We Are OFK Review

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Fast Facts

Review

I love music and I adore video games, when these two hobbies clash in an out-of-the-ordinary way, I am all ears… and possibly eyes too! We are OFK is a unique experience that follows an eclectic band over five emotional episodes while they record an EP. Each episode finishes with a controllable music video and each episode is chock full of feelings, angst and other socially-based nightmares.

I am not a massive fan of episodic games but for some reason, with We Are OFK, it worked better than most. Maybe it’s the subject matter, maybe it’s the music video at the end but for some reason, it felt better than other episodic games I have played. Come to think of it, it may be all the social shenanigans. They reminded me of the soap operas my mother used to watch when I was a child. Maybe that’s it.

Uncanny, Deep Characters

So, We Are OFK follows a group of uncanny characters from LA. It’s a rollercoaster of emotions as they get caught in love dramas, lies and all the trials and tribulations you get from tight-knit friendship groups. To start with I found it a tad cringy but as the episodes rolled on, I really got into the characters and really started to care about them. They are quite fleshed out and have layers of character.

Gameplay-wise, apart from the music videos, where you have a modicum of control (more on that later) We are OFK is mostly text messaging, emojis and narrative choices. Kids today eh? While I don’t play a lot of these narrative-style games, I do now and again to cleanse the palette between other genres. I will say this, the gameplay, presentation and music all give the game a very fresh and progressive feel, I really appreciated and respected it for that. It was neon, it was contemporary and like nothing I have experienced before.

Music Video Madness

As I said above, at the end of each episode you have a music video from OFK. This music video, while being both unique and psychedelic, has you controlling various aspects of it. From breaking statues to collecting tokens as you skate down a neon highway, these music videos were a high point for me. Not only was the music decent but being able to control them in weird and wonderful ways is a touch of genius.

Let’s talk about the music. I treasured the music in OFK, it’s a far, far distance from my normal musical tastes but it fits the style of the game so well. It’s quite uplifting, it’s crunchy, it’s, at times sad but overall very new sounding and reinvigorating. The tones are so modern and the visuals that accompany the sound elevate the music to another level. Everything feels slightly futuristic, dripping with modern culture and technology.

A Feast for Your Eyes and Ears

Not only is We Are OFK a feast for your ears but your eyes will not go hungry either. Every scene is a neon-soaked buffet. Bright pinks, luscious oranges and harsh lines all add up to an art style like no other. Weird lighting, floating particles and modern flashes add a distinct atmosphere to each scene and I can’t say enough about how much I enjoyed the complete presentation package in this game. Sharp, so modern and very stylish throughout, both visually and audibly.

While We Are OFK never really taxed the hardware or my PlayStation 5, I did appreciate its performance, from a technical standpoint. No crashes, zero bugs and I was just left alone to untangle this web of friendship woes, unhampered by technical issues and worries. Too many games have technical issues these days and I can happily report that We Are OFK runs perfectly.

Fresh, Stylish and Compelling

I enjoyed We Are OFK a lot more than I thought I would. I took the review because I was curious, what I ended up with though was a touching story of friends that are going through all the strains that are put on strong friendships. All this is wrapped up in the sights and sounds of something from the future. We Are OFK is a game that looks and sounds like no other. It is so stylish and so fresh. Plus, I am all about new experiences. I can highly recommend We Are OFK, just don’t expect too much gameplay, it’s all about the feels and narrative.

Rapid Reviews Rating

4 out of 5

4

You can purchase We Are OFK on the PlayStation store here