Oxenfree

The character aren't extremely cringy, which is a major achievement for this kind of game. Quite well written and acted actually. Recommend.

Absolutely enjoyed this secret gem of a game! Brilliant work.

The dialogues are really the core of this game. Sometimes you might say the wrong thing or miss the opportunity to speak, but that brings some actual dynamics into the chats. It also makes walking the long distances between locations amusing. Towards the end however, chats get rarer and you are expected to find some letters and tune into the right radio frequencies at the right spots all over the quite large map. This involves some thinking but mainly feels like busywork, especially since there are barely any dialogues left to keep you entertained while walking. The endings are fine with a healthy amount of variation. However, for me, the distinction between good and bad endings is too sharp. I would have liked some tougher decisions.

The game crashes during the ending for me, so there's that. There's a lot to like about the game. The characters seem real, the dialogue is mostly okay, the art direction fits the game, music is good at setting a background. I wanted to know more about the characters and the story. Unfortunately, the story itself is kinda muddy. It takes a somewhat simple premise and confuses it with flashbacks. The characters don't have any growth or arc, but maybe they should because the girl that hated us at the beginning likes us at the end with no explanation. I finished the game being confused, and the game acts as if I grew to know and the love the characters when I'm barely acquainted with them.

If you're a fan of teen drama, idiosyncratic uses of old tech and spooky ghosts, give the game a shot. Would knock a star down for not having a dog like the devs planned, but that felt mean.