The characters and stories did not have to be the same, though the core pillars of the first Oxenfree will be found in its sequel. When thinking about making a sequel, Night School Studios did not want to have the cast of the original game become a “Scooby-Doo gang” and travel around solving different paranormal mysteries. All of these aspects let Lost Signals be its own game on its own terms. The attention to detail in the environments themselves and the introduction of the radio communicator that allows Riley to talk to various people on the island also help change up the formula up. Parallax scrolling in the background makes moving through the island more cinematic.

However, the developers added a lot of subtle changes to the game to make it feel more modern and different. Right off the bat, the game’s aesthetic will be instantly familiar to anyone who had experience with the original Oxenfree. When watching the hands-off preview for the upcoming indie game, I got to see the island where the story will take place, as well as two of the major characters in the game: Riley and Jacob, the former of which is playable. The developers held a preview event to show off small bits of the upcoming game and spoke about its themes and what it is like going back to a game world they initially had no intention of returning to. That’s what Night School Studios kept in mind for the sequel to Oxenfree, which is aptly named Oxenfree II: Lost Signals. Oxenfree II: Lost Signals - Announce Trailer | PS5, PS4

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