Imagine a high school anime set in Indonesia that takes a supernatural turn. That’s the vibe you get with A Space for the Unbound, an adventure game from Indonesian developer Mojiken. It’s got all the fluff of a youthful romance with the emotional weight of a serious novel. It opens with the sunny vibe of a lighthearted tale—then, the dark clouds start to roll in as the story progresses. It’s perfect for those who enjoy coming-of-age stories, even as it tackles heavy themes like anxiety and depression. 

The game stars two teenage sweethearts living in rural Indonesia in the ‘90s. Atma and his girlfriend Raya are about to graduate high school. Instead of turning in their career forms, they make a bucket list of all the things they want to do in the future. This leads them to skip school to go to the movies, which is one of Raya’s wishes on the bucket list. There, Raya reveals she has reality-bending superpowers. 

Raya can do small things like putting a little extra change in her boyfriend’s pocket, but she can also perform ambitious tasks, like creating a cat-filled pocket dimension. The couple doesn't know that Raya's powers might be leading their world to catastrophe. What seems like innocent high school hijinks turns into something darker when the two are forced to navigate a world affected by their supernatural powers. 

A Space for the Unbound impresses with how it balances heavy themes like love and loss with the lightheartedness of adolescence. It’s not only Atma and Raya that it focuses on, either. The game also explores the backstories of its side characters and how they fit into the overall story of the couple. It juggles superpowered action, romantic drama, and themes of transient relationships all in one. In short, it’s a thought-provoking story that can stick with you long after it's finished. 

A Space for the Unbound is short and sweet. It takes between 10 to 15 hours to finish the story, assuming you spend a little bit of time exploring the town and getting lost in the small fetch quests that it offers. It starts slow, but the cliffhanger prologue sets up enough of a mystery to carry you through to the part when the reality-bending superpowers kick in. As a plus, it features retro-style pixel art with detailed cutscenes that add tension to the story in its most significant moments. 

It’s worth checking out for anyone that enjoys slice of life series and the tropes that come with them. It should especially appeal to people who appreciate strong characterization and supernatural shenanigans. But, again, make sure that you're ready for the emotional tide that comes with it. You can purchase it now from the Epic Games Store.