On top of its engrossing sci-fi horror atmosphere, Oxenfree wouldn't have been such an amazing game as it was without its cast of characters that made you feel invested in the story and the outcome of their relationships. Oxenfree 2: Lost Signals once more focuses on creating some standout characters, and there's much more variety, along with a few surprises.
Alex and her friends definitely have some competition with this bunch in Oxenfree 2. The game is much bigger and with higher stakes, more timelines, walkie-talkie channels, and even an antagonistic cult called Parentage now involved. It's a satisfying sequel, and these are some of the best characters you'll meet.
Some major story Spoilers for Oxenfree 2: Lost Signals Below
8 Maggie Adler
Oxenfree 2's first big reveal actually happens right at the beginning of the game. Before Riley is off planting transmitters with Jacob around Camena, she climbs a lighthouse to enter a time tear, which takes her to 1952. And waiting for her is none other than Maggie Adler.
In the first game, you read Maggie's story through letters, and there are more to find in the sequel. In person, however, Maggie is probably one of the creepiest parts of the game, as the Sunken already possessed her. Especially toward the end of the journey, her dialogue gets more unsettling, and the conversation takes an eerie turn where she leaves you by transforming into a giant head with glowing red eyes.
7 Alex
Given the first game's ending, you may have expected to see this character return. Alex was the original protagonist in Oxenfree, and a shocking twist reveals she's actually more important in the story than you think. She's been trying to get herself and her friends back this whole time, working to stop the Sunken first through Olivia, but now with your help, resorting to the lengths of possessing Jacob to communicate with Riley.
Alex becomes a big help to Riley and Jacob in their effort to put a stop to Olivia's actions in the final portion of the game on Edwards Island. And getting to see her story close out, with her and the others coming back out of the gate and her and Riley ending up as good friends, is perfect.
6 Charlie
Although you and your companion are adults in their thirties, teens still play a role in Oxenfree 2's story. You meet Olivia first but then find out she's not alone. Charlie is helping her and being an unapologetic nuisance to you, locking you out of areas and making you chase him for answers. However, he really makes a change at the Community Center when Olivia orders him to attack Riley and Jacob with his knife for their interference.
Charlie knows how to push Jacob's buttons by calling him Gingerbread and gets many unfriendly remarks back from him as a result. He starts with a convincing bully-like personality but becomes a better person toward the end of the game, being warmer toward Riley, especially after she rescued him from an entity by opening a gate at the waterfall.
5 Olivia
While you have many relatable protagonists in gaming, seeing the same in an antagonist is generally much harder. Olivia is a rare example of one of those characters. Her rituals with Violet and Charlie are causing all the horrible phenomena on Camena, but her motivations, though perilous, are honorable, driven by her love and wanting more time with her parents.
Olivia is the daughter of Cyan and Marigold Massell, leaders of a cult called Parentage that bases its principles on the portals and who tragically died in a plane crash. She's now following in their footsteps leading Violet and Charlie to summon an interdimensional portal and be together with them again forever, not letting you stop her.
4 Jacob
Working alongside you with the transmitters and facing dangers left and right around Camena is Jacob Summers, a local handyman who went to high school with Riley. You meet him when his car breaks down and are soon chatting away and catching up on old times, even finding out the touchy backstory of his nickname – "Gingerbread" – which can set him off quite easily.
Jacob can get a bit intense about Olivia and her group's meddling with supernatural phenomena, but he's charming and fun to talk to. Your conversations with him have a nice balance of comedy and plenty of poignant and touching moments, especially about his worth. Another fantastic element to Jacob is his adorable dog Athena, who he's eventually reunited with. So, the Oxenfree universe now officially has a dog in the fight (pun intended)!
3 Evelyn
Evelyn may be Riley's boss who keeps tabs on her and Jacob's progress with the transmitters, but she feels more like a close friend. She's another character you can only speak to through a walkie-talkie, and it's always great to hear her voice whenever you need to get in touch. Her knowledge of the anomalies and her chemistry with Riley is comparable to Mimir from God of War, though Evelyn is alive with her whole body intact.
Family is also something that's very important to Evelyn, and you find out more about her personal relationships further into the night. She begins to worry about why her sister hasn't been checking in and even asking your advice on how to go about not worrying her mom about it. She has the kindest personality and is always very warm.
2 Rex
A kid named Rex was such an unexpected character in Lost Signals, and he ended up being one of the game's best. You also encounter an adult version of him toward the end, but the younger Rex had some beautiful moments with Riley. He's revealed to be her son that she'll have at some point in the future, and she already witnesses future events of herself parenting Rex through some profound moments in his childhood.
You first see Rex as he mourns his pet gecko Louis and has it sail away on a little boat along the water, but he can't handle it emotionally and starts acting out. You also catch Rex by the waterfall as he's getting impatient with fishing and then again when Riley teaches him the same lesson about dealing with anger that her dad taught her. The emotions Rex experiences in his youth are relatable, and his relationship with Riley is heartwarming.
1 Riley
Oxenfree 2 once more brings you a believable and courageous female protagonist with Riley Poverly. No matter the strange events that unfold or the disturbing unexplainable things she witnesses, she stays calm and resolute through them. Her humorous personality, genuine attitude, and personable tone, as well as her character's incredible voice acting, really have you invested in her.
Riley's life and current situation with motherhood may resonate with many, even under the veil of all that sci-fi. She also has excellent character development throughout the story, with the future she has with her son juxtaposed with the visitations from her father and her sympathetic and meaningful conversations with other characters.