Emily is Away <3

A very sweet game with some big flaws, Emily is Away <3 is a well-crafted piece of nostalgia for a particular generation. While technically the third game in a series, it's not a sequel to the other two to my understanding, and I didn't feel out of the loop at all despite jumping straight into it.

TL;DR

Fuck you, Jeff. Seriously. You made me break up with her. Fuck you. You made me realize how that shit feels when it really happened in real life. Fuck you!

The sole purpose of this game is testing your keyboard. You just mindlessly bash it. Now I want my money back.

Emily Is Away <3 , is the final ? i think of the emily is away trilogy i'd put behind the second game for the series , i really enjoyed it the conversations feel real and special , again this time its based on facebook! since AOL isn't used as much anymore

the style is really cool , again i'd recommend the triology!

Is existential nostalgia thing? Because that's what this game made me feel almost the entire way through. Glorious heartwarming nostalgia mixed completely in with the sort of anxiety of what could have been... oh god like twenty years ago almost at this point. I'm old. FB messenger was what I was using back then at the exact same time these kids were, so while my use was much more... not romantic... it still hits and hits hard. A perfect recreation of being a senior in 2008. Part of me wants to play again, part of me never wants to think about it again.

I do wish there was a shortcut for sending messages, though? It kind of sucks having to wait to see them go out. I do appreciate giving two very different options for the first big choice, because I was struggling pretty hard on what route to take until then.

i really liked the storyline, but it also almost felt like such a sudden end? still very good, definitely recomend <3

I don't know... Just got back into gaming. Trying a few different games/genres to rekindle my interest and thought I'd give this a go. Can't really see the appeal. Maybe to a certain audience, but it didn't click with me. Too slow and boring :( Gave it an honest 30mins, maybe it picks up later...

Paid BLOODY 9.99 TO WATCH MY GIRLFRIEND LOSE FEELINGS FOR ME AND BREAK UP WITH ME... Put that into perspective, i paid money to get DUMPED over face book, i purchased the GOD DAMN EXPERIENCE OF WATCHING A GIRL I LOVE FALL OUT OF LOVE WITH ME AND IN LOVE WITH ANOTHER GUY
...10/10 would cry again

no but seriously i fucking paid to get dumped

I really enjoyed the game, but Emily’s behavior is frustrating. Choosing another girl doesn’t seem to lead to happiness either. They should add an option to be with Matt, someone who truly cares about me, instead of dealing with all the nonsense from the girls. Ugh, it’s so frustrating! It’s truly a great game, but now I’m just going to cry in the shower. So sad.

this game had an enjoyable story and its sooo late 2000s core. at least what i know about it. such a unique concept and it was very easy to follow through. i did find myself feeling a little bored with the biggest premise of the game, just typing any key and it types your response but other times i enjoyed it. just a mood thing.

Super fun nostalgia trip with a great story to go with it. I did it all in one sitting. The best part was the walk through nostalgia lane with all of the youtube videos and music playlists, really took me back.

I would recommend this game only if you enjoy this style of game play, otherwise, its sort of a waste of time. Your choices matter but at the same time they don't. Imagine everyday you wake up and get to choose how to spend your day, but no matter what you do you you know at the end of the day you're either gonna stub your toe, hit your head on the ceiling fan, or fall out of a window. Sure what you choose to do that day may give you a 'good day', but if you know you're gonna have a shit night regardless you're eventually gonna be like "whats the fucking point." Well, that's how I felt playing this game, after getting two shitty endings even after choosing all of the 'right' choices, I was like "what's the fucking point." Sure the different endings and hidden achievements are fun to look for, but if you don't like this style of game and are playing strictly for the story aspect I wouldn't get it. If you are like me and despite reading the reviews still want to get the game, get it on sale. It was worth the $1 I spent on it, however I wouldn't buy it at full price.

I really enjoyed this emily series. It is very immersive, there were times I just felt like I was part of the experience and talking to real people, which I don't believe has ever happened to me before. So I guess I'd say it's very well written and thought out. This 3rd one is the best of the 3.

