Emily is Away Too
- May 26, 2017
- Kyle Seeley
- 2h median play time
Get on Steam"Emily is Away Too" is a nostalgic chat-based game set in 2006, allowing you to interact with characters Emily and Evelyn, and influence your senior year's outcome. The game features multiple endings, customizable profiles, independent IM conversations, and integration of YouTube links, Facebook profiles, and file transfers, all within a retro interface.
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PC
Windows
Linux
Reviews
- story1,424 mentions
- 37 % positive mentions
- 60 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The story of "Emily is Away Too" is generally well-received, with many players appreciating its nostalgic setting and emotional depth. While it offers a more expansive narrative with multiple endings and character choices compared to its predecessor, some reviewers noted that the character development can feel shallow and the overall plot may lack complexity. Despite these criticisms, the game successfully captures the essence of teenage relationships and the impact of choices, making it a compelling experience for fans of story-driven games.
“I really enjoyed the first game, it was an emotionally devastating story.”
“The pacing is tight and focused, delivering a satisfyingly bittersweet story that lingers long after the credits roll.”
“The story is well put together, and conveys well the emotions that come with online relationships.”
“Additionally, while the game taps into emotional storytelling, the depth of the characters can occasionally feel shallow, especially when compared to more robust visual novels or interactive storytelling games.”
“The story is extremely short and underwhelming; even as a high school student, more goes on than what is presented in the story.”
“The ending just destroyed the story; it was horrible.”
- music604 mentions
- 26 % positive mentions
- 72 % neutral mentions
- 2 % negative mentions
The music in "Emily is Away Too" is a standout feature, effectively capturing the nostalgia of the mid-2000s through a carefully curated selection of pop-punk and alternative tracks. Players appreciate the integration of YouTube links that allow them to listen to songs while engaging in conversations, enhancing the immersive experience of reliving teenage years filled with music and online interactions. Overall, the soundtrack not only evokes strong emotional connections but also introduces players to new music, making it a significant aspect of the game's charm.
“The music truly is what makes it for me.”
“The music selection you'll be playing in your browser makes sense, fits in the atmosphere and works with the rest of the game to bring you that nostalgia feel.”
“The use of music and choices really makes the game fantastic.”
“It's three hours of listening to two teenage girls talk about their favorite music, going out with their friends, obsessing over whatever inane problem is going on in their life at that moment.”
“Maybe if I kept playing something interesting would happen but I just don't get the appeal, all you do is talk to fake people about music and video games, the writing isn't interesting or witty.”
“I didn't like the music options so I lied.”
- emotional594 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of "Emily is Away Too" is widely praised, with players describing it as a powerful and nostalgic journey that evokes strong feelings of teen angst, love, and heartbreak. Many reviewers noted that the game effectively captures the essence of early 2000s internet culture, leading to moments of genuine emotional investment and even tears. While some felt the emotional depth was not as impactful as the first game, the overall experience remains a heartfelt and engaging exploration of relationships and choices, making it a memorable emotional rollercoaster for players.
“10/10 game, it's an emotional roller coaster especially if you mess up some of the important choices, but I highly recommend.”
“The game captures the essence of teen angst, emotional growth, and the misunderstandings that can arise from online communication.”
“This game made me feel things I never thought I could feel.”
- gameplay304 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 72 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The gameplay of "Emily is Away Too" features a mix of interactive conversations and unique mechanics, such as a typing simulation and timed events, which enhance immersion and nostalgia for early 2000s chat experiences. However, some players find the gameplay simplistic and linear, with limited choices that can lead to repetitive playthroughs. Overall, while the game introduces new features and maintains emotional engagement, it may not satisfy those seeking deeper gameplay complexity.
“The conversations are highly interactive, and the typing mechanic where you press random keys to 'type' your responses makes the game feel immersive.”
“Now you can chat with two girls at the same time and that introduces a bunch of new mechanics that enriches a lot the interactivity and the narration.”
“The gameplay has improved in many ways.”
