Emily is Away is a really compelling game

[ro9ue]

So I heard about this game and was like "hm, seems like an interesting indie game" going in with just curiosity and no expectations. If you're a late 20s gamer or even early 30s, you are probably familiar with AIM. In high school and college, just about everyone was on it. This game really captured what that social experience was like.

It's really short and if you're around 30 and used AIM, I highly suggest checking it out.


I don't want to ruin anything so I'm going to further comment on the game and why I think this is one of the best games I ever played under a spoiler tag. It's really short, I'd play through it and come back to discuss and just go into it with no expectations like I did.

http://store.steampowered.com/app/417860/


Anyway here's my 2c:

So the game really encapsulates what that online adolescent experience was like, and it gives you some fake profiles and it's focused on your interactions with "Emily". I'm not even sure if the creator was really trying to get this deep with it, but I think this was a masterpiece. You go through each year from High School and College and have a brief convo with Emily in each year and just bullshit with her. She talks to you and you get 3 options for a reply. You basically just click one and spam type to put together the response. The game even goes so far as to retype certain things almost like you would in real life. There was a part where you are about to reply... you are my best friend... but you don't want to seem too attached or needy or whatever (adolescent stuff) and you delete and retype to put "one" of my best friends. Like trying to sound like you have a ton of girls and friends. [I]Just like how it really was.[/I]

It really makes you think about those people you chatted with years ago and maybe forgot. Maybe it was a close friend, and you had a significant other when they didn't and then they did when you didn't. Anyway, on both playthroughs.... ULTRA SPOILER COMING UP....






***IM SERIOUS***





It seems no matter what, it doesn't work out. And the last few options are so beautifully done. One of the options is goodbye. And you get 2 meaningful options like "why didn't it work out" or "I still have feelings for you".... but it retypes it as stuff like "well hows the weather there?". And eventually you only have one option: goodbye. And the game is over.

It would sound anti-climactic if only it wasn't such a true depiction of how life was in an instant messaging world. This game stuck with me. It made me think about every girl or important friend I had where it just dropped off for no reason. Maybe I didn't say enough, maybe I said too much. But overall, a really great game. It even has some really nostalgic details like profile pics of bands from that era and music lyrics in profile info.

10/10

[Svifnymr]

Hey, some of us still use AIM!

[Deleted]

Those games... ugh.

[icedwarrior]

I don't want to ruin anything so I'm going to further comment on the game and why I think this is one of the best games I ever played under a spoiler tag.

I watched Dodger play it on YouTube, and, well, the short version is I wasn't impressed. Neat little game, but nothing particularly good nor memorable.

My issue with the game is two things. One, the length. I don't inherently have an issue with ~30 minute games, but when you have a game that's dependent on relationships, I find it very hard to get emotionally invested in a relationship in such a small amount of time. I really didn't get that much of a background on Emily, or really much of anything other than 'She is your friend, so you will like her!'. I feel like if they doubled the length and really established some nice moments together, I'd be more emotionally invested in how their relationship goes.

My second issue is more story-related. Granted, I didn't play it myself, but I would pick almost all of the dialog options that Dodger picked, especially the part where you want to establish boundaries: you have a girlfriend, and you want the visit to be as friends. However, even though you do the right thing here, it doesn't matter: things get weird. It was such a massive disconnect for me...I can accept the fact that humans aren't perfect; emotions sometime trump reason, but that doesn't excuse the fact that a line was crossed and I very explicitly responded the way I did for a reason... not to mention the fact that it's very vague about what actually happened. I guess I would just ask you this: what really happened in this game? You chat with your friend, talk about a small amount of bullshit, feelings are there, she visits you, things get weird, and you move on. I don't know about you, but I don't find that particularly compelling.

I do totally agree that I liked when she'd edit the message as she was typing, as if she's second-guessing herself. That was a very nice touch.

Perhaps it was because I never used AIM that the game failed to be memorable in any sense for me... but in terms of narrative, characters, dialog...everything...I've seen better; hopefully the developer will make another game and make a better game.

[ro9ue]

Perhaps it was because I never used AIM that the game failed to be memorable in any sense for me... but in terms of narrative, characters, dialog...everything...I've seen better; hopefully the developer will make another game and make a better game.

I think having a personal experience with AIM is pretty much a make or break for this game. I don't think the actual game content was supposed to deliver some robust and detailed story, but rather be a bird's eye commentary and reflection on social interactions during the AIM era. Of the people I've recommended this game to, those who used AIM have had a really great experience, even if it was just nostalgic. Those who didn't have been underwhelmed.

[stellvia]

It's all about the ICQ! I can almost still remember my number. 4205309 or something like that, not that it would connect anymore as its been shut down for years.

[Halicia]

I think having a personal experience with AIM is pretty much a make or break for this game. I don't think the actual game content was supposed to deliver some robust and detailed story, but rather be a bird's eye commentary and reflection on social interactions during the AIM era. Of the people I've recommended this game to, those who used AIM have had a really great experience, even if it was just nostalgic. Those who didn't have been underwhelmed.

I was surprised by the game. Its not one of those you can appreciate by watching, you have to choose & experience it. imo, the half hour playtime is a plus, and not a minus.

but my biggest gripe...

Emily goes out of her way (literally) to meet & hook up with me, even going so far as to offer to bring liquor, and then refuses to take responsibility for her own choices that led to the tumble, shifting it entirely to "you took advantage of me! daterapedaterape!" and then /ignore's me.

So !@#$ her.

[Xargoth6634]

I watched Dodger play it on YouTube, and, well, the short version is I wasn't impressed. Neat little game, but nothing particularly good nor memorable.

/watched someone else entirely play the game on Youtube
/comments about not understanding why game is good or memorable

[icedwarrior]

/watched someone else entirely play the game on Youtube
/comments about not understanding why game is good or memorable

As I said in my post, she made most, if not all, of the same responses that I would have made...so please tell me what exactly I'm missing rather than dismiss my post.

[Evil Midnight Bomber]

I did quite a few playthroughs of that game and, while for the most part i enjoyed it...I would have liked a bit more control in how things are left with emily.

Emily goes out of her way (literally) to meet & hook up with me, even going so far as to offer to bring liquor, and then refuses to take responsibility for her own choices that led to the tumble, shifting it entirely to "you took advantage of me! daterapedaterape!" and then /ignore's me.

So !@#$ her.

Even if you tell her not to bring booze because you won't need it and spend the entire time while shes there just walking around campus looking for shit to do instead of staying in your room or going to parties she'll still accuse you of setting up the weekend as a way to get into her pants.