Best Netflix Games. The first Oxenfree was a fantastic experience. Because of the massive disappointment of Hotline Miami 2, I’m skeptical whenever an indie game I enjoy announces a sequel. Despite the existence of fantastic sequels such as Rogue Legacy 2 and even Risk of Rain 2 and Spelunky 2, a part of my mind believes that a Hotline Miami 2 will be released.
Night School and Netflix, thankfully, delivered in spades with Oxenfree II: Lost Signals (Free). I’ve been playing it for review on iOS, Steam Deck, and Nintendo Switch over the last week or so, and I definitely think it was worth the wait, despite the fact that I didn’t think we needed a sequel in the first place.
Oxenfree II: Lost Signals is a standalone sequel to Oxenfree: Netflix Edition, but since both games are now available on Netflix Games, I’d still recommend starting with the original. The fact that I had context and expectations from the first game definitely shaped my experience in Oxenfree II: Lost Signals, and I ended up appreciating it a lot more as a result. Even if you don’t like paying for a subscription to play games, the original Oxenfree is frequently dirt cheap on PC and consoles and is well worth a look.
Oxenfree II: Lost Signals takes place five years after the first game. As I played more as Riley, the protagonist of this game, the first hour felt very strange in a good way. It was like returning to an old vacation home that was creepier and bigger than before. That is true for the majority of Oxenfree II: Lost Signals.
Everything is larger than in the original, and everything feels more polished overall. The voice acting is excellent, the visuals are stunning, and the music is perfect. However, there are some drawbacks, and they involve backtracking. (Best Netflix Games)
The vibe of Oxenfree II: Lost Signals is flawless, and while the puzzles were simpler than I expected coming from the first game, I enjoyed seeing the characters over the course of the six or so hours I spent playing it. There is some replay value, but the slow-paced gameplay makes it tedious to replay.
Because of the cast, I ended up liking Oxenfree II: Lost Signals more than the original. Despite the supernatural and thriller elements, Oxenfree II: Lost Signals feels more mature, just like the studio. This also applies to the visuals and scope, which appear larger and more expansive.
The flashbacks, interactions with other NPCs, and narrative all work very well together. I mentioned that the first hour was strange in a good way, but it could have been better paced. The later parts of Oxenfree II: Lost Signals ended up taking the story where I wanted it to go.
Night School definitely needs to make another game, and I’m happy to wait another half-decade to see how a potential Oxenthree turns out. While I wasn’t a fan of Night School’s Afterparty, Oxenfree II: Lost Signals feels like a return to form for the developer. (Best Netflix Games)
It’s also been fun to play Oxenfree II: Lost Signals on multiple devices. On Steam Deck and newer iOS devices, it runs and looks fantastic. Some of the larger portions of the games with a zoomed-out camera on the Nintendo Switch and iPhone can cause some visual issues, but this isn’t a problem on Steam Deck or iPad.
Oxenfree II: Lost Signals looks great on Steam Deck and iOS, but it’s a little blurry on Nintendo Switch. The performance on Switch is also not as good as it is on modern iOS devices or Steam Deck, but it suffices for the game. My main gripe with the Switch version right now is the load times.
Oxenfree II: Lost Signals on iOS supports full touch or controllers for control. I experimented with my DualSense on the iPad and touch controls on the iPhone. Both performed as expected. When I used my DualSense controller, Oxenfree II: Lost Signals even displayed PlayStation button prompts on my iPad. (Best Netflix Games)
The Switch version adds touchscreen support, which is how I spent the majority of my time with it in handheld mode. Touch controls on Steam Deck can be used to simulate mouse input. Speaking of Steam Deck, Oxenfree II: Lost Signals runs flawlessly despite not being Steam Deck Verified. If you want the best portable experience without having to subscribe to a service, I recommend playing it on Steam Deck.
My only issues with Oxenfree II: Lost Signals, aside from the backtracking and some camera issues, have to do with a few bugs with the dialogue boxes or some tutorial tooltips glitching out and remaining on screen for longer than they should. Everything else was great and polished. If you didn’t enjoy Oxenfree, I doubt you’ll enjoy Oxenfree II: Lost Signals, but it’s worth checking out on Netflix.
Conclusion (Best Netflix Games)
While playing, I did end up using the larger font option. The standard size feels designed for playing on a monitor, whereas the larger size works better for portable play. I’m going to re-play Oxenfree II: Lost Signals on PS5 in a few months to see if Night School did anything interesting with the DualSense controller. (Best Netflix Games)
My favorite way to play Oxenfree II: Lost Signals is on mobile. Not only did Night School create a fantastic iPad port, but it also looks and runs better than the Switch version. Night School and Netflix exceeded my expectations after playing Oxenfree II: Lost Signals on Steam Deck, iPhone, iPad Pro, and Nintendo Switch, and I hope it gets a physical release so I can add it to my Nintendo Switch collection alongside the physical release of the first game. This is Netflix’s best original game addition since Poinpy, and it’s one of my favorite mobile games of 2023.
