A Space for the Unbound Review by Roos Heilig
When the chief JPG told me that “it is a very different type of game” when “A Space for the Unbound reached our digital mailbox, I assumed it was due to how this game was being presented. At first glance, the images leaned towards a simple visual novel-based game which catered to teenagers who are into simple and relatable storylines. That was until I started to play A Space for the Unbound proper, and realised why a trigger warning was needed before embarking on this otherwise wholesome journey.
Developed by Indonesian-based company Mojiken, published by Toge Productions and Chorus Worldwide, as well as running on the Unity engine, A Space for the Unbound is a novel-based adventure game set in late 90s rural Indonesia, schoolboy protagonist Atma travels between real-life and his dreams. While the former is reminiscent of your typical coming of age sinetrons (Indonesian soap opera) where Atma tries to keep up with his girlfriend Raya, A Space for the Unbound’s prologue stands out for a variety of reasons. For one, Atma’s companion comes in the form of a young girl Nirmala who is hoping to complete her book.
However, she is held back by the lack of her missing wand, while combating inner struggles of anxiety and domestic abuse at home. Mojiken deserves to be commended for their honest portrayal of real-life issues, thus creating a sense of relatability through A Space for the Unbound. At the same time, there are wholesome moments such as a keroncong (traditional Indonesian music) mixtape, as well as allowing Atma to pet stray cats in both realms. The gameplay is kept simple too, with just default directional keys and basic action keys when prompted. However, there are a few mysteries that have yet to be solved; Who exactly is Nirmala, and what significance does the Magic Red Book hold? As for the girl that is supposedly just a classmate of Atma, why does she know a lot more about him which relates to the personal realm?
Despite its simple and humble premise, A Space for the Unbound carries a storyline that definitely reaches out to those who are in that same real-life predicament and looking for an escapism of their own. It is indeed a different type of game, although not on the basis of what I assumed at first. Currently available on Steam, it is heartening to come across a game from our region that addresses the mental struggles of their characters, while having a deft storyline that should be applauded for its originality. Above all else, A Space for the Unbound deserves recognition for blurring lines between gaming and real-life.
