I can't believe how good and profond this game was. Disclaimer : I'm playing it years after the shit show surrounding all the bugs and I put a solid 10 hours of modding before even starting the game so my review is what it is. At first you are disapointed. Why? Because it's not an open RPG in the sense that everyone will have the same experience through out the game... exept for the massive plot at the end. But when you have accepted the GTA feels, when you have rebound all your keyboard, and when you got accustomed to all the little things that you need to understand to play the game seemlessly, well it's just a fantastic experience. And I'm very peaky with these things. Contrary to comments that I have read before , all the characters are for me very memorable. You want to know more about them, to help them and to save them all the way through. The city is unbelievable in its craftness, and you won't find something that intricate and with personnality before a long time. I loved to explore every plot of it, and could'nt believe some of the vistas that I found here and there. The only downside for me was combats, which I got through with katanas and snipers. Works well but nothing memorable. For the main story, I have never seen cut scenes so well executed, it's like a movie : facial expressions, acting, dialogues, I finished the game 100% and I already miss them. Oh and I have to assume my last choice too. Believe me or not, I don't feel good about it but I'm happy that a game made me feel bounded to a story, the last time being with Death Stranding. I'll stop there and keep recommanding it to you. It's a unique experience and I'm not sure why so many people didn't like it. They probably couldn't pass beyond the first impression that I was talking about, the non-classic-RPG stuff... and I'm sad for them.
Yes it's a dialogue game but damn, what an experience I just lived this night! I've been caught up by the story from beginning to end (about 5 hours), ended up emotionnally attached to every character, loved the athmosphere of the island, the music, the story, the moral, everything. I don't play that much these days, as I don't watch blockbusters anymore because of superficiality, but sometimes I find the jewel in the indie scene, and Oxenfree falls in that category: it's a game that has something to say, and you will remember it like a nice memory.
Best athmosphere (omg if you like past america, go for it it's just fantastic) Best soundtrack (jazz, old rock, classy tunes. I discovered a lot of good things, like in the first GTAs) Best story (a lot of twist, even the town is twisted) Best cars (handling is better than GTA, the esthetic is on point with the WWII era). I wish I could all store them in a giant garage. My favorite GTA like so far, and I also liked everything that falls in the "critic" category: - the town is small, sure, so every corner is thought and coherent with the all thing. - you can't interact with the world outside what's inside the main story; sure too: it is not GTA, it is a fantastic story in an open world. I highly recomment it to everyone whm is bored when playing Mafia III ou GTA 5 because it's too much.
