Em-A-Li

About

Em-A-Li is a single player casual role playing game with horror and mystery themes. It was developed by Yobob and was released on January 2, 2020. It received positive reviews from players.

"Em-A-Li" is a single-player Horror Interactive Fiction game, where you play as Li, trying to escape a series of rooms while uncovering a darker story than just an AI gone rogue. Featuring full voice acting, inspired by Portal 2, with Amelea Michaela Morrow as Em-A-Li, an advance artificial health care provider. The game tells a visual short story with its top-down perspective, offering a unique and immersive horror experience.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

Skip User Reviews

81%

Audience ScoreBased on 42 reviews

story13 positive mentions

gameplay3 negative mentions

The game features high-quality voice acting that enhances the overall experience.
The pixel art style and atmosphere create an engaging and unsettling environment.
Despite its short length, the story is interesting and captivates players with its narrative.

The game is very short, typically taking around 30-40 minutes to complete, which may leave players wanting more.
Dialogue can be confusing and repetitive, detracting from the immersion and narrative flow.
The gameplay is limited, feeling more like a walking simulator with minimal interaction and choices.

story
40 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
59%
8%
The game's story has received mixed reviews, with many players finding it predictable and cliché, yet still engaging and enjoyable. While some appreciate the captivating characters and voice acting, others criticize its linearity and brevity, noting that it can be completed in about 30 to 60 minutes. Overall, the narrative is described as interesting and well-executed for a short experience, though it may benefit from deeper development and interaction.
- “I was captivated by the characters and the unraveling narrative; I wish I could forget the entire story just so I could have the satisfaction to play it again.”
- “Each new room that opens up reveals a new piece of the story, as well as new lines of fully voice acted dialogue.”
- “Interesting story and superb voice acting.”
- “So incohesive and any plot twists it's meant to have are so cliché you can spot them coming from galaxies away.”
- “The big plot twist is not only so predictable but is formatted and paced horribly.”
- “The story is not that good and the voice narration lags behind the words narration so I end up reading faster and skip which ruins the fun.”
music
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
43%
14%
43%
The music in the game is praised for its simplicity and effectiveness, enhancing the overall atmosphere and emotional engagement. Reviewers highlight the strong synergy between the soundtrack and voice acting, which contributes to the game's immersive experience. While some minor improvements are suggested, the music is generally well-received for its ability to set the mood and complement the gameplay.
- “Also the soundtrack and the voice acting complemented each other very well.”
- “A fun, simple mini horror game with lore, funny voice acting, and nice soundtracks that set the mood.”
- “The music is nice, the voice acting is really good, and the story is alright; I feel like we're scratching something that could be of quite a large scale.”
- “The music is pretty simple but effective; it really sets the tone and atmosphere.”
- “When the music does change, it has a significant impact.”
- “I appreciate the voice acting and the music because it made the game feel more alive.”
gameplay
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
17%
50%
The gameplay is criticized for being overly simplistic and lacking depth, primarily consisting of wandering and interacting with objects rather than engaging in meaningful mechanics. Many players feel that the experience is more about narrative progression than actual gameplay, leading to a perception of it being barebones and unsatisfying.
- “The mechanics are probably the main highlight of the gameplay.”
- “I would have loved to see more actual gameplay rather than just moving from point A to point B for more dialogue.”
- “The gameplay is very barebones; in fact, I wouldn't really call it gameplay.”
- “The game is a bit barebones, but it's understandable. The main issue I have is the lack of gameplay; you just walk around and interact with things, waiting for the story to unfold.”
- “Em-a-li is a little indie game (about 40 minutes of gameplay) where you wander around trying to understand why you're here and what's happening.”
graphics
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
60%
40%
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews; while some players appreciate the charming pixel-art aesthetic, others criticize the overall visual quality, noting that it lacks the engaging visuals typically expected in narrative-driven games.
- “The game has a charming pixel-graphic aesthetic.”
- “I enjoyed the art style and Em-a-li's voice actress.”
- “Usually, this type of almost kinetic stories makes up for the lack of multiple choices with a bunch of visuals, which is not the case here.”
- “Visuals are very bad.”
- “Usually this type of almost kinetic stories makes up for the lack of multiple choices with a bunch of visuals, which is not the case here.”
atmosphere
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The atmosphere of the game is described as atmospheric and unsettling, characterized by an oppressive and ominous setting enhanced by effective use of negative space in the maps. The simple yet impactful music contributes significantly to the tension, creating an unnerving experience that heightens the sense of discovery and immersion.
- “The atmosphere is very unsettling and unnerving, adding significantly to the tension of the game.”
- “The music is pretty simple but effective; it really sets the tone and atmosphere.”
- “The use of negative space in each of the maps lends itself to the oppressive and ominous atmosphere of the setting, and helps to focus the player on discovery.”
- “The atmosphere is very unsettling and unnerving, adding hugely to the tension of the game.”
emotional
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players generally find the game lacking in emotional depth, with dialogue that fails to resonate and predictable plot twists that diminish impact. While the music and voice acting are praised, the overall narrative does not evoke a meaningful emotional response, leaving players feeling disconnected from the story.
- “But the music is nice, the voice acting is really good, and the story is alright. I feel like we're scratching the surface of something that could be quite large in scale, the subject of emotion.”
replayability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
100%
The game offers limited replayability, making it suitable for short play sessions but not for extended engagement. While some players find the price reasonable for a brief experience, others feel it lacks sufficient content to justify repeated play.
- “It's a nice little game to kill a half hour or so, but there's a whole lot of replayability here.”
- “It's a nice little game to kill a half hour or so, but there's not a lot of replayability here.”
- “The regular asking price is rather steep, but $3, while still a bit much for a short game without too much production value or replayability, is reasonable enough.”
humor
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
The humor in the game is highlighted by its amusing voice acting and engaging soundtrack, which complement the mini horror theme and enhance the overall experience. Players appreciate the blend of fun and lore, making for an entertaining atmosphere.
- “A fun, simple mini horror game with lore, funny voice acting, and nice soundtracks that set the mood.”
- “The humor in this game is spot on, making even the scariest moments feel light-hearted and enjoyable.”
- “I couldn't stop laughing at the witty dialogue and hilarious character interactions throughout the game.”