Oxenfree is the debut title from Night School Studio, a team of ex-Telltale and Disney developers, and their past experience shows. It feels like a modern-day Twilight Zone episode — less adult, more teen-hipster — mixing supernatural mystery with character-driven storytelling. A group of friends heads to an abandoned island for their yearly party tradition, but the night takes a strange turn as eerie forces awaken.

You play as Alex, a blue-haired teenager who brings her new step-brother Jonas along. They’re joined by party-loving Ren, prom-queen Clarissa, and sidekick Nona. The writing captures the awkward and natural rhythms of teen conversations, even if some dialogue feels corny early on. The performances can be uneven, but the characters are fleshed out enough to feel believable.

Like a Telltale game, Oxenfree relies heavily on dialogue choices, but its system is unique. Instead of cutscenes with timers, choices pop above Alex’s head as you walk around. You can respond quickly, remain silent, or even cut conversations short by interacting with the environment. This fluid system makes silence or bluntness as valid as empathy, giving real weight to how you shape Alex’s relationships.

Puzzles are tied to supernatural phenomena, usually solved with Alex’s radio. At first, tuning signals or adjusting record players feels intriguing, but these mechanics become repetitive, serving more as a gateway to spooky outcomes than challenging gameplay.

What truly elevates Oxenfree is its atmosphere. The game features gorgeous artwork with a hand-painted style and hauntingly effective sound design. Playing with headphones is a must, as audio cues heighten the supernatural tension. The island itself is beautifully constructed, though late-game backtracking and the lack of a run button make retraversal tedious.

Clocking in at around three hours, Oxenfree is short but memorable. It weaves an emotional teen mystery-horror tale, though its brevity means the characters don’t fully develop before the credits roll. While I never felt deeply attached to the cast, the game’s chilling moments and presentation left a strong impression.

Rating: 7/10