A Space for the Unbound is a 2D horizontally scrolling graphic adventure of 10 hours focused on feelings of isolation, personal achievement, and also petting cats.
In this story, we take on the role of "Atma", Raya’s boyfriend, whose task will be to enter literally people’s minds, through a magical trick granted to us in a dream, to observe their doubts that bind them, what holds them back in life, and to help them find the courage to face the difficulties of life. Although the core theme is isolation and jealousy, we also encounter transversal themes, including the desire for personal fulfillment and relationships within a community.
In particular, A Space for the Unbound wants to dive into the difficult task of telling the story of a bullied girl and her attempts to escape that situation. The story is set in the 1990s in a high school in an Indonesian village, but I don’t want you to pause and consider the setting in which it takes place. There’s really no difference whether these events occurred in Indonesia back then or in some affluent city in Europe today. The themes explored, with an impressive maturity, can resonate with any boy or girl, regardless of background, wherever they live. The wish to be treated with dignity and to freely pursue our dreams is a natural right, unfortunately not always guaranteed.
And in this, A Space for the Unbound also reminds us of another thing... there are sometimes really genuinely awful people. But there’s no malice in the story — everything is presented naturally, and as we move through the narrative, the contours of the cage in which the protagonist is trapped become clearer. I’d love to say more, but I can’t afford to spoil this beautiful tale, which starts with a simple and clear premise and will branch out, making us question the nature of the story and the ability to discern who is good and who is bad. This may well be the most important representation of how it’s truly written well — it immerses us in a world where we’re forced to confront all perspectives without assigning the labels “friend” or “enemy”; it will be up to us, if we wish to understand the thoughts of others.
The continuation of the story is characterised by gameplay centred around solving small puzzles and arcade-style "hints", which, although not particularly difficult, will entertain pleasantly. Solving these puzzles will rely on paying attention to the story and what surrounds us — a trick used by the developers to encourage us not to be distracted and to listen to the characters who will populate this narrative, thereby pushing us to learn what they intended to convey.
As a suggestion for everyone who wants to experience this tale, I urge you to pay close attention to the end of the first and second chapters, as if you proceed without collecting all the scattered collectibles, you’ll have no way to retrieve them except by restarting the story from scratch. Alternatively, we might call it “traumatic” since it will mean re-engaging with 10 hours of gameplay just to catch a leaping cat. Don’t worry, however, about missing the chapter’s ending, as in both scenarios you’ll be warned that "if you continue, important changes will occur".
A Space for the Unbound is a graphic adventure worth experiencing. The story’s evolution is excellent, before successfully tying together all its components — we often change our minds about what’s happening. The story manages the difficult task of tackling difficult themes, such as suicide, without veering into melodrama or falling into the banal. The ending succeeds perhaps where films like "Collateral Beauty" (which tells the story of losing a daughter) were unable to give meaning to life’s injustices. A story invented about the true condition of life and the humanity that makes it up — this game will definitely remain in my memory.
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