‘A Space For The Unbound’ Review: A Pleasant Nineties Throwback With An Engaging Story
by Gary Catig
A Space for the Unbound is the latest game from developer Mojiken Studios and publisher Chorus Worldwide. What appears to be a low-key slice of life title has much more depth and complexity.
The story is set during the late 90s in rural Indonesia. We follow two high school sweethearts as they approach the end of the academic year, and maybe the end of the world. Together, the pair help the villagers of their hometown manage their internal conflicts, which might be the key to saving their humble existence.
The biggest draw of A Space for the Unbound is its narrative. The game draws a nice balance between the more grounded aspects with the other worldly conflict. It really captures the youthful innocence of love between its protagonists Atma and Raya. There is a certain level of charm between the two especially with the more awkward moments. You find their interactions endearing as they go about doing teenager things.
They soon find themselves entangled in a much larger plot and Raya may not be exactly who she claims to be. It’s a very intriguing mystery that becomes clearer the deeper into the game you progress. There is an entertaining amount of quirkiness with a focus on the stray cats inhabiting the small town and how you literally dive into people’s minds to uncover what’s troubling them. The humor can be corny at times, but there are nice nostalgic nods to pop culture from the era peppered throughout.
In addition, A Space for the Unbound has a pixelated art aesthetic that feels appropriate for the time period, but the degree of detail makes for beautiful imagery. Overall, it creates a retro and casual feel to the game. Think more comfort anime series rather than a big budget cinematic experience.
However, because of the casual experience, there isn’t a high measure of difficulty. When you’re not talking at townspeople and gathering clues, the title relies on simple puzzle solving and mini-games for the more interactive gameplay. The mini-games in particular can get a little boring and repetitive. It could have benefited from a bit more of a challenge.
What it lacks in difficult gameplay, A Space for the Unbound more than makes up for with an engaging story that equally executes the more intimate personal moments and the out of this world conflict.
A Space for the Unbound is currently available on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4/5, Xbox One / Series X|S, and Steam.