Glitch as the Representation of the Uncanny in Oxenfree (2016)

Abstract

The Gothic engages its audiences in the constant play by evoking the same anxieties in its audience and its protagonists. Furthermore, it could be argued that transgressions are its immanent feature. The supernatural elements, with the strong emphasis on the ghosts, often create the feeling of the uncanny, which, defined by the mixing of the familiar with unfamiliar, is not unknown to the video game genre. In the paper I offer a close reading of Oxenfree (2016), demonstrating the Gothic elements featured in the game, concentrating on how the uncanny manifests through the use of the audiovisual glitch.