The first Oxenfree felt like something I hadn’t played before. It came out at a time when that 80’s and 90’s nostalgia boom hadn’t quite happened. Before we had shows like Stranger Things and before it felt like so many of today’s shows and games have a vaguely retro ambiguous timeline. Whilst Oxenfree wasn’t set in the 80’s it still had that kind of vibe to it, and I loved it. Oxenfree 2: Lost Signals takes place a few years later and again captures that same feeling, delivering another creepy and unsettling tale of ghosts and facing the past.
Platforms: PC Steam, Netflix Games, PS4, PS5, Nintendo Switch
Players: 1
Genres: Supernatural, Adventure, Mystery
Developer: Night School Studio
Price: £17.99
Steam Deck Verified
Oxenfree II: Lost Signals Review
Riley returns home to Camena and ends up neck deep in a whole new mess of electromagnetic interference causing all manner of radio issues in the small costal town. Maybe the fact that Edwards Island – the place where the group of teenagers unwittingly opened a portal between realities being nearby, is connected to the strange goings on. Time to investigate.
Over the course of one night, you’ll unravel a brand-new mystery that’s very much tied to the events of what happened on Edwards Island. Who is this mysterious cult-like group called Parentage and what are they trying to do? Dive into the stories and the lives of the people of Camena. Talk to them through the radio whilst you explore. Riley is also accompanied by Jacob and as you travel together you will bond over the past, and share stories, fears, worries, and more.
It didn’t quite enrapture me
It’s hard not to compare to the first game and what I found was that it just didn’t give me quite the same feeling. Whilst I enjoyed the overall story and exploring Camena, taking in the sights. I found myself wanting more. Crank that dial of creepy events all the way up! I didn’t find myself connecting with the characters, or really even liking them, as much as I’d like apart from maybe Jacob.
Don’t get me wrong, it was still an enjoyable game. It looks great, the voice acting is top-notch all the way through. The story was interesting. It just didn’t grab me in the same way the first one did. I wanted to feel more invested in my decisions – especially at the end, but I just didn’t connect to it in a meaningful way.
There were some cool moments, and making use of the radio to chat with people or just listen to the creepy airwaves was fun. But I never got that shiver down my spine like I did when the ghosts of the wreck would talk to you in the first game.
Succinct adventuring?
It took around 5 hours to complete, and I’d say I stuck fairly close to following the main ‘path’ throughout. You’re mostly free to explore Camena as you see fit. You can take your time a little more and explore every area of the map for some more story titbits. But I never felt like I wanted to. To me, it seemed like there was a little too much ‘downtime’. Where you’re traveling between story beats. Whilst those moments are filled with dialogue between Riley and Jacob, you can also check in with various people over the radio. Which helps build some relationships with those folks. I just wanted to focus on the story and felt like I was backtracking a little unnecessarily at times.
People’s experiences will obviously vary. However, I felt like it was maybe an hour too long. Others will say it’s not long enough. So, it’s hard to really criticise the length of the game because it’s so subjective. That being said, I enjoyed the story. I particularly loved the setting, the style, and the overall look of the game. Additionally, as mentioned the acting voice acting was great. The soundtrack is also excellent. There were a lot of things to enjoy about Oxenfree 2: Lost Signals. It just lacked that gripping feeling for me when the story was searching for it.
-Will
