The first time A Space for the Unbound caught my eye was during an Indie World presentation, almost exclusively due to its name. Is it a shallow reasoning? Sure, but you have to admit its a killer title. One that suggests an unusual and intriguing experience awaits. Thankfully, the game itself largely delivers on the promise of its title!
The best way I can describe A Space for the Unbound is similar to the way in which I describe OMORI (which if you know me, is a very good thing). The first 80% or so of the game is a rather simple point-and-click-adjacent adventure game in a cozy Indonesian town absolutely brimming with charm. The pixel art and music are gorgeous, there's plenty of great characters to talk with, and it's all wrapped in a beautiful nostalgic feeling for an experience I never had.
However, unlike OMORI, the adventure aspect does wear itself really thin towards the end. The gameplay itself is entirely milquetoast: picking up objects to take them to other places and a threadbare "combat" system that really , REALLY did not need to be repeated the dozens of times it is. It's compounded by a scope creep that makes the game feel like it's flying off the rails. I was deeply confused, was the game really going to be able to stick the landing and fulfill the emotional promise both the game itself and so much talk around the game presented?
It sure did.
Without getting deeply into spoilers, the last section of the game delivers a beautiful, heartfelt, incredibly well written experience that was well worth reaching. I was brought to the edge of tears and so much of its imagery in the final act has stuck with me vividly. It punches so far above its weight class and is just such a sight to behold. A Space for the Unbound is able to deliver on the promise of its title, a strange, truly remarkable title.
The best way I can describe A Space for the Unbound is similar to the way in which I describe OMORI (which if you know me, is a very good thing). The first 80% or so of the game is a rather simple point-and-click-adjacent adventure game in a cozy Indonesian town absolutely brimming with charm. The pixel art and music are gorgeous, there's plenty of great characters to talk with, and it's all wrapped in a beautiful nostalgic feeling for an experience I never had.
However, unlike OMORI, the adventure aspect does wear itself really thin towards the end. The gameplay itself is entirely milquetoast: picking up objects to take them to other places and a threadbare "combat" system that really , REALLY did not need to be repeated the dozens of times it is. It's compounded by a scope creep that makes the game feel like it's flying off the rails. I was deeply confused, was the game really going to be able to stick the landing and fulfill the emotional promise both the game itself and so much talk around the game presented?
It sure did.
Without getting deeply into spoilers, the last section of the game delivers a beautiful, heartfelt, incredibly well written experience that was well worth reaching. I was brought to the edge of tears and so much of its imagery in the final act has stuck with me vividly. It punches so far above its weight class and is just such a sight to behold. A Space for the Unbound is able to deliver on the promise of its title, a strange, truly remarkable title.