Line #6 VideoGame/EmilyIsAway


1	[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/header24.jpg]]
2	[[caption-width-right:350:emerly35 has signed in]]
3
4	''Emily is Away'' is a short InteractiveFiction game created by Kyle Seeley. It is freely available on [[http://store.steampowered.com/app/417860/ Steam]] and [[http://kyleseeley23.itch.io/emilyisaway Itch.io]].
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6	The game takes place in a five year span, from 2002 to 2006. All interaction is handled through an instant messaging client similar to America Online's IM client. You have a few friends on your friends list, but you only directly interact with your friend Emily (screen name: emerly35), chatting about each others' lives and relationships.
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8	In October 2016, [[http://steamcommunity.com/games/417860/announcements/detail/599368755864728490 Seeley announced]] ''Emily Is Away Too'', a SpiritualSuccessor to the original game. It was released 26 May 2017.
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10	A third game in the series, ''Emily Is Away <3'', was announced in March 2019.
11
12	Compare and contrast ''VisualNovel/DigitalALoveStory''.
13	----
14	!!emerly35 is typing...
15	[[folder: Emily is Away]]
16	* AllLowercaseLetters: You and Emily chat like this to emphasize the easygoing friendship you have. [[spoiler:At least up until the middle of Chapter 4, where your friendship begins to fade away.]]
17	* ButThouMust:
18	** You can't actually type your responses to Emily; rather, you have to mash keys on the keyboard until the game finishes the pre-made response for whatever option you picked. [[spoiler:This fuels the WhamShot in Chapter 5, where you keep trying to ask Emily about your relationship with each other, only for the game to [[Main/VerbalBackspace backspace those questions]] and make them boring.]]
19	** Also, no matter what you say or how you act, [[spoiler:there are only two endings. Both of them involve the two of you going your separate ways.]]
20	* CanNotSpitItOut: [[spoiler:The main flaw that stops you from getting together with Emily.]]
21	* DownerEnding: [[spoiler:Emily has mixed feelings about having met you at your college (if that option was chosen) and gets back together with Brad/Travis. The only other girl you may have been interested in hooks up with one of your former college friends. And the final moments of the game suggest that you and Emily will never speak to each other again.]]
22	-->[[spoiler:[[Main/HelloInsertNameHere <your username>]] is away]]
23	* EasterEgg: '''''DOZENS''''' of them, all of them doubling as a ShoutOut to video games, popular Let's Players/streamers, or [[Main/MemeticMutation memes]].
24	* HelloInsertNameHere: You have to provide a username and first name to log in at the beginning. Both carry through the rest of the game, unless you start Chapter 1 over. [[spoiler:The bonus EasterEgg icons are unlocked by inputting specific usernames during Chapter 1.]]
25	* ItsASmallNetAfterAll: Justified, seeing as the game takes place in the earlier days of the internet, before social media sites existed in the capacity they do now.
26	* LastSecondWordSwap: Done in bits and pieces throughout the game, sometimes to fix typos, sometimes to hide your true feelings for Emily. [[spoiler:PlayedForDrama in Chapter 5, as you keep backspacing the questions about yours and Emily's relationship, replacing them with banal questions about the weather and school.]]
27	* LeaningOnTheFourthWall: Many of the [[Main/EasterEgg Easter eggs]] do this. The wall gets shattered when Emily makes references to current games, websites, and Website/YouTube in ''2002''.
28	-->'''you''': "but it's 2002, twitch/youtube/lets plays doesn't exist yet."
29	-->[[spoiler:(game displays message below your text box)]] [[OhCrap oh shit, you're right]]
30	* LoveTriangle: Between you, Brad/Travis, and Emily. Possibly Emma, as well. [[spoiler:In the end, Emily gets back together with Brad/Travis, and Emma hooks up with Mike.]]
31	* MasterOfTheMixedMessage: Emily, who will get upset with the players decisions or inaction when it comes to courting her throughout the game. [[spoiler:And then in the end, they don’t end up together no matter what you do]].
32	** Ironically, Emily treats the player like this, despite the fact that she’ll get upset at you no matter what the player chooses to do.
33	* MusicalGag: Some of the icon EasterEggs have Emily reference the band you chose.
34	** One icon is [[spoiler:John Cena, which references the [[http://knowyourmeme.com/memes/unexpected-john-cena-and-his-name-is-john-cena Unexpected John Cena]] meme, complete with theme song and shouting. Emily is very confused by this.]]
35	** A couple more jokes involve typing out the lyrics of [[spoiler:the Nyan Cat song, and the original {{Anime/Pokemon}} theme.]]
