A Space for the Unbound Reviews
A Space For The Unbound is an unforgettable gem that finds a magnificent nexus point between a relaxing slice-of-life adventure and a supernatural exploration of mental anguish. It explores trauma made manifest within dreamscapes that bend time and space while engrossing players in a captivating rural Indonesian setting that begs to be explored.
The story of Atma and his reality-warping girlfriend Raya demonstrates a flair for the dramatic and will keep you guessing right up to the end
A Space for the Unbound is Mojiken and Toge Productions at their best. If you weren’t paying attention to this powerhouse team yet, correct this mistake now with the literal masterpiece that is A Space for the Unbound. It proudly stands shoulder to shoulder with the likes of To the Moon and Rakuen with its impeccably unique flair, ready to laugh with players during the high moments and cry with them in its lows. If you have a fondness for emotional narrative-driven games and have been even remotely curious about A Space for the Unbound, don’t wait a moment longer and get this game (and some tissues).
A Space for the Unbound only looks pixels deep, but it is a masterpiece for its breadth of storytelling, its authenticity, and how it tackles difficult topics, from cultural expectations to mental health. As the game ended, it left me with a beautiful feeling of closure, accompanied by a hankering for cherry-chocolate-flavoured cake and Indonesian food.
A Space for the Unbound's thoughtful narrative serves as a timely reminder of the necessity of making meaningful connections with other people via the words we choose to use. It may have some minor issues, but it features many positives for the players. Despite a few flaws, everyone should check out this title because of its compelling story and excellent visuals.
Through the lens of magical realism, A Space for the Unbound takes a whimsical yet mature look at what happens when a community is under unexplainable distress. It shows you the effect one small action or one person can have. Factor in a beautiful art style, excellent storytelling, and a gorgeous soundtrack, and there’s no denying the superb quality of the content.
A Space for the Unbound is a narrative adventure about issues as important as they are difficult to deal with, but it does so with extreme tact and elegance through a particularly apt allegory. Despite some flaws in the gameplay mechanics, rather repetitive towards the end of the game, the story of Atma and Raya is one worth experiencing.
Review in Italian | Read full review
A Space for the Unbound triumphs in capturing what’s between the lines of the story: the life-and-death emotions of Raya. The game’s not afraid to peer at her faults right alongside everyone else’s, and if, as one character puts it, “The most perfect world is one with imperfection,” then, emotionally speaking, this is a pretty perfect game.
With stunning pixel art visuals, a soundtrack wrapped in melodies ranging from cozy to mysterious and a delicate and thought-provoking story, A Space for the Unbound transports the player back to the late 90s and invites us to see the world with different eyes, showing that happiness can be in the simplest details of life.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
Simply put: this Indonesian indie title is one for the ages (for 2023 anyway), despite that one problem which is honestly a genre issue. Hats off to the humble team at Mojiken Studios for finally releasing a huge passion project that puts a lot of big-budget narrative-driven video games to shame.
A Space for the Unbound is a game that explores the theme of trauma and our need to consistently move forward. It is an exciting adventure and recommended for any type of player.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
I was surprised at just how tightly the narrative in A Space for the Unbound grabbed me, and it's sure to be either one of the indie hits of 2023 or one of the most under-played gems.
Overall, A Space for the Unbound does everything it seeks to accomplish. It creates a beautiful world full of vibrant characters, and it shares a story of love, friendship, loss, and growth. It does this with delicacy in a world that feels familiar, even if you’ve never walked down a dusty city road in Indonesia. And while its gameplay meandered at moments, it’s still a game worth dedicating 9 to 12 hours of your life to.
A Space for the Unbound is an insightfully thought-provoking adventure game.
A Space for the Unbound is a little gem that no one should miss.
Review in Italian | Read full review
A Space for the Unbound delivers its story of domestic/school violence (and overcoming it!) with its own imagination and well written characters. The tiny little details in the game that introduce Indonesian culture not only showed the developers' affection for their home country, but also made me want to know more about the country.
Review in Korean | Read full review
Underneath the layers of cute pixelated art and a calming lofi-like OST is a short yet memorable story. It will leave you in need of Atma to dive into your heart after it is shattered time and time again by the tales to be told of feeling fearful of one's future.
The game deals with some very heavy subjects at times, but always does so respectfully and without making them seem like a crutch for the narrative to lean on. There are also a lot of cats that can not only be pet but can also be named, something some people may see as a very worthwhile bonus (I know I do). If you like your adventure games to try and yank some tears out of your poor, poor eyes, A Space for the Unbound is easily your first great choice of 2023.
At the end, A Space for the Unbound is one of the best indies of the year so far. The gaming experience is pleasant, but also emotional and capable of generating some unpleasant emotions. Definitely, it's an indie game worth giving a chance, even though its story and ending may break our hearts, and the Space Dive reminds us to take care of our mind and emotions.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
A Space for the Unbound told a stunning, touching story about identity and finding yourself, even in the midst of trauma and crisis. By the end, your heart will ache for Atma and Raya, even if the “game” part of that story gets in its own way sometimes.