Oxenfree

Most years, I struggle to put together a list of my top 10 favorite games. This year, I could write a top 20 without trying and I’d still have to leave things out. 2023 might’ve had the single most stacked release schedule in the history of this medium. Every month was a carnival of mainstream hits, sleeper indies, genre revivals, and old favorites releasing new content packs. No one’s had time to breathe since January unless they were caught up in one of this year’s waves of industry layoffs. (For as much fun as…

In an effort to delve deeper into the gaming segment, Netflix has begun testing its titles across more devices, including TVs and computers. On Monday, the streamer claimed that a ‘limited number' of subscribers living in the US and Canada were able to cloud-stream select games on their TVs, while testing on PC and Macs was imminent in the next few weeks. The testing period includes two games — Night School Studios' Oxenfree and Molehew's Mining Adventure — and uses your phone as a controller. Earlier this month, the…

When the original Oxenfree debuted in 2016, it was hard not to make Stranger Things comparisons: from the synth-heavy soundtrack to its story of kids grappling with the supernatural, the vibes were very similar. So it made a lot of sense when, in 2021, Netflix acquired Oxenfree developer Night School Studio as part of its burgeoning games effort. Now we have Oxenfree II: Lost Signals, which is an ideal sequel: it’s another creepy adventure game that stands on its own but also builds on the original in smart ways. It might…

Oxenfree II: Lost Signals “Oxenfree II: Lost Signals delivers another narrative hit for the series, even if its gameplay isn't quite as engrossing as its mysteries.” Pros Strong story Nuanced heroine Eerie visual sequences Standout art style Cons Tedious backtracking…

Who says you can’t go home? There are points in life that can feel outside of time. Maybe you’re leaving one big era of your life behind and moving to the next, or maybe a big decision is causing you to escape, flee, and reassess. It’s time enough for the ghosts of the past to catch up to you. And it’s those fears and doubts that Night School Studio plays on again with Oxenfree II: Lost Signals. Night School’s follow-up to the 2016 adventure game Oxenfree will feel very familiar. Though it follows an older lead, it deals…

Also Arcade Archives COP 01 Oxenfree II: Lost Signals is out on several platforms (Switch included!) on July 12, and it’s definitely the big dog on campus this coming week. If you don’t remember Oxenfree, it’s a critical darling adventure game that came out in early 2016 and swept a ton of award shows. Now, it’s back! The gist is that the sequel is set five years after the original, with a new protagonist (Riley). While we wait for Pikmin 4 in a few weeks, the rest of the eShop is crawling along slowly. There are 24…

In early 2021, Night School was in the market for a partnership. The studio’s debut game, Oxenfree, was a breakout success in 2016, and it was followed by Afterparty in 2019 and then 2020’s Next Stop Nowhere, an Apple Arcade exclusive. By 2021, co-founders Sean Krankel and Adam Hines had made deals with the major players in the industry – Xbox, PlayStation, Valve, Nintendo, Apple – and Night School was an acclaimed indie team. “We were actually talking to Netflix about just bringing some of our existing games over,” Night…

After launching Mighty Quest Rogue Palace in collaboration with Ubisoft--and confirming over 100 games are in development for the service--Netflix Games has announced the next slate of games coming to Netflix mobile apps, a list which includes its first-ever first-party title: Oxenfree 2Oxenfree 2 launches July 12 for consoles and PC, as well as exclusively via Netflix on mobile. The game is set five years after the end of the first game, and it follows a brand-new cast and story. This is Netflix Games'…

Oxenfree II: Lost Signals finally got a release date. During the Nintendo Indie World Showcase, held early Thursday, developer Night School Studio confirmed that its long-delayed supernatural thriller sequel is now arriving July 12 on PC, PS4, PS5, Nintendo Switch, and Netflix. While the follow-up wasn't originally connected to the original Oxenfree, a series of updates in 2021 added radio transitions that would provide context into some future villains, a group called Parentage. Later that year, Oxenfree II: Lost Signals…

Netflix-owned Night School, the studio behind the popular supernatural adventure game Oxenfree, has just announced the official sequel called Oxenfree II: Lost Signals.Unveiled at this morning’s Nintendo Indie World Showcase, Oxenfree II builds on the mystery and horror-filled intrigue of the original. And it’ll officially be coming to multiple platforms. Including the Nintendo Switch, PS5, PS4, and PC/Mac via Steam. And of course, the game will also launch on Netflix for mobile devices. Which means you can play both…