The idea of a Virtual Band is not exactly a new thing; we have witnessed its potential with The Gorillaz for many years, choosing to depict themselves as animated characters with the freedom to present themselves however they wanted to. I’ve never thought much about how this could work in video games. But that’s precisely what OFK has done with We Are OFK, and I’m here to tell you why it’s such a clever idea.
We Are OFK is an interactive animated series that essentially exists to help launch OFK’s music project, and boy is it a clever way to do it. The game is presented as five separate episodes, all of which launch (or launched, depending on when you’re reading this) weekly to coincide with the releases of their music singles.
You may be thinking that the game might be similar to the likes of Life is Strange, and it is in many ways, but the truth is, We Are OFK gives you much less in the form of control. The game does give conversational choices, but they make no impact on anything past what you see at that moment, and even then, the game pushes you in the direction it wants you to. For example, you have a choice in your opinion of the drink, boba, but all options indicate that you love it; there’s no option for “Boba sucks!”
The game’s story centres around the lives of four individuals dreaming, dating, and paying rent in LA; all are offering their own quirky personalities and backgrounds. Ultimately, they all have the same goal: they want to succeed in the music industry. Luca is a highly distractable lead singer. Itsumi is a keyboardist who loves anime and speaks incredible truths when drunk. Carter is an extremely chill tech genius focusing on audiovisual effects. And lastly, Jey, the band’s trusty producer, seems to fear commitment. That’s it. That is OFK.
With We Are OFK being utterly focused on the lives of these four individuals and how they interact with each other in day-to-day life, as well as the unavoidable conflict they face, the majority of your time is spent watching them in face-to-face interactions or on their phones making this feel more of a TV show as opposed to a video game. And although the story throughout is relatively tame, it still did enough to keep me entertained, purely because I grew closer to the characters themselves. See, that’s where We Are OFK excels, connecting you with the characters and, ultimately, allowing them to feel like friends. Of course, you will connect with each character differently. One of them would stand out more than the others; for me, it was Itsumi — I saw a lot of myself in her.
Fortunately, at the time of reviewing, I could play through all five episodes without waiting, but I can say that having to wait a week for each episode would have been gruelling. See, at the end of the day, you aren’t waiting to find out what happens in the next episode. There isn’t much in the way of cliffhangers and drama. No, ultimately, you’re waiting for the next single release. The next song in the EP. Is it going to be as good as the last?
Each episode in We Are OFK features one of their songs and an interactive — and I use that word very loosely — music video. It’s got to be said that each song featured throughout the episodes is incredibly well-done. They’re catchy, mostly-upbeat pop songs, and I’m here for it. I have been listening to the songs consistently since finishing the game. Although, I only have access to a select few right now because they haven’t all been released yet.
The interactions you can perform during the music video sections of the game are very slight, in the way of moving the camera in specific directions or moving a character to collect certain items. Still, it all felt very unnecessary and forced. I could only do those things to give the player something to do. I was hoping to feel like a part of the experience, but I still felt like I was just watching it — and that was a massive shame.
The best aspect of We are OFK is undoubtedly its art style. The way it’s portrayed is wonderful, and it’s so aesthetically pleasing that I simply did not want to take my eyes off it. It’s vibrant, packed full of detail, and perfectly represents the characters as well as the city of LA itself. Oh, and the game features fully-voiced dialogue.
One thing I really liked is that when selecting to start each episode, it will tell you exactly how long that episode will take to complete. I love that feature; allowing me to decide if I had enough time to finish it before starting.
In reality, We are OFK is only likely to appeal to a particular kind of gamer. If you’re a fan of a more casual, visual novel-type game, then you will love this. If you like to have more input over your decisions and outcomes, then maybe this isn’t for you. It’s not a long experience by any means, with an estimated six hours completion time, but if you want to meet a cast of likeable and relatable characters, then you’re sure to have a good time.
We Are OFK £17.99
Summary
Overall, We Are OFK is a terrific interactive experience that isn’t for everyone. I would have liked a little more control over the gameplay, but it provided me with a few hours of fun and the soundtrack is incredible.