Away

About

Away is a single player casual simulation game with a horror theme. It was developed by NipoBox and was released on October 31, 2018. It received negative reviews from players.

Away - is a short game telling about the hero's death experience, performed in a gloomy black and white style.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

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40%

Audience ScoreBased on 538 reviews

story7 positive mentions

gameplay7 negative mentions

Short, contemplative experience with a philosophical message about life and death.
Minimalistic black-and-white art style and atmospheric audio create a reflective mood.
Very easy and quick to complete, suitable for achievement hunters or those seeking a brief emotional experience.

Extremely short duration with minimal gameplay limited to a few clicks.
Lacks depth, interaction, and meaningful story development, making it feel more like an interactive video or art project than a game.
Considered overpriced by many reviewers given the limited content and experience; some users encountered technical issues.

gameplay
98 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
4%
89%
7%
The gameplay is extremely minimal, consisting mostly of a few clicks to progress through dialogue with no real mechanics, challenge, or interaction. Many players feel it lacks traditional gameplay depth and is more of a brief, contemplative interactive experience rather than a game. Those seeking meaningful gameplay or longer engagement may find it disappointing.
- “The game strips away conventional gameplay mechanics to focus almost exclusively on atmosphere and narrative.”
- “By choosing to forego traditional gameplay, the game invites players to simply be present in this transitional moment, focusing on the emotional rather than the mechanical.”
- “Its deliberate simplicity—both in visuals and gameplay—creates a powerful emotional space that encourages reflection on the universal themes of life’s impermanence and the inevitability of death.”
- “There are no mechanics, no challenge, and no real interaction.”
- “The gameplay loop stays extremely simple, and the game doesn’t introduce many new mechanics or surprises.”
- “There’s no real gameplay, no meaningful choices and nothing that justifies calling it more than a brief narration.”
story
77 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
9%
85%
6%
The story is a very brief, abstract reflection on mortality and final moments, delivering a philosophical message rather than a developed narrative. While some appreciate its evocative, minimalist tone and emotional weight, many find it too short, lacking character development and gameplay integration, ultimately feeling underwhelming and insufficiently engaging for its price.
- “At its core, away offers a brief but powerful experience that invites players to immerse themselves in the final moments of life, presented in stark black-and-white visuals that amplify the emotional weight of the story.”
- “The story about the hero’s death experience is intriguing, yet it feels underdeveloped and ends before it can make a meaningful impact, leaving the game with insufficient content to satisfy the players.”
- “I recommend due to the fact it has a great story and a bit of lore.”
- “It is a 2-minute short story that contains only 2 sentences.”
- “Even though developers would want to give a lesson or surprise you, this might be the worst way to do that because a good game would make you curious and feel connected to the characters or story.”
- “But in all seriousness I do like the actual message of this game, but the problem is that this isn't a game and could've had the same impact if I had read this on some inspirational social media page; there is no actual gameplay other than some 'go to light' option to progress the story, so all I got was wasted time.”
graphics
35 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
9%
82%
9%
The game's graphics are extremely minimalistic, primarily featuring stark black-and-white visuals centered around a growing white light, which some find hauntingly beautiful while others see as overly simplistic or even lacking. Despite the basic visuals, the monochrome aesthetic effectively supports the game's contemplative and emotional themes, enhanced significantly by subtle sound design that fills the atmospheric gaps. Overall, the graphics serve more as a stylistic and thematic tool rather than a display of visual complexity.
- “The black-and-white graphics and minimalist visuals create a hauntingly beautiful atmosphere, while the soundtrack helps you fully immerse yourself in the story.”
- “What struck me most was how much atmosphere the developers managed to build with such a stripped-down presentation — the stark art style and muted tones create an emotional space that feels contemplative and personal rather than just stylistically sparse.”
- “The monochrome aesthetic is more than just a stylistic choice—it reinforces the themes of fading light and the inescapable approach of death.”
- “Graphics: 1/10”
- “No visuals, no interaction, no choices.”
- “This is not even worthy of being called a visual novel, because you sometimes click on the same text which appears in the same spot, and there are almost no visuals.”
atmosphere
22 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
59%
27%
14%
Away delivers a calm, minimalist, and contemplative atmosphere through its stark black-and-white visuals and subtle audio design, creating an emotionally resonant and immersive experience. While its brief, slow-paced nature and narrative moments may feel fleeting, the game successfully evokes a unique, somber mood that appeals to fans of introspective, artful indie titles.