Very good at what it does and a big step up from the previous games. Although I do feel there was a lot of missed potential here, the conversations and pesronalities of the girls are much too similar, making the second playthrough not as fun as the first. It would have also been cool to speak to more people within the game, as you can send friend reqeusts but nothing happens with it, would have been cool to have secret paths and relationships through that system.

I like this one as well,,,, super nostagic, different stories each time. If you played the previous ones, deff get this one too!

With highly realistic characters and scenarios, will facilitate introspection, nostalgia and regret for those who lived through this era.

In short, if you knew me in high school, I'm so sorry for how I behaved.

6/7, this game hurts so good.

Emily is Away will always have a special place in my heart for the lessons it tells. Despite <3 having a bit of different message from the first game and even the second one, I find it consistent and in good faith of the previous titles. Sometimes, especially when things are tough and you're at your lowest, all you really should do is be yourself and have trust in people. The developer of the trilogy, Kyle Seeley, represents this lesson amazing inside this wonderful, bittersweet game. Whist its realistic in the fact that even if you behave perfectly to the people you know and/or care about, it won't guarantee an outcome and things can still go badly, it does show that having trust in the people around you will help and you can leave whatever portion you are at with life with a feeling that you came out of it better and your head held up high. Of course if you want to pursue the story in your way with the choices that seem right for you, it's your story to make

So if you either feeling nostalgic of the past or are just seeking to live vicariously through a facenook account or whatever, give this game a try. It's definitely worth the price and has a pretty decent amount of content to sift through with an average playtime of 4 hours on a first playthrough (I think).

p.s. Go get yourself a friend like Mat

It was fun and nostalgic for 5 mins then it was tedious.

Part 1 was immersive, it was fun learning about our friends and romantic interests, scouring pages and feeds, etc. Personally, I find the typing mechanic to be so tedious I got bored out of the game entirely. Even the auto-type feature is a snails pace. I read quickly. I know the point is obviously to type real-time like you are messaging a real person, but it was boring the shit out of me. I started getting agitated at the self-characters own replies.
I got to part 4, and gave up. The conversations could not maintain my interest. This game would be a lot more enjoyable if the text speed could be turned up higher. I had more fun looking at the characters pages. The actual messaging sucked.

Amazing game. Immersive, realistic, and guaranteed to stir up some serious emotions. It’s one of those games you love and hate at the same time, but it’s absolutely worth every penny.

Fuck Emily and that asshole Jeff. Mathew’s a goddamn legend. I’m dropping Emily’s annoying ass for Evelyn now, no regrets! LOL, who would even want to stay with such a bitch after that?

Maybe
You'll think of me, when you are all alone
Maybe, the one who is waiting for you
Will prove untrue
Then what will you do?

Maybe, you'll sit and sigh
Wishing that I were near
Then, maybe you'll ask me to come back again
And maybe
I'll say, "maybe."

- The Ink Spots

Nostalgic game for me. I wasn't an AIM kid, but a Myspace one. I remember 2008 well even though Facebook didn't become popular until 2009 for my class. Anyways, I loved listening to old music from that time, even movie trailers and funny old videos. It definitely captures the feeling of high school and young love, questioning life after high school and loyal friends. I loved the gimmick of "typing" out the messages, checking out the playlists, and the classic poke wars.

I recommend this game very much, either for nostalgia or for those who want to experience the "old days".

pretty interesting story and a different kind of game. i enjoyed it!

