7 for OXENFREE II: Lost Signal: A thrilling and occasionally repetitive sequel to the adventure

* This article is compiled from IGN US related content, the original author Carli Velocci, translated Zoe, edited by Kamui Ye, unauthorized reproduction is prohibited.

Like many sequels, OXENFREE II Lost Signal continues the success of its predecessor. The first OXENFREE game was an instant hit because it was a game that portrayed the fear of being banished, both literally and implicitly.

The work centers on teenagers who are about to reach adulthood, and tells the story of their battle with terrible ghosts trapped in the boundaries of time and space. These two elements are very attractive in their own right, especially time travel, which makes the potential future and ending more real. In a way, "Lost Signal" feels a little old-fashioned, but it still explores it on a deeper level.

You still have a series of similar mysteries to uncover, a whole host of characters to communicate with, and a variety of choices to make, all of which can have a profound impact on the outcome and the relationships you may build. The watercolor-inspired art style makes the game even more like a dream, and the sound design is very memorable.

Although the sequel is neither more influential nor penetrating than its predecessor, thanks to this series of subtle but impactful changes that combine to bring players a journey full of mixed feelings and surprises, rather than a dull revisit, the game has finally found its own positioning.

It's eye-opening that as the game's characters are replaced with adults, their experiences will change so drastically. Instead of using teenagers as the backdrop, the developers of Night School created Riley and Jacob, two characters in their 30s, who must play with the same trapped ghosts (along with some rebellious teenagers) while figuring out how to move on to the next stage of their lives.

Since the concepts of the two games are very similar, many gameplay will continue the previous design, and the plot of "Lost Signal" takes place in a town adjacent to the location of the previous game, so the essence has not changed much. But this does not prevent the core plot of this game from developing to a deeper level.

Riley and Jacob are doing nighttime monitoring for an environmental research group that hopes they will install launchers in their seaside town of Carmela, which happens to be near Edwards Island, the old military base and tourist attraction featured in the first game.

Anyone who has played the previous game already knows that there won't be anything good on that island, and thankfully, Lost Signal doesn't devote much space to explaining that part from scratch. This game will review the plot of the previous game a little, but it is mainly reflected in the first act of a few words to keep everyone up to pace, or to evoke the memories of those who have played it, OXENFREE is a game released in 2016, if you have long forgotten the details, then these words are enough to get the characters on track quickly.

The two soon encounter rivals (if you want to summarize them this way): a group of teenagers from a mysterious religious group who are trying to reopen the portal from the first game in order to release something strange. Their leader is a croaking girl named Olivia, whose motives are very clear, and the early part of the game can be very frustrating, as it took Riley and Jacob a long time to realize what was going on, but thankfully, the developers have a good set of narratives.

What happened to Olivia and her friends is the real mystery, and their motives for doing so are not critical. I'm still not sure how I should feel about this reversal because it relates to the events of the first game, but you still have a chance to turn the tide before the final act.

Both Riley and Jacob are a little overwhelmed, not just when it comes to dealing with ghosts (and rightly so). They are typical millennials with worldly baggage and lost in the dark. Riley is a player-controlled character, and when we first saw her fall asleep at a quiet bus stop, it was clear that she was suppressing a lot of strong emotions. She is quite a good match for Jacob, a meek but generally optimistic person, which is best described as "teased".

Many of the game's stories revolve around conversations between the two as they walk along Carmela's winding paths, and as in the first game, you can guide the atmosphere and direction of those conversations as you please. You can choose to keep an emotional distance from Jacob, or you can choose to open up to him; You can go along with his various shaking wits, or you can simply ignore him. Although this will make Riley's character seem a little subtle, you can still feel that this is Riley's style of doing or speaking, even if you don't understand why she behaves the way she does.

Similar communication skills apply equally to those teenagers, and if you handle them properly, be kind to them and get them to choose to be on your side. The interaction between them is also quite interesting, because Riley is the kind of person who can't even take care of herself, so it is almost impossible for her to change the lives of these dazed children with three or two chicken soup quotes. They are at a standoff, sometimes as if they are between adults and teenagers, and things can get trickier if they are not handled fairly or realistically.

For example, while Olivia's motivations are understandable, I always feel that her image is very thin during my gameplay, because she doesn't seem to show anything unique that explains why people choose to follow or support her. But I'm more curious about her, because I haven't done much to open her heart, maybe I'll make some different choices in the new process.

But, from the very beginning, I knew who I would resonate with the most. I am the same age as Riley and Jacob, and I can truly empathize with them as they face their inner baggage and potential future. Like them (and many others at this stage of their lives), I was caught between an emotionally unsatisfying present moment and a potential future I could work for. As someone who also went through a tough teenage years, I will inevitably see a lot of myself in these characters.

Riley is a very relatable character. Although she is visibly self-enclosed and always on the verge of a nervous breakdown, this is not all of her personality. If you're willing to give her a chance, she can show you a lot of who she is, and the plot will even reveal to us what she might experience in the coming years. Just like in the first game, introducing time travel elements into a personal story is a great way for characters to really face their future and think through it, and it works equally well in Lost Signals, giving players a good understanding of each character's situation.

