A lengthy road. a local train. a peaceful airport. a path for hiking. These locations all have one thing in common: they are all transient areas that are only intended to be used by those who are passing through. They occasionally share other characteristics, such as the fact that they are both transient individuals who have only briefly crossed paths with one another before parting ways. We might discover that there is something to be learnt from one another if we were to pause and make eye contact with the places and people in those times, whether they provide us with a new perspective on life or we do the same for them.
The fact that time doesn’t wait for anyone and that every journey, no matter how lengthy, must come to an end raises the question of if life isn’t just a series of fleeting moments and gaps in time.
In Glitchhikers: The Spaces Between, an extremely liminal experience that asks every conceivable philosophical topic, that is just one of many queries. