Oxenfree

 Switch
User Score
7.6

Generally favorable reviews- based on 150 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 94 out of 150
  2. Mixed: 43 out of 150
  3. Negative: 13 out of 150
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  1. jpritcha
    Mar 10, 2019
    4
    The dialog and story are great, and I am completely fine with walking simulators that tell a good story. However, the following things killed the experience for me:

    1.) Slow pacing and movement speed The game is 4 - 5 hours long, but feels like it could have easily been 3 or less if the movement speed wasn't an absolute crawl all the time. Short games are fine, but drawn out games    The dialog and story are great, and I am completely fine with walking simulators that tell a good story. However, the following things killed the experience for me:

    1.) Slow pacing and movement speed
    The game is 4 - 5 hours long, but feels like it could have easily been 3 or less if the movement speed wasn't an absolute crawl all the time. Short games are fine, but drawn out games are not.

    2.) The zoomed out perspective
    While some of the backdrops are beautiful, I had a very hard time making out what things were a lot of the time. There are handy little bubbles that let you know what you can interact with, but they felt like an absolute necessity at times rather than a nicety. Also, I had a very hard time empathizing with a cast of characters that I saw as little more then a bunch of ants throughout the whole game. I feel the game would have been much better if the perspective had been zoomed in by 2x or even 3x, or even if it had zoomed in and out based on context.

    3.) The ABSURDLY long loading times.
    They are seriously on the order of 30 seconds or more between areas on switch. What the hell is this game loading!? Each area is little more than a static background, dialogue, and a few simple 3D models. They pulled me out of the experience completely to the point where I would leave, go do something, and come back to avoid staring at a mostly black screen for so long.

    In summary, the core part of the game is great. If you can put up with the flawed presentation and long load times, the story is well worth it. Unfortunately I found myself being pulled out of the experience too often to really enjoy it.    … Expand
  2. TheSeahorse
    Jul 15, 2018
    6
    This game is NOT worth the 20€ price tag and I'm happy I got it at 75% off.

    The game takes about 4-5 hours to complete and the writing and voice acting is really good by game standards. The game falls short however on it's lack of game play, it makes you think you can make choices but all you're really doing is getting different lines of text that all lead to the same point. Buy this    This game is NOT worth the 20€ price tag and I'm happy I got it at 75% off.

    The game takes about 4-5 hours to complete and the writing and voice acting is really good by game standards. The game falls short however on it's lack of game play, it makes you think you can make choices but all you're really doing is getting different lines of text that all lead to the same point.

    Buy this if you like playing games that play out like a movie, and if you don't know if you like games like that, wait for a sale.    … Expand
  3. nusco
    May 12, 2018
    6
    Half teenager movie, half spooky ghost story, Oxenfree is all about the dialogue. Sure, you'll have a heck of a lot of walking around as well–but that feels like an excuse to throw more conversations at you.

    The graphics in Oxenfree are very nice, following the tiny protagonists across the vast landscape. The story is also serviceable, the way that the "teens stumbling upon a    Half teenager movie, half spooky ghost story, Oxenfree is all about the dialogue. Sure, you'll have a heck of a lot of walking around as well–but that feels like an excuse to throw more conversations at you.

    The graphics in Oxenfree are very nice, following the tiny protagonists across the vast landscape. The story is also serviceable, the way that the "teens stumbling upon a supernatural mystery" trope tends to be. But again, this game is ultimately about the relationships between the characters and their conversations, which are your tool to steer the story towards one of its many (and subtly different) endings. Indeed, once the talking is done, the game feels a tad empty, and your sense of agency fades.

    Oxenfree is good fun for a few hours, even though it sometimes dilutes those hours to the point where it deserves the infamous "walking simulator" label. It makes up for that with interesting characters, an interesting backstory, and–oh, did I mention all that dialogue?    … Expand
  4. obigeneral
    Feb 27, 2018
    9
    I don't remember how it felt in my hands... but I started it and seemed to be something like "The Goonies", "Stranger Things"...

    The soundtrack was immersive and that freaking sound of that parallel universe or whatever... I GOT GOOSEBUMPS

    Indie! Re playable!
  5. NothingReviews
    Jan 20, 2018
    9
    Oxenfree is well-polished game with a great story that gets you want to play more and once you finished one play through, then try again as there are multiply endings to this game depending on your decisions. Even on the switch the game looks incredible with gorgeous environment and believable voice actors who did a great types of being certain types of characters. The soundtrack fitsOxenfree is well-polished game with a great story that gets you want to play more and once you finished one play through, then try again as there are multiply endings to this game depending on your decisions. Even on the switch the game looks incredible with gorgeous environment and believable voice actors who did a great types of being certain types of characters. The soundtrack fits everywhere where ever you go in the game and it sounds amazing

    The only problem with this game is that the loading times takes a long time to load.

    But other than that, the game fantastic and I recommend everyone to have this game on there switch.

    Sorry if this review seems similar because I want to change my name but I couldn't so I just signed in with a different account.    … Expand
  6. usmanusb
    Jan 31, 2018
    9
    i think one of the best indie games I have played. An immersive experience with a lot of thrills with great sound effect, sound track and vocals while having a good story with nice graphics. Highly recommend to play it.. I love the experience on playing with Switch while on the bed :)
  7. EnriqueAcevedo
    Mar 8, 2018
    7
    A very interesting game with a good storytelling... I loved Alex. In the negative aspect the price is too high in my opinion and the game is too short for $20
  8. clone1
    Mar 4, 2018
    3
    I liked the way the game looks. That's about all the pros I can list. I did not like the storytelling. The pacing is too slow. The character's dialogues are monotonic, shallow and boring - I could barely sit through the first few scenes. Another issue was the music. Maybe it's just me, but I felt it didn't compliment the setting at all. I.e. the imagery brings suspense and mystery. And allI liked the way the game looks. That's about all the pros I can list. I did not like the storytelling. The pacing is too slow. The character's dialogues are monotonic, shallow and boring - I could barely sit through the first few scenes. Another issue was the music. Maybe it's just me, but I felt it didn't compliment the setting at all. I.e. the imagery brings suspense and mystery. And all you hear is dubstep-ish beats with happy arpeggios in the background. And boy, it was loud! Combined with the dialogue of one the main characters (I think his name is Ren), who talks non-stop it quickly becomes too much to bear. I first muted the TV and then quit.… Expand
  9. Grunty
    May 31, 2018
    7
    6-hours teen movie with small impact of the narrative on gameplay but enough storytelling to keep interested in the whole session. For a cheap price, it is good.
  10. jcvandan
    Jan 31, 2018
    4
    This game is a 1 way ticket to Boreville. Unfortunately during your journey you will also have to sit next to a bunch of annoying millennials whining. Nice graphics and high quality voice acting though.
  11. tomphenom
    Feb 8, 2018
    1
    Infuriating backtracking, slow pacing and incredibly limited gameplay mechanics make this one an easy pass. I gave this game the patience I thought it deserved, but I ended up deleting it from my Switch before finishing. The one interesting gameplay mechanic was the use of the radio receiver, however, there was no development to this mechanic and it quickly became a mere formality. TheInfuriating backtracking, slow pacing and incredibly limited gameplay mechanics make this one an easy pass. I gave this game the patience I thought it deserved, but I ended up deleting it from my Switch before finishing. The one interesting gameplay mechanic was the use of the radio receiver, however, there was no development to this mechanic and it quickly became a mere formality. The character you control walks incredibly slow, and there is no run feature, so be prepared to spend most of your time holding the left joystick in one direction for long periods of time. That is the main gameplay mechanic. Worth $5.… Expand
  12. kermitincarnate
    Apr 9, 2018
    10
    I just finished this and it blew my mind. I went it knowing it was going to be good from what I had heard but it was so much better than anticipated. 10s across the board. Writing, Story. Graphics. Voice Acting. Very, very good. One of those gems you find that hasn't been influenced by the pressure to be conformitive and do well like most triple-a titles.
  13. Switchindiefix
    Feb 6, 2018
    6
    Oxenfree is a good narrative driven game but has significant flaws that let the game down. It's puzzles are simple and repetitive, some of its dialogue seems out of place for the setting and some sections of the game feel forced in there to extend its length. Nevertheless, the story is a good mix of teen drama and supernatural horror and though nothing revolutionary, had me entertainedOxenfree is a good narrative driven game but has significant flaws that let the game down. It's puzzles are simple and repetitive, some of its dialogue seems out of place for the setting and some sections of the game feel forced in there to extend its length. Nevertheless, the story is a good mix of teen drama and supernatural horror and though nothing revolutionary, had me entertained throughout my play through. If you are a fan of narrative driven games you should check Oxenfree out on the Switch, especially at the €4.99 price point I got it at. €19.99 may be a little steep for the game so I suggest you pick it up if it goes back on sale.… Expand
  14. Cerenzio
    Nov 17, 2017
    7
    A pleasant, nice looking, and sounding, little gaming experience. It's short, and yet I was ready for it to be over, but, this is a journey worth taking, if you enjoy variety in your gaming. Visit me on Youtube: PLAYwithGREGG
  15. FranciscoM
    Apr 28, 2018
    8
    Got this game recently on sale and have to say it more than delivers! The music is great, both creepy and relaxing at the same time, the voice work is great, the dialogue is also great and the story is very interesting. For a point and click type game, it's great. Got it for 5 euro, instead of the normal 20 on the Nintendo e-shop. Glad I got such a good game on the cheap, especially sinceGot this game recently on sale and have to say it more than delivers! The music is great, both creepy and relaxing at the same time, the voice work is great, the dialogue is also great and the story is very interesting. For a point and click type game, it's great. Got it for 5 euro, instead of the normal 20 on the Nintendo e-shop. Glad I got such a good game on the cheap, especially since it's one of those games every decision matters and therefore you can replay it plenty of times.… Expand
  16. red_rum_horror
    Jun 21, 2019
    0
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. oxenfree is a beautifully haunting experience of a game. the music perfectly blends with the chilled game play while constantly keeping you tense. when you finish your first play through you come to a brutally horrifying realization, you didn't stop the loop. so you play through again, and you stop it again. you play again and again until the story finally reaches a boiling point and you break the loop, at a cost.
    you never meet nona and nether dose ren, your brother is still dead and you never build your relationship with johnas. oxenfree is a truly amazing game and as I've said before, a must have for the switch.    … Expand
  17. Ewas228
    Jan 4, 2022
    8
    My wish is add to this game Russian Language. Other points made well. Good work for first game.
  18. drlowdon
    Dec 18, 2021
    7
    A group of friends meet up on a small holiday island just off the coast of their home town, but whilst investigating the caves they unwittingly open a rift that allows ghosts to come into their world.

    Aside from the odd (very simple) puzzle, Oxenfree contains little ‘traditional’ gameplay and much of the 4-5 hour run time involves wandering around the island whilst choosing how to    A group of friends meet up on a small holiday island just off the coast of their home town, but whilst investigating the caves they unwittingly open a rift that allows ghosts to come into their world.

    Aside from the odd (very simple) puzzle, Oxenfree contains little ‘traditional’ gameplay and much of the 4-5 hour run time involves wandering around the island whilst choosing how to respond to the other members of your group. I appreciate that this description will instantly put off many gamers, but for those that enjoy this type of game the story is interesting enough that you’ll want to see it through to the end. The fact that your dialogue choices throughout the game effects how the game ends will also encourage repeat plays.    … Expand
  19. traskular
    Mar 27, 2018
    10
    Thought it was going to be another "Firewatch" waste of time. Slow start, but wow, what a finish. Do yourself a favor and play this. I've been playing games for 30 years, and this holds the intellectual merits of a great game.
  20. NunoCast
    Oct 7, 2017
    8
    The game is great but the loading times are too long. I don't know if this problem exists across all platforms (I haven't tried the other versions) but to play this version you definitely need patience. Is it worth it? Yes. The story is incredible, new and fresh and it's very well done and executed. It does an amazing job at creating the right atmosphere.
    The soundtrack and art style are    The game is great but the loading times are too long. I don't know if this problem exists across all platforms (I haven't tried the other versions) but to play this version you definitely need patience. Is it worth it? Yes. The story is incredible, new and fresh and it's very well done and executed. It does an amazing job at creating the right atmosphere.
    The soundtrack and art style are also incredible    … Expand
  21. b00lpr0p
    Jan 24, 2019
    7
    The first game I played on the Switch. I had some fun, but at times it seemed to me a little boring. Sometimes the story did not captivate me. However, it is worth trying for the price.
  22. likevin96
    Dec 25, 2017
    8
    Completion: Finished game once. Tried New Game + but did not finish a second playthrough.

    Pros: - Best dialogue system I have ever experienced in one of these "interactive fiction" games. Every title in Oxenfree's genre should look to it as an example. The dialogue itself was also very natural and believable - something that is very rare from a video game - Great sound direction -    Completion: Finished game once. Tried New Game + but did not finish a second playthrough.

    Pros:
    - Best dialogue system I have ever experienced in one of these "interactive fiction" games. Every title in Oxenfree's genre should look to it as an example. The dialogue itself was also very natural and believable - something that is very rare from a video game
    - Great sound direction - both in the OST and voice acting
    - Some genuinely spooky and emotional moments that left an impact
    - New Game + mode that adds new content (although not enough if you have other games to play IMO)

    Cons:
    - Loading times are too long. There are also other occasional stutters but those are not as big of a deal.
    - Pacing of the story is a little off - needed a bit more character development for everyone besides from Alex
    - Was not the biggest fan of the art style
    - Walking speed is too slow with no options for running and such
    - Ending was not as satisfying as I would hope

    Final Word:
    An incredible framework for the interactive fiction/walking simulator genre that establishes systems with the potential to be incredibly successful. Although the story ultimately fell a bit flat, it was still a fun experience due to the dialogue and fantastic sound direction.

    True Score:
    8.0    … Expand
  23. GonzoBobH
    Jan 1, 2018
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. The game does NOT end after the first play-through. Nor after the second. Nor the third. New play-throughs are different and are part of and build up the story. My goodness, it gets amazing. You have no idea. The game, the narrative, the story development recognizes this, because this is the game that eventually, satisfyingly, leads to the solution. Strangely, I'm begging you to play it. Then play it again and you will begin to understand. The only con are screen-load times, and they are painful - but even that doesn't matter because it is really that great. If you read another review and they don't mention the magic (the actual game) of replay, then they have missed something crucial to the narrative.… Expand
  24. holnugget
    Dec 29, 2021
    8
    Got it for $1.99 on sale on eShop today, 12/29/21. Highly recommended for the art and music for that price. Also, it's a good time kill.
  25. GlennGlenny
    Feb 23, 2018
    8
    Having heard this game is great and knowing nothing more about it I couldn't wait to find out all about it. I enjoyed the plot, characters and voice acting and from the beginning I was gripped and really bemoaned having to play in short bursts as my busy life and noisy kids necessitated. There were times when my spine was tingling as the mystery surrounded Alex and her Friends. In the endHaving heard this game is great and knowing nothing more about it I couldn't wait to find out all about it. I enjoyed the plot, characters and voice acting and from the beginning I was gripped and really bemoaned having to play in short bursts as my busy life and noisy kids necessitated. There were times when my spine was tingling as the mystery surrounded Alex and her Friends. In the end I started to try and hurry through to the finish and walking from one side of the island to the other became a little laborious for me. I'm not 100% sure what happened on the island that night perhaps that's the intention or perhaps I missed something. All in all, this was a lovely change in pace from the type of games I play more often and certainly not a purchase or experience I have any regrets about.… Expand
  26. BigTom93
    Jun 4, 2018
    7
    Good, not great.

    I got it for $5CAD on sale, and at that price, its a damn good game, 9/10... However it regularly goes for $20CAD, and at that price, this game is kinda lackluster, especially compared to other titles on the e-shop. Depending on your route, this game will take you probably about 4-6 hours to finish. I'm not sure what "completing" it would take, probably multiple    Good, not great.

    I got it for $5CAD on sale, and at that price, its a damn good game, 9/10... However it regularly goes for $20CAD, and at that price, this game is kinda lackluster, especially compared to other titles on the e-shop.

    Depending on your route, this game will take you probably about 4-6 hours to finish. I'm not sure what "completing" it would take, probably multiple playthroughs, which most people don't have the time for.

    The narrative is fine, but I could clearly tell I was beyond the age of the target audience. I still enjoyed it, but not as much as I think I would have, had I been in high school when I played this. But yes this is very much a "teen" story, which means it primarily appeals to teenagers, aspiring teenagers (preteens), and people who miss being teenagers (manchildren).

    The game would benefit from a faster movement speed. There is far too much backtracking both in this game and inherent in this genre of games, for the speed your character moves at. There's often dialogue when you make these treks the first time, so they don't seem so tedious. However, when you get later in the game and you have to start wandering around to figure out what you're supposed to do (again, inherent in the genre), there's no dialogue. You march in slow, tedious, silence. This by no means ruins the game, but the amount of time it takes to get around is definitely a problem.

    The game also takes a depressingly long time to load. Between that and the movement, a lot of a playthrough is spent waiting, either to load, to walk, etc. And for a game that's only 4 hours long, that's really... not great.

    If it were a $5 game, none of this would really bother me, but the regular price is $20. I don't think this game is worth $20 in the current video game market, lots of stuff at a similar price offers LOADS more content.

    I realize this is mostly critiques, however the game is still good, and I would recommend it, but only below half price.    … Expand
  27. Drockie
    Mar 14, 2018
    8
    It was a perfect game for the switch, the story was one of the best stories i have seen on such a cheap game so far, the game took me about 4 hours to 'finish'. The characters are great and they all have there own personality

    Sometimes the game to a pretty long time to load so probably 15-20 minutes of the game was loading.

    But that being said is a good game and defiinitely a buy!
  28. Neatqt
    Nov 8, 2019
    4
    Cast: 7/10
    Story: 6/10
    Fun: 3/10
    Gameplay: 2/10

    Recommended
    ----------------------
  29. B-Bog
    Apr 10, 2023
    5
    Calling this an adventure game is a really big overstatement because that implies using your brain to solve puzzles. The only "puzzle-solving" you'll be doing in Oxenfree is fiddling with a radio knob to sweep frequencies until you find the one that lets you progress, or maybe the trial-and-error of playing the game multiple times to get to see the different endings (although theCalling this an adventure game is a really big overstatement because that implies using your brain to solve puzzles. The only "puzzle-solving" you'll be doing in Oxenfree is fiddling with a radio knob to sweep frequencies until you find the one that lets you progress, or maybe the trial-and-error of playing the game multiple times to get to see the different endings (although the difference between them isn't really that profound). This is really more of a visual novel than anything else and the narrative is definitely its main attraction. It's a little spooky but I wasn't really scared, maybe because of the style of presentation that makes it hard to really relate to the characters, which another review already mentioned. And, yeah, I also have to agree with the other points, traversing the map is extremely tedious and boring, and the load times are really terrible. A game with such simple graphics shouldn't have 20 second load times between each area, especially not if it's trying to build a dense and creepy atmosphere, since there are few things as immersion-breaking as a loading screen to remind you that you're actually in the safety of your home, on the couch, just playing a video game.

    I would've also thought that your choices and actions mattered a bit more in terms of the ending you get, but it mostly just influences the relationships between characters and a bit of flavour text at the end. I guess if you're into that sort of thing, there's quite a lot of replay value, but I'm not going to go through a 5-hour-long visual novel that I already know the story of all over again just to see a slightly different ending. What I also don't like is a flaw that unfortunately many games have, which is that you can miss out on dialogue because it simply cuts off when you walk past a certain point or you click on an object.

    So, yeah, I'd say this is worth a play-through if you're into visual novels, just don't expect too much from it, and maybe get it on another platform that has shorter load times.    … Expand
  30. IFLiden
    Oct 28, 2018
    8
    Captivating story, beautiful visuals, fantastic voice acting and a short but lovely ride. Can recommend this for anyone looking for a story-driven game. 4.99 on the e-shop during most sales - a bargain for what you get.
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Awards & Rankings

36
#36 Best Switch Game of 2017
30
#30 Most Discussed Switch Game of 2017
62
#62 Most Shared Switch Game of 2017

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
81

Generally favorable reviews - based on 9 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 8 out of 9
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 9
  3. Negative: 0 out of 9
  1. Universo Nintendo
    May 19, 2018
    85
    Oxenfree is a good game. With amazing history, music and dubbing, anyone who likes the "walking simulator" genre will enjoy the game.
    Read full review
  2. FNintendo
    Nov 13, 2017
    80
    Thanks to its remarkable character development, well written dialogue and overall quality of the plot, Oxenfree is certain to strike a chord with fans of story-driven games, even if its length is rather short but that ends up being minimal when faced with the game's surprising developments.
    Read full review
  3. Vooks
    Oct 30, 2017
    70
    It’s an intriguing story, and one I feel is worthwhile experiencing so long as you’re not put off by a lack of moment to moment game-like elements. It’s just a shame that Oxenfree’s design genius is at odds with its pacing.
    Read full review
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