Left on Read

About

Left on Read is a single player casual role playing game with horror and romance themes. It was developed by Weston Bell-Geddes and was released on May 19, 2020. It received mostly positive reviews from players.

It’s March of 2020; you were just sent home from college because of the coronavirus, you have a few small regrets, mainly not telling someone how you really feel.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

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79%

Audience ScoreBased on 4,604 reviews

story282 positive mentions

grinding10 negative mentions

Relatable and emotionally impactful story about texting and relationships during the pandemic.
Unique and innovative gameplay mechanic of jumping between text message choices keeps the player engaged.
Short, free, and easy to complete game with multiple endings and achievements providing replay value.

The gameplay can be slow and sometimes frustrating due to unresponsive controls and slow text pacing.
Characters and dialogue are often perceived as bland, dry, or unrealistic, leading to a lack of connection.
Realistic mode requires players to wait many real-life hours for replies, which some find tedious and impractical.

story
750 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
38%
54%
8%
The story in "Left on Read" is a short, interactive, and relatable narrative about two people connecting during the COVID-19 quarantine through text messages, praised for its emotional depth and realism but sometimes criticized for being bland, clichéd, or lacking meaningful player choices. Its unique platforming mechanic to navigate dialogue bubbles keeps players engaged, though some find the plot slow or the characters underdeveloped. Overall, the storytelling is appreciated for its heartfelt, timely themes and immersive text-based experience despite limitations in narrative complexity and replayability.
- “Left on read is a neat visual novel game fashioned as a 2d platformer taking place over several months during the covid-19 pandemic, that pulls you into a text message driven romance story between a college freshman and his crush, with the story unfolding as you jump from text bubble to text bubble as a little white square.”
- “At first when I launched the game, I thought it would be similar to 'Emily is Away' (note that I did not look at the preview pictures and videos beforehand); however, when I saw that it was a platformer, and had multiple choices that possibly affect the story in many ways, I was genuinely amazed by the concept, the game, and the texts really got me intrigued. For example, when I chose a text and it changed to something else I either didn't really want at all or maybe I did. Almost all of my replies were what I would have said in real life, but when I made a mistake I felt like I had to restart (and this did happen a few times). I would also love to mention that the story is incredible; I really felt like every little word mattered so much, even the emoticons.”
- “This game is amazing, it brings me into the story very well and I also like the sound effects very much.”
- “Starting with the story, the characters have no personality whatsoever and the entirety of the game is a succession of mostly unsubstantial conversations with the odd fade-out to show a line that tries too hard to appear profound.”
- “Furthermore, the apparent choices have no bearing on the outcome or even the specific messages the protagonist receives: there's a linear pseudo-storyline and that's it.”
- “The couple in this story had absolutely zero chemistry and their conversations were awkward and boring throughout the entire game.”
gameplay
211 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
64%
11%
The gameplay is primarily simple platforming where the player jumps between text messages to choose dialogue options, serving more as a narrative device than a challenge. While some find this mechanic innovative and fitting for the game's emotional and storytelling focus, many consider it limited, repetitive, and lacking depth or meaningful interactivity. Overall, the gameplay complements the story but is often seen as minimal and secondary to the game's emotional and narrative experience.
- “Gameplay is fun and innovative for what could have been a simple point and click game; love it just as much now as I did then.”
- “It's particularly impressive how the game uses such minimalistic gameplay to explore complex themes like love and communication.”
- “I enjoyed the gameplay; the platformer style adds a fun way of progressing through the story, and some of the desirable text options are a little harder to reach when jumping!”
- “The gameplay is to jump on messages, choose between a few options on what to write, read messages, but mostly just wait for messages to pop up, be written and sent, which in my opinion is extremely boring.”
- “Gameplay wise, it is nothing groundbreaking; you parkour towards the text messages you wish to send in a platformer style.”
- “The gameplay literally never gets more complex than that.”
emotional
201 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
99%
1%
"Left on Read" delivers a deeply emotional and relatable experience, capturing the highs and lows of digital intimacy with a mix of heartbreak, warmth, and authenticity. Many players found it heartwarming and moving, often shedding tears, while some noted its brevity and occasional lack of character depth. Overall, it evokes strong emotional responses, making it a poignant narrative-driven game about connection and vulnerability.
- “The game effectively captures the awkward pauses, misinterpreted intentions, and emotional highs and lows that define modern communication.”
- “Set within a simple yet evocative text-message interface, this narrative-driven game takes players through the emotional turbulence of attempting to connect with someone they care about.”
- “It has you emotionally invested from start to finish, and honestly this is the most relatable a game has ever been to me.”
- “Boring story that doesn't actually let you make many choices.”
- “Just a really boring story.”
humor
71 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
93%
7%
The game's humor is a mix of awkward, cringy, and relatable moments that many players find funny and genuine, especially in the realistic mode and dialogue choices. While some find the humor clever and emotionally touching, others feel it can be hit-or-miss or rely on trolling tactics that don't always land. Overall, its humor often evokes laughter through its awkwardness and situational comedy tied to the dating sim and lockdown themes.
- “The dialogue choices were hilarious and sometimes brutal, but they felt so real!”
- “Realistic mode is a hilarious idea, I think it took me around a day and some change.”
- “The game starts off with light-hearted banter, funny moments, and typical dating sim tropes.”
- “At worst, this is an insidious strategy to increase the players' playtime and, at best, an unfunny troll.”
- “I'm not a fan of the twist at the back (where the girl said she's attached. Damn girl, her jokes are too far and not funny), think it's kind of cheap.”
- “His crush reflects me: we both have terrible taste in movies, we both are not funny, and we both are very hard to deal with.”
music
65 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
18%
77%
5%
