GR: What do you feel like you've learned about creating games since Oxenfree's development?ĪH: I feel like I learn something new every day! But there are probably a few key takeaways* from the last several years. Now, I don’t really remember what I would have changed if I could. When it came out, I had a sprawling list of things I would have done differently. It’s less a game, and more a time capsule of a very hectic and rewarding period of my life. Now, five years later, I feel like it’s even more hazy. GR: How has your relationship with the game evolved in the 5 years since launch?ĪH: When the game came out, I was still so mentally soaked in the process of finishing it (and continuing work on narrative patches like a New Game Plus feature that came post-launch) that it was extremely difficult for me to see the game clearly.
This makes for a different perspective for something frequently creepy. Camera distance helps with that, too, as the characters are very tiny on screen, which gives the landscape a lot of room to breathe. There’s no combat, and the only thing you can actively do is make small-talk and tune a portable radio, which I think helps make the player feel underequipped and vulnerable. What do you think Oxenfree uniquely brings to this combination?ĪH: There are a lot of really fun, really innovative indie horror games out there that are very focused on scaring you, and Oxenfree is mostly focused on making you feel like a teenager. GR: The intersection of indie games and horror games is an interesting one.
Also, what people find creepy is a little more universal than what people find funny, so horror-ish games I think are easier to land with a wide swath of people than most genres. And then she has to deal with ghosts, too, which is most likely less relatable, but is the part that keeps you interested once you know all the characters’ names. Oxenfree is about a person entering the earliest years of adulthood, and is nervous about the transition. GR: What about Oxenfree's story do you think brings people into the community after 5 years?ĪH: I think it’s the general relatability. I think all of the mechanics really come alive in those moments. My favorite parts of the game are when all the characters are on screen, trying to talk over each other. It’s a slow-paced game, told like a campfire story, and I like the opening bits of taking the ferry to the island, meeting up with your friends (and some enemies), and settling into a quickly darkening world. What part of the game resonates most with you personally?ĪH: The overall tone, I think, and atmosphere. GR: Oxenfree has enjoyed 5 years since launch and the community still really resonates with the game. RELATED: Oxenfree Dev Talks Personal Impact of Game and Future Plans
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