Oxenfree

Oxenfree is a supernatural adventure about a night on Edwards Island that spirals out of control for five teenagers. Alex travels with her new stepbrother Jonas to a beach party on the former military island. When the group picks up a strange signal, the line between present and past begins to dissolve.

Instead of combat, exploration and conversations take center stage. Decisions determine how Alex deals with the others and what consequences events have for their friendships.

Oxenfree first came out for PC and Xbox One in January 2016. Steam lists Jan 14, while Night School Studio and the German Xbox Store give Jan 15. The PS4 version followed on May 31, 2016, and the Nintendo Switch version on Oct 6, 2017.

Oxenfree: Netflix Edition came out for iOS and Android on Sep 24, 2022. The mobile version is playable for Netflix members without ads and in-app purchases.

Oxenfree is available for PC, PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, iOS and Android. According to Steam, the PC version supports Windows, macOS and Linux. The game is playable on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S via the respective older console version. There is therefore no standalone PS5 or Xbox Series release of the first part.

The Switch version supports controller and touchscreen and uses HD rumble. On smartphones, the Netflix version is available for members. For all versions: Oxenfree is a single-player adventure.

Alex explores beaches, caves, abandoned buildings and facilities on Edwards Island. Instead of a classic combat system, she examines places, talks with her companions and solves puzzles with a portable radio.

The characters move through the locations together. Conversations continue while exploring, so the narrative and movement are not constantly separated. An important role is played by how long Alex waits with an answer or whether she interrupts a conversation.

Oxenfree received additional game scenes, plot variations and endings as a free content update in 2016. The separately available original soundtrack adds music, not story. An additional story expansion does not need to be bought for the full adventure.

For the original Windows version, Steam lists at least an Intel i3 processor at 2.0 GHz, 2 GB RAM, a graphics unit with Shader Model 3.0 support and 1 GB memory, and 3 GB free storage. Recommended is an Intel i5 at 2.5 GHz with 4 GB RAM.

The operating systems listed on the product page date from the time of release. For current use via Steam, the newer minimum requirements of the Steam client apply.

The dialogue system makes conversations an active decision. Alex can react to others, stay silent or cut them off. Relationships change over the course of the night, without the adventure becoming a series of isolated dialogue menus.

Different decisions lead to different scenes and possible endings. Even on further playthroughs, new connections can be discovered.

With her radio, Alex searches for frequencies that should not actually exist on the island. Voices, interference and mysterious signals make hidden events accessible. Turning the frequency dial thus serves exploration, puzzle solving and the story at the same time.

The eerie broadcasts connect the island with its military past. The game focuses more on atmosphere and uncertainty than on action.

Edwards Island was once used by the military and holds secrets from the Second World War. When Alex and her friends open a ghostly gateway, they must understand what happened on the island and how they can influence what has happened.

The story combines youth drama with psychological horror. Its key twists depend not only on supernatural events, but also on how Alex deals with loss, family and trust.

In the English original, Alex is voiced by Erin Yvette. Gavin Hammon voices her stepbrother Jonas, Britanni Johnson plays Nona, Avital Ash plays Clarissa and Aaron Kubin plays their shared friend Ren.

Each character brings their own relationships and conflicts to the trip. The group's reactions to Alex’s words in particular shape the course of the adventure.

The electronic music and sound design come from scntfc. Synthesizer sounds, distorted radio signals and calmer passages help make everyday conversations on Edwards Island increasingly ominous.

The soundtrack is also available as a standalone music release. It is not an additional section of the game.

On Steam, Oxenfree offers English voice acting and on-screen text in German, French, Italian, Spanish, Russian and Simplified Chinese, among others. The PS4 and Switch versions also support German text.

The Netflix mobile version expands the text localisation to 31 languages. The voices remain in English. The exact language range may differ between platforms.