36	* NoPunctuationIsFunnier: Most of yours and Emily's dialogue has very little punctuation [[spoiler:up until Chapter 4, when things get serious.]]
37	* ScrewThisImOuttaHere: PlayedForDrama in Chapter 5. [[spoiler:Eventually, you WILL run out of things to talk about, so you will end up saying goodbye to Emily. The only exception to this is if you were uncooperative when Emily wanted to talk in Chapter 4, in which case she'll do this to you instead.]]
38	* ShaggyDogStory: [[spoiler: All the efforts the player made to court Emily or just be a friend to her end up being for naught as she’ll end up with her ex no matter what and shows no interest in even continuing a friendship with the player by the end of the game]].
39	* TakeThat: emerly35: "get hyped for [[VideoGame/KingdomHeartsIII the third one]]! at least Creator/SquareEnix can [[Creator/ValveSoftware count to three]] :P"
40	* VerbalBackspace: Justified, since you will occasionally make typos that will be automatically backspaced as you type. [[spoiler:You'll do the same with your true feelings towards Emily.]]
41	* VideoGameCaringPotential: You can be a supportive friend to Emily...
42	* VideoGameCrueltyPotential: ...or you can be a complete jerk to her instead.
43	* VideoGameCrueltyPunishment: If you decide to be a complete asshole to Emily, then [[spoiler:she leaves the chat room at the end of Chapter 5 instead of you.]]
44	* WhamLine:
45	** Chapter 3 can deliver the first major one, when Emily reminisces about Travis's party if the player character attended.
46	--->'''emerly35''': well, [[spoiler:why didn't you kiss me?]]"
47	** Chapter 4 can deliver a second one, a year after [[spoiler:Emily may have visited you at your college]].
48	--->'''emerly35''': [[Main/HelloInsertNameHere player]] please be honest with me.\
49	'''emerly35''': did you [[spoiler:plan that we would hook up?]]"
50	*** A possible minor one from the same chapter if Emily had visited, before you [[Main/VerbalBackspace delete it]]:
51	---->[[spoiler:'''you''': you wanted to hook up]]
52	* WhamShot: You, the player, get one when [[spoiler:the more personal questions you want to ask Emily in Chapter 5 get [[Main/LastSecondWordSwap replaced with dull questions]] as you're typing. Eventually, your dialogue options will be reduced to saying goodbye to Emily before logging off.]]
53	-->1. [[spoiler:goodbye]]
54	-->2. [[spoiler:goodbye]]
55	-->3. [[spoiler:goodbye]]\
56	[[/folder]]
57
58	[[folder: Emily Is Away, Too]]
59	* BettyAndVeronica: The player is offered two romance options with Emily and Evelyn serving as Betty and Veronica, respectively.
60	* BittersweetEnding: Even the Good Endings of the game are tinged with bittersweetness due to Emily/Evelyn planning to attend a different college from the player after senior year, which they acknowledge may make them being together difficult. While the player has the option to reassure them about the strength of their love for each other, the game ends after their conversation, leaving it unclear whether they will last.
61	* DownerEnding: If you're dishonest with Emily or Evelyn throughout the game, they can influence each other and be the cause of your relationship with the others downfall, leaving you on bad terms with both of them and single.
62	* JustFriends: While it's clear that they both have feelings for you, you can keep your relationship with Evelyn and Emily platonic throughout the game or mutually break up with one of them at the end of the game while remaining on friendly terms.
63	* LongDistanceRelationship: Regardless of who the player chooses to date, they are faced with this issue, as Emily and Evelyn will end up going to a different college than them after Senior year. Both will express concern about whether their relationship will survive, and will discuss couples who have broken up over these issues, to which the player will be given the option to reassure them, suggest they break up, or ask them what they would like to do. If you choose to stay together, the game will end after their conversation, leaving it unclear whether the player character and Emily/Evelyn's relationship will last through college, although the player is reassured that they love them.
64	* MultipleEndings: Unlike the first game, there are multiple endings based on the choices you make throughout the game. Depending on your choices, you could end up with Emily or Evelyn, remain friends with them, or ruin your relationship with both.
65	* RelationshipValues: Depending on your choices, you could end up with Emily or Evelyn, remain friends with them, or ruin your relationship with both.
66	* RecurringElement: Emily. She is not the same person as the original game's character, but she has a similar personality.
67	[[/folder]]
68
69	[[folder: Emily Is Away <3]]
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71	[[/folder]]

Context VideoGame / EmilyIsAway