I sometimes felt like I didn’t have enough to do. Long walks from area to area make sense because they leave room for important conversations, but walking often dragged on too long. However, Oxenfree’s pacing is strangely inconsistent. It’s a smart touch that’s consistently effective. Your companion might be in trouble, and how you react to that might affect how much they care for you at the end. Sudden time loops add mystery and urgency to conversations, and that urgency in turn furthers the development of the characters and their relationships, which are so integral to Oxenfree’s story.

Time and AgainThe time-travel aspect of Oxenfree is fascinating enough on its own, but it’s excellent because of its effect on the characters and their dynamic. And, without spoiling anything, there’s also a neat social integration that makes time loops extra intriguing. A campfire appeared where there wasn’t one before, and then a soccer ball that I had trouble kicking. I’d be walking through Oxenfree’s island and talking somewhat casually, only to be torn back to an earlier point in time and notice things are subtly and unsettlingly different this time. “Time loops” warp the environment, reset conversations, and reveal the darker parts of the characters and their world. Creepy audio crackles through the radio, and then everything changes. Oxenfree’s story progresses as you build and discover relationships with its interesting characters, but the clever twist is using a radio to tune into the supernatural side of things.

Oxenfree game review gamespot