Hi, I’m Bryant Cannon, the game director of Oxenfree II: Lost Signals, and we’re very excited to finally share that the game will be launching on PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 on July 12, 2023.
If you’re not familiar with Oxenfree II: Lost Signals, then let me paint a picture for you. Welcome to Camena: a small coastal town that is currently experiencing unnatural electromagnetic waves that interfere with electrical and radio equipment. TVs turn on and off. Planes lose radar. Radio stations cannot transmit through static. You know, the problems that every quaint town in the Pacific Northwest has to deal with.
Enter Riley Poverly, an environmental researcher who reluctantly returns to her hometown to investigate these frequency signals and ends up assuming more than she bargained for. You, as Riley, will brave harsh terrains, encounter mysterious cults, and discover strange supernatural phenomena that threaten to upend the world as we know it. How you meet these challenges is up to you, and your choices will shape Riley’s future, as well as Camena’s very destiny.
To take on the tasks at hand, you’ll need the right equipment. Riley’s backpack is filled with just that: a radio, which tunes into supernatural frequencies; transmitters, which Riley will need to plant on Camena to understand more about these radio frequencies; a climbing kit to traverse some of Camena’s most treacherous terrain; and a walkie talkie, which will allow Riley to communicate with some new characters along the way.
Let’s dig deeper into the walkie-talkie.
hello copy?
Those who played Oxenfree are familiar with its dialogue system and unique radio mechanic that allowed Alex, the main character from the first game, to communicate with mysterious specters and manipulate their world. In Oxenfree II, we wanted to evolve that idea. This new walkie-talkie feature puts the player in charge of when and how Riley will engage in conversations with off-screen characters.
So how does it work? Let’s say you’re coming back from planting a transmitter in Tootega Falls, and your old high school acquaintance and coworker, Jacob, isn’t feeling very talkative. He can use the left trigger at any time to open his walkie-talkie. He surfs the channels until you find who you want to talk to and voilà!
To answer or not to answer, that is the question
In Oxenfree II, players will shape the story through Riley’s actions and dialogue choices, similar to how they did with Alex and the characters in the first game. Each decision affects who Riley becomes, her relationships with other characters, and the story options available at the time.
Radio and walkie talkie concept art
The walkie talkie expands on this and opens up a layer of player agency; you can choose to advance the story as you see fit, depending on how you interact with people on the walkie-talkie. Unlike the first game, where you were faced with dialogue options with the people in front of you, you now have the option to start conversations with walkie-talkie contacts at any time. These interactions allow you to discover useful information about Camena’s mysteries.
Or you can completely ignore them. It has its consequences if you go that way, but it is your decision.
Who’s out there?
In addition to some of the characters you’ll encounter, such as Jacob and members of the cult group Parentage (more on that another time), the walkie-talkie features more local contacts. If you find yourself stuck at any point in the game, you can take out the walkie and touch the base with one of your contacts.
You will not only learn more about Camena, but also about the personal crises they are currently facing.
One such character is Maria, the DJ for the student-run radio station at Camena High. When she tunes in to her radio show, she offers to give advice to listeners on channel eight. If she chooses to contact her, she may even ask her advice and helping her change the type of music she listens to on Camena High Radio.
Another character you will come into contact with (or rather, he will contact you) is Nick, a sailor who, in his own words, “has been all over the coast”. If he decides to help Nick with a small favor, he will offer you valuable information about the strange happenings around Camena. You may also need to help him along the way as he deals with his own supernatural situation.
A coming of age story
Amid the supernatural events that surround them, Riley and her walkie contacts must also deal with the seemingly ordinary impact of everyday life and the choices we all make about who we want to be.
Were the life decisions Riley made the right ones for her? Is she who she really wants to be?
Like the teenagers in the original Oxenfree, her walkie-talkie contacts are making pivotal decisions about their lives: Should Maria share a secret that could forever change a friendship? Should Nick take a leap of faith? As Riley, you’ll connect with them on the walkie-talkie and talk about everything: personal issues and terrifying ghosts and cults alike. Just like everyday life.
We can’t keep you all immersed in the events in Camena when Oxenfree II: Lost Signals launches on July 12. Pre-orders are now available at playstation store for 25% discount.