“The gameplay variety is lacking as conversations follow a strict path with little to change the direction alongside no possible means of hitting a 'dead end' by ruining chats or acting out of line.”
“Gameplay consists of pretending to type in instant messages to these two women and carry unbelievably shallow conversations with them, consisting of YouTube links to emo music, misspellings, and catchphrases like 'cool beans =]' or 'haha yeah I guessss whatevz man =p'.”
“The gameplay is very easy - you just have to pick one out of three options and then 'mash' your keyboard.”
- graphics154 mentions
- 38 % positive mentions
- 60 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The graphics of "Emily is Away Too" are praised for their nostalgic pixel art style, effectively capturing the early 2000s internet aesthetic and evoking memories of instant messaging. While some reviewers noted the visuals as simple or retro, many appreciated the attention to detail and the immersive experience it provides, enhancing the overall storytelling. Overall, the game's graphics are seen as a significant strength, contributing to its charm and authenticity.
“The authenticity of the early internet aesthetic is spot-on, and small details like song references or browsing a character's profile help make the world feel lived in.”
“The art style is amazing, bringing in that retro feel to a relatable story.”
“Everything from the sounds to the visuals is well implemented and polished, and feels really natural.”
“The visuals are really well done, as also the early 2000's internet overall setting, but the plot and writing are so bad and immature that it's almost unbearable to read.”
“It's not even a visual novel, since there's almost no visuals in it; it is also too linear, on-rails even, to be called a text adventure.”
“🔲 Graphics don't matter in this game.”
- replayability118 mentions
- 34 % positive mentions
- 59 % neutral mentions
- 7 % negative mentions
The game offers significant replayability due to its branching narrative and multiple endings, encouraging players to explore different choices and outcomes. While some players found the characters charming and engaging, others noted that the similarity in dialogue could diminish the replay experience. Overall, the game is considered worth the investment for those who enjoy narrative-driven gameplay, despite its relatively short length.
“The game’s branching narrative encourages replayability, as different choices lead to different outcomes.”
“Multiple endings make this extremely replayable.”
“The game has multiple outcomes and options, giving it a much better replay value than the first game did, and I found myself to be much more into the game this time around as well.”
“The biggest downside to this game is its replayability is quite poor, and there isn't much to come back to.”
“That said, there isn't much replay value unless you're the kind of person who enjoys going through the motions of a game for achievements or who enjoys searching for the branches of storyline caused by dialogue choices.”
“Unfortunately, this game doesn't have much replayability value.”
- humor110 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is a mix of subtle references and nostalgic jokes that resonate particularly well with players familiar with late 2000s internet culture. While some find the humor relatable and laugh-out-loud funny, others feel it falls flat, with many jokes potentially going over the heads of those not in tune with the era's nuances. Overall, the game features a variety of humorous easter eggs and character interactions that can evoke both laughter and a sense of nostalgia.
“The humor is extremely subtle, and without a solid grasp of late 2000's teenager humor, most of the jokes will go over a typical player's head.”
“All the easter egg icons and the interactions that come with some of them are hilarious!”
“The easter eggs (icons, random chats, etc.) are hilarious, and at one point the game seems to set you up for failure (not gonna spoil it) just stick with it and things will turn out okay!”
- atmosphere40 mentions
- 70 % positive mentions
- 23 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its nostalgic and immersive recreation of early 2000s internet culture, particularly through its engaging dialogue, music selection, and detailed spoof websites. Players appreciate how the sound design and music enhance the experience, making it feel authentic and comforting, reminiscent of simpler times in online communication. Overall, the atmosphere is described as a beautiful blend of nostalgia and creativity, effectively capturing the essence of the era it represents.
“The music and file links are absolutely fantastic and make the atmosphere feel much more real.”
“This game has such a beautiful atmosphere.”
“Eia2, much like the first, is a love letter to the internet of old, with a faithful, if slightly tongue-in-cheek parody of the AOL days of the internet, and the sheer amount of effort into creating fully detailed spoof online sites on the real internet is a move that I've rarely seen in games, and it's a nice refreshing supplement to the general atmosphere that this game tries to achieve.”
