Screenshots
Watch trailer on Steam ↗Between the Lines
PastPulse Games · Published by PastPulse Games
Last updated 29 Sept 2026
In this pre-smartphone-era text adventure, use that good ol’ T9 phone to text your way through the highs and lows of school days. Choose replies piece by piece to shape your own story. Friendships grow; feelings get complicated; secrets flicker. Every reply matters—it all happens Between the Lines.
Adventure, Simulation, Casual · 2026 · More free games
Explore the complexities of school life by crafting your narrative one text at a time in Between the Lines. Dive into an adventure where every word counts, creating friendships and unraveling secrets with PastPulse Games' unique simulation experience.
About this game
You still remember what you didn’t say.
In this nostalgic "text" adventure, use that good ol’ T9 phone to text your way through the drama, excitement, and awkwardness of school days. Choose your replies piece by piece, and unfold your own story.
Relive those sun-drenched teenage summers, back before social media took over. Friendships grow, feelings get complicated, and secrets surface—if you let them. Are you reading too much between the lines? Are you hiding something between the lines?
You saved every message. The ones you held back still echo the loudest. Years later, will you reconnect with those old friends? Will they still see you the same way? Will you?
Features
A love letter to the T9 phone era: a slower, simpler time we used to take for granted, with ambient sounds, weather effects, and the familiar rhythm of typing on a tiny keypad—back when every message took effort.
Text with classmates and slowly unravel a relationship that feels close, but never quite clear. A message late at night, a word that feels loaded, a silence that says too much, a reply that takes too long to draft. Maybe it’s just friendship. Maybe it’s not. You don’t really talk about it—and maybe that’s the whole point.
Choose each reply piece by piece, and watch as your decisions quietly shape the story.
Every path is valid—no right answers, no fake choices, no fail states. Take your time and play at your own rhythm in this relaxed experience. All scripts and dialogues are handcrafted.
And don’t forget—you have knowledge of the “future.” Want to drop hints to your friends? See if they laugh it off, get curious, or start thinking you might know more than you’re letting on.
An intuitive input system—browse the choices and craft your response smoothly with keyboard and/or mouse.
One playthrough takes just a few hours. New playthroughs are fresh with new topics, minimal repetition, and multiple endings shaped not by any single choice, but by everything that’s been building up all along—the things you said, didn’t say, or never even noticed.
Maybe you’ll uncover a few secrets. Maybe you won’t. Maybe you'll be questioning everything by the end. Or maybe what’s waiting isn’t a secret at all, but something you’ve known from the start—and quietly chosen to ignore. Don’t stress though—nothing here is canon, and there’s no official ending. Play the story the way it makes sense to you.
Every phone wallpaper was personally photographed by the developer—no stock images, just little moments captured over the years.
There are easter eggs, too. Will you spot them?
Wishlist now, and get ready for that little signal—somewhere deep in your memory—to buzz back.
About Localization
Please note that this is a solo-developed game. While I'm comfortable with English, fully localizing a narrative-heavy game is a lot of work. As such, I’ve chosen to focus on the Chinese version first. English localization may be considered after release—depending on player interest, sales performance, and available resources.
