Not seen anyone talking about Emily is Away - this game is very cool and it's free!

It's very cool and it only takes 20 or so minutes of your time. It's free on steam!

Why's it cool?

What is this game?

@hypnotoadbrwowrowrow: An indie game made for a competition (I think.)

@theht: It's a simulation of old-style chatrooms that I found quite interesting

I really enjoyed this "game" (quotation marks because as it is basically a choose-your-own text adventure)! As a high school senior entering college in 2002 and spending a good deal of my time on AOL Instant Messenger, this game really hit close to home for me and I enjoyed the clever little tricks used to emulate the early aughts through song lyrics, buddy icons, etc. and the all-too-familiar "typing how I really feel...deleting it not to sound lame" flow of young adult conversation via IM. It's free and quick to play, I recommend it!

Maybe I am a wooby sensitive girl but my almost lesbian romance that never quite happened made me feel things. I mean, if you grew up using chat clients as a social hub — and tried to hold on to the same people through those channels — it's gonna make you feel, too, man.

How does this compare to Cibele?

@project343: They're pretty different outside of the basic framework of internet nostalgia. Emily is Away is basically a dialogue tree about maintaining old friendships and dealing with regret whereas Cibele is a linear narrative about navigating your way through intimate connections as an inexperienced introvert.