A Space For The Unbound Review

Reading Time: 6 minutes

Fast Facts

I’ve been writing reviews for this site for a number of years now, and one of the best things about it, for me, is picking a game I know nothing about and enjoying the surprise it offers. Reviewing games has helped me step outside of my comfort zone numerous times. Some of my favourite reviews have been on games I would have passed over had I known more about them before I took the code.

I adopted the same approach for A Space for the Unbound. I had no idea what I was getting myself in for. Now, having seen the credits role, I am happy I picked up this interesting coming-of-age point-and-click-style adventure game. I have never been a fan of point-and-click games. However, A Space for the Unbound offered something slightly different. When I say slightly, I mean to say it was like a Terry Gilliam fever dream in terms of how bizarre it was. 

An Adventure Like No Other

I have said before in reviews that the hardest part of writing them is not giving away any spoilers. I mean, I could just put them in, but I don’t like reading them, so why would I write them? 

With A Space for the Unbound, this problem was both amplified and simplified by how unusual the game was. There is plenty to talk about, but doing so out of context – as it appears in the game – paints a strange picture. So when anything that comes below this point sounds absurd, please trust in the process and know the game makes sense … in the end. 

You play the game as Atma, a school-age boy who discovers a red book that gives him the ability to dive into people’s memories. During these dives, you help the person conquer their fears and demons, thus altering the trajectory of your life in the real world. 

The story is emotional and touches on a number of themes, from bullying and poverty to abuse and death. The developers use the surreal to tell a poignant story that, in my book, is well worth the investment in the game. 

That said, I found A Space for the Unbound to be a rather slow game. My playthrough took around 10 hours, all told, but it felt like a long 10 hours. Certain patches were a slog, and it wasn’t until the end that the randomness of the game made sense. 

I had an inkling as to the direction it was going, but nothing was confirmed early on. 

A Tale of Friends and Family

As you play through Atma’s life, you meet his friends and family and help them solve a number of puzzles along the way. One such interaction saw me help a weredog bake black forest gateaux before I had a streetfighter-inspired input duel with the same weredog inside an abandoned classroom. 

I told you it was weird. 

A Space for the Unbound is sorted into four clear chapters, and each one sees Atma interacting with his girlfriend Raya, an NPC central to that chapter and a repeating assortment of other characters. The game’s map is small but well laid out, with an entire town slotted into it without it feeling silly or cramped. It took me a little while to get the hang of which routes to take, but by the time I finished the first chapter, I was away. I

I really enjoyed the aesthetic of the town, and while I have never been to Indonesia, the location was undeniable based on the well-built locations and atmosphere created by the developers.

Did I Mention There Are Cats?

Cats play a big role in this game. Not only is your girlfriend’s talking cat your pseudo spirit guide for a while, but his gang of loyal alleycats also serve as your eyes and ears around town. Then, on a less absurd level, there is a plethora of cute kitties slumbering around town. 

The game lets you pet them all as much as you like. On top of that, you can even name them all. It’s silly, but I can’t help but smile when a game lets me interact with the animals that are wandering around.

Pacing Problems Prevalent Throughout

I mentioned earlier that I thought A Space for the Unbound played like a long game. The main reason for that was the pacing. There were a lot of small subtasks for you to complete, which were nothing but fetch quests that you needed to accomplish in order to solve the ‘puzzle.’ However, doing so saw you constantly doubling back on yourself repeatedly for the same puzzle. I understand it’s part of storytelling, but in this style of game, it just added a lot of time to the total, as very little storytelling happened during these journeys. 

A Taste of Indonesian Culture

A Space for the Unbound offers glimpses into Indonesian life and culture. Personally, I found this fascinating. I have a lifelong interest in that whole part of the world. From their folk stories and cultures to the generally more relaxed way of life. While the game doesn’t offer anything hugely in-depth, there is enough there to open your eyes. 

However, I did have to resort to Goggle at times to solve the Trio’s questions, as these involved Indonesian life and history knowledge I did not own. 

A Heartwarming Absurdist Adventure

For all of its surrealism and absurdities, A Space for the Unbound has a wonderfully charming story that pulls at the heartstrings. This quaint game carries with it a message of friendship, love and grief. I’ve certainly never played a game like it. However, the game was too slow to make its point for my liking. 

That said, I did enjoy the way everybody’s subconscious was represented differently. Diving into people’s minds is a big part of the narrative drive in A Space for the Unbound, and the team did a great job at making each mindscape different. The various manifestations of fears and social anxieties were cleverly executed. This was one area where the surrealism of the game shone and provided a wide landscape for us to enjoy. 

If that wasn’t enough, there was also a moment when you had to play a game of keepy-uppy with a football in exchange for a collectable letter.

Final Thoughts

I enjoyed my time playing A Space for the Unbound. However, I don’t feel that it is a title many will reach to play through again. 

I found playing A Space for the Unbound a highly worthwhile experience. It helped change my view a little on point-and-click style adventures, although they are still not really the genre for me. Ultimately, however, it just fell short of being a memorable title, in my opinion, at least.

You can get your copy of A Space for the Unbound from the Microsoft Store today.