Emily is Away

You play as a high-school student keeping in touch with Emily through an old-style instant messenger. The story unfolds across five chapters and five years as your lives and relationship change.

Choose from suggested replies during conversations, and type them out as they appear in the chat window. Your responses shape the dialogue and how you interact with Emily, though the story’s larger outcomes are limited.

Create a screenname, choose buddy icons, browse profiles, and set away messages as you move through the chapters. The messenger interface, computer sounds, and chat features frame the story as an exchange of online messages.

Players often enjoy the old-school messenger presentation and its nostalgic details, along with conversations they find relatable and emotionally affecting. Some say the simple chat format makes the story feel personal; others find the choices have little effect on the larger outcome. The short length is also frequently noted.