Gameplay
☐ Very good
☑ Good
☐ Nothing special
☐ Okay
☐ Bad

Graphics
☐ Masterpiece
☑ Beautiful
☐ Good
☐ Will do
☐ Bad
☐ Awful

Audio
☐ Amazing
☐ Very good
☐ Good
☑ Decent
☐ Not too bad
☐ Bad

Audience
☐ Kids
☑ Teens
☑ Adults
☐ Everyone

Story
☐ Lovely
☑ Good
☐ Average
☐ Not great
☐ None

Difficulty
☑ Just press a bunch of buttons
☐ Easy
☐ Significant brain usage
☐ Easy to learn / Hard to master
☐ Not so easy
☐ Difficult
☐ Dark Souls

Grind
☑ Nothing
☐ Only if you care about leaderboards/ranks
☐ Isn't necessary to progress
☐ A bit grindy sometimes
☐ Average grind level
☐ Too much grind
☐ Insanity

Game Time
☐ Short
☑ Average
☐ Long
☐ Depends on you
☐ Endless

Price
☐ Just buy it
☑ Worth the price
☐ Wait for sale
☐ Maybe if you have some spare money left
☐ Not recommended

insufferable people simulator, i hate everyone in this game (except mat he's based). i can tell it took a lot of effort to write such realistically insufferable characters which is awesome. if you want a fun experience that will make you mad this is definitely a choice

This game does a great job of making you feel a real roller coaster of emotions. It was easy to get immersed in the story and feel a connection with the characters. If you like unique gaming experiences and are prepared to not feel in control 100% of the time, just as real relationships are, give it a try.

Spoilers ahead but relevant to what makes many people review the game negatively:
Being forced into a breakup really just improves the experience of playing this game.
Realistically, they either make it so it is simple to get a good ending on your first play through, which in my opinion would just feel boring and shallow, or they make it convoluted and hard to get a good ending which would feel unrealistic and forced. Forcing a breakup at first allows everyone to experience a uniquely emotional gaming experience, and after there are still ways to achieve a "good ending" for those that are wanting it bad enough.

My big critique of the game is that the process of replaying to get a good ending is very boring and also just doesn't make much sense...
- First, without modifying the game files the only way to achieve a good ending is to then do a play through with the other love interest (Or do a complete playthrough with the other love interest AND THEN do yet another playthrough with your first love interest, way too much) . Other than being a little disappointing, I think this would be fine if each love interest didn't have a practically cut and pasted story. If the experience "going out" with the other girl was unique enough to feel like a different story...
1) Story and moral wise it would make sense, you move on and use the "lessons" you've learned to succeed later.
2) It would be a fun experience like playing the game for a second time, this time able to succeed after already feeling the heartbreak.
Instead, it feels like you are doing the exact same thing over again, but even worse is that it is with a character you have not previously been drawn towards, making it feel very shallow and unfulfilling.
- Second, I feel like the way you end up achieving a good ending is unfulfilling. At the end of the day you basically do exactly what you did before (as long as you were not a dick) and you end up with a better outcome because of what seems like no reason other than the same character having different ideals for some reason. I believe having some unique path locked behind a second playthrough (maybe talking to Emily/Eveylin about haning out with her friends, including Jeff/Steve) would be better. It would give a unique ending experience and also make a whole lot more sense. This way it would feel like you as the player had accomplished something to make a good thing happen after experiencing and learning from the breakup.

Overall I think the game was very well made and got me a whole lot more involved than I have been in many games. I hope my review is helpful to those who played and feel dissapointed about the ending, I hope you don't write a negative review because of it! Hopefully some others agree with my critiques, I understand making some of my suggestions happen would be a whole lot messier to develop, but I think some things could definetly be implemented into a fourth game that would help fix many peoples concerns!

!!Spoilers!!

/spoiler
What the actual heck? First of all, there was no option for a platonic route with eva, maybe with em too but I didn't check/ Which was fine, sure. But you essentially FORCE me into a relationship, and then pull something like the ending? If the option to be gal pals was there, and pursuing the relationship led to this, it would have been fine.

First of all, the game was actively baiting me into playing the 'bad guy' by being distrusting of Eva- even having the best friend character actively ENCOURAGE thinking that way! And being supportive and trusting didn't make the slightest difference. I left her alone about Steve because it's sus, but she's a kind girl, etc, etc.