“Eia2, much like the first, is a love letter to the internet of old, with a faithful, if slightly tongue-in-cheek parody of the AOL days of the internet. The sheer amount of effort into creating fully detailed spoof online sites on the real internet is a move that I've rarely seen in games. It's a nice refreshing supplement to the general atmosphere that this game tries to achieve, complete with fake banner ads and even musical tastes that were accurate to those years. This really helps cement the idea that 'hey, remember when ____ was really big?' So right off the bat, if you don't particularly enjoy the idea of having a game set in the messengers of old, then maybe don't buy this game, as a lot of the enjoyment comes from reliving those eras.”
“The additional websites the game provides you with help enhance this exquisitely executed story too. (Tip: to enhance your gameplay experience, listen to the music the girls send you in the background while chatting away to really add to that mid-2000s atmosphere!)”
“It gives off a very unique and engaging feel to it all, with the people you're chatting to even sending links to music they like, which adds more to the atmosphere surrounding the game.”
- grinding32 mentions
- 3 % positive mentions
- 16 % neutral mentions
- 81 % negative mentions
The grinding aspect of the game is widely regarded as tedious and time-consuming, often requiring multiple playthroughs to achieve all endings and unlock achievements. While some players appreciate the well-crafted story and branching dialogue, many find the repetitive nature of typing and clicking through dialogue to be a significant drawback, making the experience feel laborious. Overall, while the game is considered well-made, the grinding can detract from enjoyment, especially for those seeking to complete all content.
“You'll need a second life for grinding.”
“I personally find it incredibly boring and tedious... but it's well-made and has branching dialogue.”
“For the achievement hunters out there, if you're only playing the game for that specific reason, let me warn you that the game becomes quite tedious to complete, and I, for one, had to play it twice for one annoying secret achievement.”
“So it's kind of tedious to try and get different endings once you get one since you have to replay everything from chapter 2 pretty much.”
- character development8 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 38 % neutral mentions
- 38 % negative mentions
Character development in the game is generally praised, with improvements noted over its predecessor, though some players feel it could benefit from more depth and length. While the writing has minor flaws, such as forced dialogue and excessive exposition, many still find the character arcs engaging and recommend the game for its strong narrative focus.
“I think there was a better job done in terms of character development in this game than the first game.”
“I loved every moment of it, and highly recommend this as a great story-driven game with some swell character development!”
“There are some minor flaws in the writing, with occasional exposition overshadowing character development, and the dialogue feeling a bit forced at times.”
“A bit too short; could use more character development.”
“There are some minor flaws in the writing, with occasional exposition overshadowing character development, and the dialogue feeling a bit forced at times.”
- monetization6 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 67 % negative mentions
The monetization aspect of the game is positively noted for its lack of ads, contributing to a seamless experience. However, some players feel that the game limits player choices, reducing the "choose your own adventure" experience to a typing simulator, which may detract from overall enjoyment. The nostalgic elements and detailed spoof sites enhance the game's appeal, but potential buyers should be aware that much of the enjoyment hinges on a fondness for the internet's past.
“The monetization strategy feels exploitative, as it constantly pushes players towards microtransactions for basic gameplay features.”
“It's frustrating that the game locks essential content behind a paywall, making it hard to enjoy without spending extra money.”
“The in-game purchases are overwhelming and disrupt the overall experience, making it feel more like a cash grab than a genuine game.”
- optimization2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -50 % neutral mentions
- 150 % negative mentions
The game is widely regarded as unoptimized, with users reporting performance issues that hinder the overall experience.
“The game feels completely unoptimized, leading to frustrating performance issues.”
“I can't believe how unoptimized this game is; it struggles to maintain a stable frame rate.”
“The lack of optimization is evident, causing frequent stuttering and long loading times.”
- stability2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The game's stability has been negatively impacted by a recent Windows 10 update, causing startup freezes for some users. While the game was previously stable, this issue has led to downvotes from affected players.
“Good but downvoting as the latest Windows 10 update has broken the game and it now freezes on startup for some users.”
