After playing Oxenfree II: Lost Signals for half an hour at Summer Game Fest, I immediately felt that the sequel was bigger, bolder, and indeed it was. people who do not know More experienced than its predecessor.
It probably should. In a conversation with Sean Krankel, the founder and director of developer Night School, the original Oxenfree took him 16 months to complete, but the sequel took the studio a full three years to make. I admit that I spent You can certainly see the results of the studio’s efforts. This entry has so far proven to be a much more accomplished piece of work in every way. Character models are now more animated and more detailed. Bring the environment to life with beautiful colors and lighting. Gameplay feels much smoother and more fluid than before.
Story-wise, Oxenfree II is set five years after the first game, when you return to the coastal town of Kamena to investigate strange events after an unusual electromagnetic wave causes interference with your radio signals. starring Riley Povally. It’s all very reminiscent of the mysteries raised in the first game, and even the short sessions we played planted multiple narrative seeds we can’t wait to dig up when we get our hands on the full game. I’m here.
We also really like Riley. The main character of the first game, Alex, was a very angry teen surrounded by teens who were angry with each other, while Riley is a little older, a little wiser, and more outspoken. I talk. Her interactions with her partner, Jacob Summers, often reminded me of Henry and Delilah’s conversation in Campo Santo’s Firewatch, and it was definitely meant for the better. To be honest, I felt it was good to focus on the two core characters first instead of the five that were immediately introduced in the first game.
That aside, it’s clear that Night School has made significant strides in overall gameplay. While it certainly feels similar to the first game in many ways, Oxenfree II is definitely a more immediately gratifying experience. Character movement is now more intuitive, climbing is faster, and it’s much easier to figure out where you need to go.
The biggest improvement, however, comes with the game’s new walkie-talkie system. This time, characters you meet are assigned a specific number through your walkie-talkie, which you can call at any time, even if you’re talking directly to others. This meant that while the time spent on the demo was mostly linear, there were sections throughout the game that required independent investigation, requiring multiple characters to be summoned to follow a particular narrative flow. To do. This is a cool addition and makes the world more alive.
If this piqued your interest but you haven’t played the first game yet, don’t worry. As with almost all recent sequels, Crankel said that while players would definitely benefit from some familiarity with the first game, Oxenfree II wanted to be a standalone story that newcomers could pick up quickly. I admit that it was designed to In fact, he explained that the team was initially reluctant to make protagonist Alex a “hero” of sorts after the first game, and had trouble deciding where to take Oxenfrey. A GREAT ADVENTURE After creating other games, including his title, Afterparty, the team realized that Oxenfree was much more than just Alex’s story, and developed other stories within the same world. I decided to talk about it.
Needless to say, if you’re a fan of the first game, Oxenfree II should be an easy pick. Well, even if you haven’t experienced it before, I encourage you to keep an eye on this as we get closer to the release date. July 12, 2023. This is clearly a game full of mystery and intrigue, and definitely a no-brainer if you like intricately woven narratives guided by well-realized characters.
What do you think of Oxenfree II so far? Have you played the first game? Do you think this might push it in before it arrives? Let us know what you think in the comments below.