The music in the game is generally praised for its melancholic, lo-fi, and anxiety-inducing ambiance that enhances intimacy and suspense, though some find it overly intense or mismatched with the casual tone. Several users note the soundtrack’s ability to create immersion and emotional depth, while others criticize the lack of consistent or balanced background music, occasional audio bugs, and limited musical presence beyond early levels. Overall, the music significantly contributes to the game's atmosphere but may benefit from more nuanced integration and volume control.
- “Meanwhile, the soundtrack, a lo-fi, melancholic score, underscores the sense of intimacy and introspection.”
- “One of the best OSTs I have ever listened to, with great synthwave musicians including Carpenter Brut, Lorn, Danger, Waveshaper, Toxic Avenger, etc.”
- “The ambient music adds to the gravity of the conversation and enables the narrative to continue with pace and build intensity.”
- “The music does not work; for some reason, the developers made the music heard only through my left ear.”
- “There is definitely an option to turn down the music, sound effects, and master volume, but they don't work at all.”
- “Music only played on the first day, which I was somewhat thankful for because it was extremely loud.”
graphics
55 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
45%
50%
5%
The graphics receive consistent praise for their minimalist, charming, and aesthetically pleasing art style, which effectively complements the game's concept and storytelling. While some find the visuals simple or basic, many highlight smooth animation, unique effects, and a strong emotional connection fostered by the design. Overall, the graphics are regarded as a key strength that enhances the immersive and memorable experience.
- “Ii was hooked after first 5 minutes, and the graphics are insane!”
- “Left on read is a really nice experience, its realistic and relaxing and the graphic design is incredible 10/10 would recommend”
- “The art style was amazing and how he wrote something and deleted it was so realistic I loved it.”
- “I also had trouble with the graphics.”
- “I would not call this a game; it's a visual novel, just with really bad visuals.”
- “The only graphics you’ll see are some emoticons and a cat meme.”
replayability
18 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
44%
39%
17%
The game offers moderate replayability mainly through multiple endings, varying player choices, and achievements, which some find enjoyable while others see as limited or somewhat tedious. Its unique, realistic experience and humor provide appeal for replaying, but a lack of diverse content and expanded characters may reduce long-term engagement. Overall, replay value is present but not a major highlight.
- “Very replayable; as of writing this, I have completed one ending but intend to get all of them.”
- “Despite its simplicity, the freedom of choice offers players some replay value and fun to see how much they can steer the relationship in certain directions.”
- “This game was thoroughly enjoyable. I had a few laughs and was surprised at how well the devs captured real life conversations from the undoing of a message to completely changing it. Plus, it's free and has a fair bit of replayability. I hope to see more from the devs; they seem to have a good sense of humor all the way through.”
- “It doesn't really offer replayability outside of some achievements, but that doesn't seem to be an issue with it being free.”
- “The story is serviceable and good for what it is, I only wish they had expanded the characters and given it some more replay value.”
- “No replay value for me though.”
atmosphere
16 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
44%
37%
19%
The game's atmosphere is largely praised for its tense, suspenseful, and relatable portrayal of anxious texting and interpersonal uncertainty, enhanced by eerie ambient sounds and minimalistic design. While some find its dark and emo elements aiming for spookiness fall flat and confusing due to abrupt narrative shifts, many appreciate how the atmosphere deeply immerses them in the protagonist's emotional experience. Overall, it stands out for creating a unique, chill, and engaging mood that complements its storytelling.
- “I've not seen other reviews talk about this, but the atmosphere created by the ambient noise and the empty background really reflects the pit in your stomach you get when you're anxious about whether they love you back.”
- “The atmosphere of it really put me in the head of this dude and got me invested, I even started getting nervous when the girl was typing.”
- “The eerie background noise builds the atmosphere and the little jumping dot adds some fun to the game, rather than it play out as a visual novel.”
- “The dark atmosphere and emo quote interludes were setting up a spooky ambiance, but ultimately they fall flat as there's nothing really spooky about the game. Half the time, I didn't even understand what was happening - the main character randomly starts losing his mind halfway through the game, and the girl abruptly stops replying or the game suddenly cuts off and transitions to the next day without any explanation, leaving me deeply confused about what is even happening.”
- “While I do relate to being left on read and typing stupid things out just to delete them, the lack of music and atmosphere makes me feel like nothing is happening.”
- “The main character can be dry at times, which sometimes detracts from the atmosphere.”
grinding
15 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
67%
Grinding in the game is widely regarded as tedious and repetitive, often making gameplay feel boring and tiresome. While the multiple endings add replay value, pursuing them can intensify the grind, reducing overall enjoyment.
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “It's interesting for 5-10 minutes but after that it just becomes tedious.”
- “Trying to get the other endings is kinda boring and tedious.”
stability
14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
7%
93%
The game is widely reported to have significant stability issues, with numerous bugs and glitches that impact gameplay and overall experience. Many users found it buggy and laggy to the point of hindering completion, though some issues were described as minor. Overall, stability remains a major concern.
- “100% bug free product”
- “Feels very buggy and laggy; couldn't finish the game.”
- “Way too buggy; can't even finish a level.”
- “The game itself is a big terrarium for bugs and glitches.”
character development
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
33%
Reviews on character development are mixed: while some praise the game's strong character design, especially noting the work of Takashi Okazaki, others feel the game lacks meaningful character development throughout the story.
- “Amazing character design by the same person who designed the Afro Samurai characters (Takashi Okazaki).”
- “Great character development.”
- “After playing Emily is Away, this game interested me, but there is no real character development.”
optimization
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game lacks ultrawide (32:9) screen optimization, causing UI elements like the level select screen to be visible prematurely. Overall, optimization issues affect the experience on wider monitors.