Not to mention the game made me out to be the asshole for acting hurt at all during the 'break'. You either had to accept her shitty excuse for a breakup calmly, or guess what? YOU'RE the asshole.

That isn't a 'break' and presenting it as such is not healthy. That is her actively stringing the you along so she doesn't have to face the guilt of shutting you down now. Breaks ARE exclusive, its just some time apart. She wanted a breakup while still dragging the mc around for backup just in case that didn't work out for her.

Also so pissed about the insistent 'no goodbyes' followed by her ending a supposed 'break' with goodbye because she couldn't woman up and end the relationship.

This game is so well written and pieced together you would think Aristotle wrote it. This game had me genuinely tweaking over choices and decisions that I have never had to make, and made me think so rationally about everything.

Extreme nostalgia. The Facenook interface and the Youtoob playlists - with the perfect selection of late 2000s songs - brought me straight back to when I was in school. It's like a little time capsule from the stupid notes, cringe song lyric quotes, and laugh out loud text dialogues. I had a ball.

I was trying to pick a background for the profile picture and found out that I have to buy the game and play it, and I decided to fuck it and buy the game, turns out it was my best decision, I still thinking about this game of which option where I could get a good ending

Evelyn just uses the typical evil woman gaslighting tactics at the end.

!WARNING!
This game has the potential to frustrate you on a higher cosmic dimension!
Are you ready to experience teenage angst yet another time in your life? Are you ready to relive your earliest relationship traumas through a 2008 Facenook Simulator? Are you ready to get sucked into old memories surrounding highschool drama. 
Do you not mind being gaslit, girlbossed and gatekept?

Then this is totally the game for you!

Spoilers ahead:


This game is the epitome of: 


- Bros before hoes (of course I’m talking about the garden tool) 

- DO NOT LET YOUR PARTNER HAVE A BESTIE WHO CRUSHES ON THEM


I played through two different endings:



1. I let my precious GF be besties with her butthole friend (who likes her) to “show my trust” and lo and behold, he influences her a chapter later to break up with me :D 


2. I’ve had it up to here, I demand she stop talking to him and she abides my wishes--for now… only to discuss our relationship with another old-new “bestie” (thanks for that I guess lol) to then get the idea of me of being “manipulative” in the next chapter.
Top it off, my own best friend (who pointed out the mess with this butthole friend in the first place) then goes on to imply I may be “manipulative” too. 



YOU CANT WIN!
At least not with Emily, I haven’t tried that punk beach yet… (idk if I ever will)

Overall: S tier VN

This game was amazing. There are not many games that get me so engaged that I complete the entire game in so few sittings, but this game is so strangely immersive that I couldn't help myself then to play it through.

The gameplay is not much different than the first games, where you pick a response by typing in a chat and get to choose how the story plays out. The entire story happens on the front of Facenook, which felt suprisingly immersive since I got to see photos of every character participating in events that the story revolved around. It made me feel like I was really part of the story. The typing and waiting, however, can be repetitive at times--and especially slow when you are on a second playthrough. But where this game really shines is in it's characters.

The characters are all extremely believable. They go through relatable scenarios, and I couldn't help but feel what every single one of them felt as I progressed through the story--sometimes even audibly yelling when something happens to them that I don't expect.

For those of you you are OK with mild spoilers, the rest of the review will talk about the end of the game.

There are times that the main character does not get the speaking options that I want--particularly at the end of the game--which results in multiple unhappy endings that the player really cannot do anything about. At first, it kind of pissed me off, because I wanted a happy ending. But that's not the story that's trying to be told by the author of the game.

I can't help but recommend this game to anyone who wants to experience a moving story, especially those of you who love visual novels. This game shook me to my core and left me feeling like I needed to cry. I cannot recommend it enough, and I hope I feel better tomorrow morning.

I love the aesthetic and the general vibes took me all the way back to my highschool years. But the ending is super railroady. Not to spoil too much but gating choices behind multiple playthroughs is asinine. The fact that you can do everything right and it doesn't matter really hurts my enjoyment of the game. Might be true to life but it's still frustrating.