Of course, the above is based on personal experience; The level of empathy you and the characters will definitely vary, but the conversations between them feel very natural, and I think most people who have been drawn to games like OXENFREE from the beginning will feel the same way. One of my favorite scenes is where Jacob takes Riley to play a game of "one-man storytelling" (where two people take turns saying words to form a story) to distract himself from the extremely shocking portal event. You can choose to ignore him, but it's one of the many moments when the characters can really show themselves.

The game's voice acting is excellent, and Elizabeth Saida and Joe Bianco (who voice Riley and Jacob, respectively) also inject a lot of soul into their respective characters, so it will make them look more alive. The two voice actors have an amiable tone and will use "uh" and pauses at the right time to make their communication sound more natural.

Just like its predecessor, Lost Signals focuses on these dialogues, and you can respond to them in one of three styles. I don't know how many combinations of things are handled in this game, or how many endings it will have (I feel like there are three, but there may actually be dozens).

However, there are many ways to interact with others in the game, and in turn have a huge impact on more important events. For example, if you don't connect with Olivia's henchmen, you may lead to negative outcomes in subsequent confrontations with her. But it mostly depends on what kind of Riley you want to play, you may want to keep your distance from these people, anyway, from a game perspective, the choice is not "good" or "bad", so you don't have to force yourself to do anything, unless you are going for many weeks.

I dug up all the secrets and did all the side stories in one of the processes, which took about eight hours to clear the level, but the process after that may be a little shorter. After watching your own ending, you'll probably want to jump to another ending right away. Anyway, I'm bound to have another round after playing a bittersweet and imperfect ending.

WHAT WE SAID ABOUT OXENFREE (2016)

《OXENFREE》First generation

"OXENFREE" has a simple beauty, through branch dialogue and some supernatural elements to create a vivid and three-dimensional character, writing a story about growth. In terms of gameplay, there aren't many bells and whistles (which is definitely a good thing), but issues with the pacing of the story can cause players to feel a little dragged down during the dialogue. For the most part, though, the game feels like walking through a stunning painting, listening to teenage chatter and revealing (sometimes their voices get a little weird). —Kallie Plagge, January 15, 2016

Rating: 8.2

In addition to the new character lineup, the developers have also made other adjustments to the previous game, including some drastic changes. These tweaks give players more room to explore, but they also create more gaps that you need to actively fill. There are quite a few locations in the game where nothing may happen when you first pass by, or you may find that some of the roads that go back and forth several times still don't trigger new things. Thankfully, though, there's enough stuff going on throughout the game to keep you busy, so this kind of white space won't affect you too much.

The developers did manage to incorporate some fresh and clever designs to flesh out the gameplay of Lost Signal, the most notable of which is the walkie-talkie. In the first game, there was only a radio, but in this game, you can talk to other characters through nine channels. Most channels are available, but if you want, try contacting the park ranger on Channel One, the fisherman on Channel 5, and the high school student on Channel 8 (be sure to contact her whenever you want).

The walkie-talkie will also catch some strange signals, further deepening the eerie atmosphere, which is very much in line with the theme of the game. Each of these characters feels three-dimensional, which is impressive given that you've never met any of them.

As you travel, you'll find letters from Maggie Adler, a supporting character in the previous game, as well as helping your walkie-talkie friends with missions. These content will have little impact on the main story, but they will give you more opportunities to participate in decision-making and will also show you what's going on in the world as portals start wreaking more havoc.

The same goes for the main quest, where you have to go to several high places to install the launcher, which you can technically do in any order. This means that you will encounter certain contingencies outside of the planned sequence, such as in my process, where I have been looted before I reach a certain location. Even the slightest choice can have an immediate impact, giving more weight to your choice.

Hiking around the island isn't easy, and it helps break the monotony of running back and forth missions. Carmela has more mountains than Edwards Island, so a new climbing mechanic has been added. The game divides out specific areas that you can't visit until you get certain equipment (a classic adventure game routine), making the task of installing launchers in the heights more difficult.

Although not much changed in nature, the design is enough to set Carmela apart from Edwards Island, and it does fill in the gaps in the map to some extent. In addition, it allows Lost Signals to open up new areas, such as off-the-beaten-path caves and beaches, where secrets and key storylines are buried.

If an area is particularly difficult to reach, you may be able to use some portals to travel back in time. Portals will throw you back in time, allowing you to cross a bridge that may no longer exist, or use an elevator that has collapsed. However, the frequency with which these situations occur in games is completely disproportionate to the effort that developers put into teaching players to master these mechanics. This kind of puzzle design concept had the opportunity to add more content to Lost Signals and make it more different from its predecessor, but it was eventually buried.

summary

While OXENFREE II Lost Signal shares some similarities to its predecessor, it feels a little old-fashioned, and the new and expanded puzzle mechanics and world building don't have a chance to be used, it still creates a heartwarming and heart-wrenching adventure. It's a world that keeps you fresh and takes you to unexpected and shocking places. However, the real essence of this game lies in the characters. Riley's plot is unique, but she meets Jacob and establishes a bond that will eventually (possibly) lead you to a bitter ending. The choice is yours.

merit

The unique art style impresses

A special atmosphere of horror that is nostalgic

Excellent storytelling skills

Impressive characterization

shortcoming

There are not many innovations and changes compared to the previous game

The game flow is shorter