers more on the horror tone seen in the first but carves out its own path. Players will revisit themes and ideas from the first game but delivered in entirely new context. I found the story a lot more memorable this time around because the game is able to break away from the nostalgia approach of the first one. If the first game is an Amblin-style horror story, this sequel is an adult-style drama that brings cults into the mix. Adding a human enemy to this supernatural story adds an element of urgency that I found the first game lacked in certain parts. Oxenfree II’s story overall is a welcome improvement but honestly which story you prefer is going to come down to personal taste. Fans of the first game will be surprised at how it connects to that original game, which I won’t spoil here.
I played Oxenfree II on PS5 and ran into no issues in my time of play. The framerate got a little choppy when loading a new area but nothing that affected gameplay. The controls are also very intuitive and simple to navigate, but I have to say that I wasn’t a fan of the controls in the puzzle gameplay. This could be that the game never properly explains it, but they never felt right in the slightest.
Overall, Oxenfree II: Lost Signals is an excellent sequel. Not only does it improve on ideas from the first game but it also breaks away enough to tell a story worthy of experiencing in its own right. It’s a fantastic narrative game and a worthwhile improvement that I would recommend.
Review code provided by the publisher.
