In Oxenfree, saving Clarissa is one of the more emotionally charged and complex challenges players face. The game blends supernatural mystery with branching dialogue paths, and every choice has consequences that ripple through the storyline. Clarissa, known for her tough personality and complicated relationship with other characters, can end up with several different fates depending on your actions. Understanding how to save Clarissa in Oxenfree requires not just knowing the correct steps, but also grasping the game’s mechanics and narrative timing. This guide will walk through everything you need to know to save Clarissa and achieve one of the game’s more satisfying outcomes.
Understanding Clarissa’s Role in Oxenfree
Who is Clarissa?
Clarissa is one of the main characters in Oxenfree. She is the ex-girlfriend of Alex’s late brother, Michael, and has a strong, often antagonistic presence in the group. Her grief and unresolved emotions play a significant role in how the supernatural events on Edwards Island affect her. Clarissa’s fate is particularly sensitive to player decisions because she becomes a key target for the ghosts haunting the group.
Why Clarissa Needs Saving
Throughout the game, Clarissa is possessed multiple times by the mysterious entities on the island. At several points, she disappears, acts out of character, or speaks with distorted, ghostly voices. If players are not careful, Clarissa can be lost permanently. Saving her requires persistent attention and empathy across the course of the game’s events.
Key Choices That Influence Clarissa’s Survival
Listen and Respond with Empathy
When talking with Clarissa, it’s easy to become defensive, especially since she often blames Alex for Michael’s death. However, choosing dialogue options that show understanding rather than hostility will increase the chances of saving her. While Clarissa doesn’t always respond positively in the moment, her character remembers how you treat her across the story.
- Avoid being sarcastic or dismissive, even if she is angry or accusatory.
- Support her in group conversations, even subtly.
- Choose responses that show you’re listening and willing to take responsibility, even if Alex wasn’t truly at fault.
Use the Radio at the Right Moments
The radio is a central mechanic in Oxenfree and plays a key role in both revealing the story and resolving supernatural events. Clarissa’s possessions often create distorted environments where you need to use the radio to tune in and break the ghostly hold on her.
- When Clarissa vanishes or becomes unresponsive, explore the area thoroughly with the radio.
- Tune into the right frequencies (usually indicated by static or strange noises) to unlock events that can bring her back.
- Some of these moments require you to be patient; let the audio play out before moving on.
Complete All Possession Events
There are three main possession events involving Clarissa. Each one builds on the last, and if you miss any, her survival becomes less likely.
- Fort Milner: Clarissa vanishes in front of your eyes in a creepy sequence. Afterward, use the radio and search the building to bring her back temporarily.
- Military Base (Hardin Tower): When she appears to fall from the tower, don’t assume she’s gone. Continue the story and interact with her when she reappears.
- Lobster Claw Cave: Later in the game, she appears in an alternate space. This is a critical point where your decisions and dialogue matter greatly.
Choose the Right Triangle Loop
In the final act of the game, the triangle loop offers a moment where you interact with the time loop and the ghosts. This is a chance to influence outcomes significantly. During this phase, the game tests your relationship with the other characters and your understanding of the events so far.
- When offered a deal by the ghosts, refuse it. Accepting usually leads to permanent loss of Clarissa or other characters.
- Use the radio and dialogue options to reinforce your desire to save everyone, including Clarissa.
- The tone of your voice choices resolute, compassionate, determined matters as much as the words themselves.
Clarissa’s Endings and How to Influence Them
Ending Where Clarissa Survives
If you’ve shown empathy, helped her during each possession event, and made choices that reject the ghostly deal, Clarissa will survive. She won’t necessarily be your friend, but she will leave the island alive and perhaps slightly changed by the experience.
Ending Where Clarissa is Lost
Clarissa can be permanently trapped in the ghost realm. This usually happens if you fail to save her during the key events or accept the ghost’s offer. Her presence in the ending scene will be absent, and your friends will discuss her loss briefly, leaving a somber tone to the ending.
Time Loop Reboot Endings
Oxenfree features multiple endings that reset time. Even if Clarissa dies, the game may loop you back to the ferry at the beginning with subtle changes. In a looped ending, you may get a second chance to save her if you play the game again, which is part of the intended replay experience.
Tips for First-Time Players
Pay Close Attention to Dialogue
Oxenfree’s story is subtle. Listen carefully to Clarissa’s words and those of the ghosts. They reveal clues about what’s happening and how to act. Don’t skip dialogue or rush through conversations, as many key opportunities only come once.
Use Multiple Save Files
Because the game branches based on your decisions, keep multiple save files if you want to explore different outcomes without replaying the entire game each time. This helps especially with Clarissa’s storyline.
Explore Every Area
Clarissa sometimes disappears into places you’re not required to visit. Take the time to explore side paths and hidden rooms. These often reveal extra dialogue, background lore, and ghost messages that provide insight into saving her and others.
Why Saving Clarissa Matters
While saving Clarissa isn’t mandatory for completing the game, it adds emotional depth and closure to the story. Her survival represents more than just avoiding death it symbolizes reconciliation, healing, and the strength of empathy even in the face of supernatural trauma. Successfully saving her often leaves players feeling that they made a real difference, not just in the game’s plot but in its emotional arc.
Ultimately, Oxenfree is a game about choices and consequences. Saving Clarissa takes effort, attention, and care, but it’s absolutely possible and it can reshape how you understand the game’s narrative. Approach each moment with intention, treat her with humanity even when it’s difficult, and you’ll find that her survival is within reach.