Emily is Away
Sign In again. Remember a time before Facebook and Skype? When Windows XP was the next big thing and AIM was king. Relive that era with Emily is Away, an interactive story. Create a screenname and browse buddy infos in this chat-bot meets adventure game. Explore your relationship with Emily, a fellow high school student, in a branching narrative where you choose the outcome. And most importantly, change your text color to lime green so people know you're the coolest kid in school.
What it feels like
Pervasive gentle yearning for the AIM era and the emotional simplicity of high school romance now out of reach. Tone centered on longing, connection, and the emotional pull between the player and Emily. A quiet sadness infuses the nostalgic reflection on a lost relationship and bygone digital era.
What it's about
Set explicitly in the mid-2000s during the height of AIM and Windows XP, capturing recognizable present-day-of-that-era culture. Centers on high school life and emotional growth through a relationship with a fellow student, marking a formative passage. Romantic connection with Emily is the emotional core and driver of all narrative branching.
How it plays
Branching conversation choices in the chat interface drive interaction and shape outcomes with Emily. Interaction centers on clicking profile elements, buddies, and chat options to navigate the story.
How it looks and sounds
Visual presentation deliberately evokes PS1/early-2000s aesthetics through pixel graphics and chat interface styling. Interface-driven presentation with sparse visuals focuses on text, usernames, and AIM buddy lists.
How it's structured
Player choices fork the story into meaningfully different paths and outcomes with Emily. Designed entirely for solo play with no multiplayer component. Described as 'short' by community tags and is a brief interactive story playable in one sitting.
Kindred games
Shares Branching Narrative, Dialogue Trees, Love & Romance, Romantic.
Both lean into Branching Narrative, Single-Player, Love & Romance, Dialogue Trees.
Shares Branching Narrative, Dialogue Trees, Love & Romance, Romantic.
Both lean into Branching Narrative, Dialogue Trees, Love & Romance, Romantic.
Shares Short Playtime, Dialogue Trees, Contemporary, Coming of Age.
Both lean into Short Playtime, Single-Player, Dialogue Trees, Contemporary.
See all games like Emily is Away →
Closest hidden gems
A lesser-known kindred — Branching Narrative, Dialogue Trees, Love & Romance, Romantic. 88% positive across 4,818 Steam reviews.
Both lean into Branching Narrative, Dialogue Trees, Single-Player, Love & Romance.
A lesser-known kindred — Branching Narrative, Love & Romance, Coming of Age, Dialogue Trees. 94% positive across 4,870 Steam reviews.
Both lean into Single-Player, Branching Narrative, Love & Romance, Dialogue Trees.
A lesser-known kindred — Branching Narrative, Contemporary, Dialogue Trees, Coming of Age. 97% positive across 4,670 Steam reviews.
Both lean into Branching Narrative, Contemporary, Single-Player, Dialogue Trees.