Like 2016’s critically acclaimedOxenfree,Oxenfree II: Lost Signalsis a time-bending adventure game that sees our heroes struggling with their past, present, and future as they attempt to fight off an invasion of spectral nasties. You’ll walk around a bunch, solve some fairly light puzzles, and make choices that can have a serious impact on the overall outcome of the story.
WhereOxenfreesaw us playing as teenager Alex as she attempted to save her friends from the otherworldly threat on Edwards Island,Lost Signalsputs us in the mud-caked boots of army dropout Riley. Riley has returned to her hometown of Camena to help investigate anomalous radio signals along the coast. But when a tear in reality itself appears over Edwards Island and strange hallucinations haunt her every step, it’s clear that only she can stop whatever’s going on.
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Do you need to have played the originalOxenfreeto appreciate the intricate workings of this new adventure? Not necessarily. Most of the need-to-know info is relayed to you during the sequel’s opening chapter, but some knowledge of the first instalment will certainlygreatlyenhance your understanding of and appreciation forLost Signals. Plus, you know,Oxenfreeis one of the best indies ever made, and you can get through it in less than five hours. You really should start there.
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While Riley comes to us as a fully formed character with her own mysterious past, it’s still up to us as the player to decide who she is in relation to the many different characters she interacts with over the course of the game.
Oxenfree 2 / credit: Netflix
The experience of actually playingLost Signalsis more or less exactly the same as it was inOxenfree. On paper it all sounds horrendously dull. You trudge up and down the forests and mountains of Camena against some admittedly gorgeous backdrops, occasionally using your radio to excise a ghost or unlock a door. But if you played the first game you’ll know it isn’t a thrill-a-minute metroidvania - and it’s not supposed to be.
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Moving around the town takes time, time that you spend listening to Riley and Jacob talk about their lives, about the weird night they’re sharing, and anything else they can think of. The dialogue inLost Signalshas an easy naturality to it, and each of the game’s performers is able to elevate what is already a beautifully written script. Certainly, there are those who will complain about it being a “walking simulator” - and maybe in some ways it is - but it’s a perfectly paced one that knows when to ramp up the horror and when to let us just sit with the characters.
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Speaking with these ancillary characters makes the world feel much larger than it did inOxenfree, which in turn makes the stakes that much grander. When, or even if, you decide to help and engage with these characters also impacts your story’s final outcome in a number of surprising ways.
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Pros:Excellent performances, a mind-bending story, beautiful score, brilliantly realised side characters
Cons:Some backtracking (if you don’t immediately know where you’re going)
For fans of: Oxenfree, Stories Untold, Kentucky Route Zero
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9/10: Exceptional
Topics:Netflix