That being said the atmosphere this game created is fantastic, i just wish my choices were more important.

got a virtual girlfriend,




never mind we broke up... 10/10 game

Not a fan of the fact that your first playthrough is Doomed to fail . Overall, Emily is Away <3 was a notable improvement over the first two games, and very charming throughout its duration. Would get emotionally damaged again.

GG, 11/10, thanks emily

I thought I became the best version of myself only to be F💀ed by the game's code that left me depressed and getting cheated on, honestly if only I knew it sooner I would beat the 🤡 out of the Jeff Fischer

There is no good ending only sadness... AND GETTING COKED BY SOME DUDE SHE CALLS FRIEND SOUNDS FAMILIAR

oh my, things it's never work out at the end. but atleast we still have mat until end

so let me say this... the game teaches you something... that your bro will never at all lie to you or leave you alone... a girl nahhh the opposite she just lies wants the best for her -self- dosn't give a F#@k to U ....... way did i like this game it teaches you something, that trust your bro... no mater what.
U say no to every one juts for her sake .... and then what...what will you do?....
bro will be there for you

If you like feeling like shit this makes EIA2 look like weenie hut jr.

i don't really play visual novels, but the concept had me intrigued.

boy is this game a throwback. the UI, the sounds, the language, the playlists, the topics, everything is so on point. it really does feel like 2008-2010 facebook, in a good way.

also it's obviously really chill to play, you can literally spend evenings like back then, hanging around on yt and chatting with (non existant virtual) friiends. guess you can still do that with real people anyway, but why not feel like you're in school again.

the vibe of those times is perfectly captured, the attention to detail is great and external websites are awesome time capsules as well.

only negatives are that after a while, you would hope that there'd be more to do on the facenook beyond chatting (e.g. more profiles to explore) and that the statistics in the end suggest that certain choices/narrative routes are very difficult to arrive at.

all in all great fun for two evenings, 8/10

The game was really emotionally immersive. I hope there's more to come because I absolutely loved playing.

I got one of the endings that broke my heart and brought real tears to my eyes. This game is evil and I love it really made me feel like I was a teen in 2006 in drama and just trying to survive with my friends and gf.

Wish all these Emily is Away Chapters to be Connected. Is like a timeline if you ask god to restart your timeline after you broke up with Emily or Evelyn. Or wake a dream where you date that girl and that girl could be from your dreams. Or Could be like Afterlife after you died lol.

Didn't finished the game yet. Hope I get good ending on my first time.

Ended the game feeling bitter and very frustrated. Sad, sure, but more of those two former than the latter. Good game if you want to play a game that makes you feel.

Relationships are a two-way thing. You could make every single thing perfect, but if your partner still doesn't think perfect is enough, it's doomed to fail eventually, and it's going to fail hard. I finished the first playthrough with Emily, and honestly, after seeing how bad Emily treated me I just lost interest in her and not bother a second playthrough. I just couldn't bother finding a good ending when I know that I could do everything right and she'd still think it's not enough

Sometimes you really deserve so much better for yourself. That's all I'm going to say.

how dare she cheat on me. i had ZERO red flags... okay except from being obsessive i had ZERO red flags.

Excellent atmosphere and visual and sound design that captures the old FB messaging experience beautifully. I like the typing mechanic, it immerses the player nicely. It’s also fun to click around and take different actions, though it doesn’t seem like you’re punished if you don’t.

This is all about the story and the characters, all of which I feel are written well. My only point of contention is that it felt like the responses of the character you play feel male-coded… Very entertaining and humorous but not responding in ways I always agreed with. Honestly, it doesn’t really matter all that much. It’s a story of growing up, relationships, and how people change, told beautifully.

12 hours and no good ending what the flip

This game majorly pulled at my heart strings, the fact that its in a Facebook style is what really separates this game from any other dating sim Ive played. Really enjoyed it <3