System Requirements
Will my PC run this? →Minimum
- OS: Windows 10/11
- Processor: 2GHz
- Memory: 4 GB RAM
- Graphics: Intel HD Graphics
- Storage: 1 GB available space
Supported Languages
Latest news
Patch NotesOfficial
MMS is here! Demo Update 08/05
(Note: if you are reading this in English, please beware that the demo currently does NOT support English, and the English patch note here is mainly for completeness. Please see the last section in the game description for the localization status.)MMS Support Now AvailableAdded the feature to receive MMS. Received images will automatically be saved to the phone's gallery.Simulated a classic "premium SMS" service that sends downloadable phone wallpapers via MMS. Fun fact: all the photos offered by this service were taken by me (the developer) in real life.Note: Please start a new save file to access this feature. The MMS content in the demo is limited, and the full version will offer more opportunities to discover a wider variety of MMS content.Improvements & FixesFurther slowed down the pacing of incoming text messagesAdded more reply options and expanded how characters respond in certain conversationsFixed an issue where Siran would always give the same response when you introduce your MP3 player to herFixed an issue where Ayuan’s conversation could not progress under certain circumstancesMinor text adjustmentsThank you for the support!Read full article on Community Announcements (noBody)AnnouncementsOfficial
Between the Lines Joins InterfaceX26
Between the Lines is participating in InterfaceX26, organized by Cobalt Lane!The event features 150+ games all about FakeOS. Go explore these immersive desktop / mobile OS where the actual gameplay happens!Now is also a good time to play the demo, as an update just arrived earlier this month:Please be sure to add Between the Lines to your wishlist to support a solo developer:About LocalizationPlease note that this is a solo-developed game. While I'm comfortable with English (e.g. writing this post), localizing a narrative-heavy game is a lot of work. As such, the demo, as well as the initial release, will unfortunately only be available in Chinese. English localization may be considered after the full release of the game, depending on player interest, sales performance, and available resources.Read full article on Community Announcements (noBody)Community & EventsOfficial
Between the Lines Joins BGM Festival
Between the Lines is participating in the BGM Game Online Expo, organized by Best Game Market!It’s a real honor for Between the Lines to stand alongside more than 700 titles spanning all kinds of genres in this online showcase.Now is also a good time to play the demo, as an update just arrived on Apr 12:Please be sure to add Between the Lines to your wishlist to support a solo developer:About LocalizationPlease note that this is a solo-developed game. While I'm comfortable with English (e.g. writing this post), localizing a narrative-heavy game is a lot of work. As such, the demo, as well as the initial release, will unfortunately only be available in Chinese. English localization may be considered after the full release of the game, depending on player interest, sales performance, and available resources.Read full article on Community Announcements (noBody)Patch NotesOfficial
Demo Update 04/12
This update includes a range of improvements based on the 20+ survey responses I have received so far (the demo contains a link to the survey), as well as feedback from several content creators.(Note: if you are reading this in English, please beware that the demo currently does NOT support English, and the English patch note here is mainly for completeness. Please see the last section in the game description for the localization status.)UI / UXReplaced the Traditional Chinese fontUnread messages are now displayed in boldSlightly slowed down the overall pace of incoming text messagesNew messages will no longer arrive while you are editing a messageReduced the frequency of spam messagesYou can now click outside the pop-up window to dismiss it when a new message arrivesFixed an issue where choosing an option after filling the message editor screen could incorrectly trigger the scroll bar to move up or downMessage list screens now display message previews at a more appropriate length (previously, previews could appear too short at higher resolutions)After reading a message in the inbox, clicking "Replied," and returning to Sent Messages, the focus will now correctly stay on the message that was just readAfter reading a message in the inbox, clicking "Replied," returning to Sent Messages, and then going back to the Message Center, the focus will now correctly stay on Sent MessagesWhen loading a save, the inbox and Sent Messages will now correctly restore the previous focus positionReceiving a new message will no longer affect the current focus position in the inbox or Sent MessagesFixed an issue where keyboard input was still active on the mobile controls instruction pageIncreased the pace of some initial conversations in the main menuText and choicesAdded follow-up choices when guessing the book Siran borrowed and when she confirms with you.Added follow-up choices when Siran asks if expectations are the most insecure thing.Added Ayuan's response for replying too slowly...Read full article on Community Announcements (noBody)Community & EventsOfficial
Between the Lines x Choose Wisely Festival!
Between the Lines is participating in the first ever Choose Wisely Festival, hosted by Studio Ephua! The Choose Wisely Festival is a choice-based narrative games celebration, focused on featuring the delightful craft of branching narratives.If Between the Lines could only have one tag, it would undoubtedly be "Choices Matter." In this game, every decision you make silently steers the course of the story.But this goes beyond the explicit options you make when editing your text message. The system tracks the nuances of your behavior: whether you hesitate a lot between options, how fast or slow you tend to reply to someone else's message, etc. These subtle details are all recorded and will surface later—in expected or unexpected ways—to deliver a deeply responsive narrative.The good news? You can try the demo now to get a glimpse of what the full game has to offer, and start shaping your own story.Note that the demo is available in Chinese only (see the “About Localization” section below for details).The demo will be updated throughout development. Be sure to add Between the Lines to your wishlist to stay up to date!About LocalizationPlease note that this is a solo-developed game. While I'm comfortable with English (e.g. writing this post), localizing a narrative-heavy game is a lot of work. As such, the demo, as well as the initial release, will unfortunately only be available in Chinese. English localization may be considered after the full release of the game, depending on player interest, sales performance, and available resources.Read full article on Community Announcements (noBody)
