Oxenfree served as a personal reminder that a great deal of titles might seem awesome when you go in blind, but once all is said and done, you wonder if it was worth it to play in the first place. One can only judge a game based upon what they encountered, and when game-destroying scripting bugs and technical issues are sprinkled on top of a game whose story actually underwhelmed you, it’s natural that disappointment will ensue. It’s worth noting that this article is purely based on my experience with Oxenfree on the Xbox One, so if you’re someone who didn’t encounter a single bug or issue and absolutely adores this ghostly adventure title, then you’re well within your right to disagree with the points below. A combination of nightmarish technical difficulties, issues with story pacing and the actual speed of the walking mechanics, however, turned Oxenfree from a game that could have stolen my heart to what amounts to the biggest personal disappointment of the year so far. I’m not alone in wanting Night School’s Oxenfree to have been a title I screamed to the heavens in praise of, that much is certain. Granted, there are some downright awesome AAA games that I’ve enjoyed more than the aforementioned titles, with all three Witcher games immediately coming to mind, but it’s hard to ignore when a certain group of games gets you super excited. Whether it’s Her Story, Gone Home or, most recently, Firewatch, there’s something about bizarre story-heavy independent games that finds a way to capture my attention unlike most anything else. If you’ve read my reviews in the past, you’ll know that narrative-heavy quasi-mainstream indie titles hold a special place in my heart. Confession: I did not enjoy Oxenfree one bit.
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