- “What struck me most was how much atmosphere the developers managed to build with such a stripped-down presentation — the stark art style and muted tones create an emotional space that feels contemplative and personal rather than just stylistically sparse.”
- “The black-and-white graphics and minimalist visuals create a hauntingly beautiful atmosphere, while the soundtrack helps you fully immerse yourself in the story.”
- “Accompanying the visuals is a minimalist audio design that enhances the meditative atmosphere.”
- “I can appreciate the atmosphere and the idea behind it, but it never quite becomes something memorable.”
- “The narrative is delivered in quick bursts, and for a game that revolves so strongly around atmosphere, some moments might feel too fleeting to leave a deep emotional impression.”
- “I will say, it's not a bad atmosphere and stuff, but it feels much more like the opening cutscene to a game than an actual game.”
emotional
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game creates a deeply contemplative and personal emotional experience through its minimalist black-and-white visuals, subtle sound design, and reflective atmosphere, focusing on themes of life’s impermanence. While its brief narrative may feel fleeting, the overall meditative tone invites introspection and leaves a lasting emotional impact, especially for players drawn to philosophical or emotional simulations.
- “What struck me most was how much atmosphere the developers managed to build with such a stripped-down presentation — the stark art style and muted tones create an emotional space that feels contemplative and personal rather than just stylistically sparse.”
- “Sound plays a surprisingly big role: subtle environmental audio and understated effects fill in the emotional gaps where visuals leave off, giving away a meditative rhythm that pulls you along even though the gameplay itself is minimal.”
- “At its core, Away offers a brief but powerful experience that invites players to immerse themselves in the final moments of life, presented in stark black-and-white visuals that amplify the emotional weight of the story.”
music
9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
34%
33%
The music in the game is praised for its eerie, minimalistic, and haunting ambiance that effectively enhances the reflective and solemn atmosphere. While some find it immersive and fitting, others feel the soundtrack is too short or mismatched with the voice acting. Overall, it contributes significantly to the mood, though opinions on its execution vary.
- “Its minimalistic design and eerie soundtrack create a haunting, reflective experience.”
- “Gentle ambient sounds and a sparse, almost ethereal soundtrack underscore the solemnity of the experience without overwhelming the senses.”
- “The black-and-white graphics and minimalist visuals create a hauntingly beautiful atmosphere, while the soundtrack helps you fully immerse yourself in the story.”
- “Next time, I could also use a bizarre music track paired with randomly plagiarized texts from philosophy books to create and release something, just to see how many would pay for it.”
- “The creepy music is okay, but it doesn't really match the voice.”
- “The first time I heard the music on the menu, I thought my headphones were broken!”
humor
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is largely unintentional, stemming from its absurdity and short length, which many users find amusing in a "so bad it's funny" way. Some also note a humorous contrast between its unexpected achievements and those of more serious games.
- “Honestly, it’s so short and absurd that it becomes unintentionally hilarious.”
- “It's so bad it's kinda funny, not gonna lie.”
- “I find it funny that this has an achievement, compared to some actual games.”
grinding
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
75%
Grinding in this game is tedious and generally not worth the effort unless you're focused on earning simple achievements. It can be exhausting and requires significant time investment.
- “Unless you’re just farming an easy achievement for your profile, this really doesn’t deserve your attention.”
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
monetization
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
75%
The game's monetization is heavily criticized for feeling like a cash grab, relying primarily on repetitive clicking and invasive microtransactions, with little to no engaging content or depth.
- “Microtransactions - in-game purchases.”
- “Away feels like a cash grab disguised as a game, where all you do is click... and that's it.”
- “I've had unskippable YouTube ads with more narrative depth.”
- “Microtransactions and in-game purchases dominate the experience.”
optimization
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
67%
The game's optimization is poor, resulting in performance or gameplay that falls significantly below acceptable standards and requires improvement.
- “Needs optimization.”
- “Performance or gameplay falls significantly below the passing mark.”
replayability
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Users indicate that replayability is the game's primary strength, offering significant longevity and ongoing engagement.
character development
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Character development in the game is minimal, with a lack of detailed storyline that may leave players wanting more depth and context for the characters.
- “The absence of a detailed storyline or character development could leave some wanting more depth or context.”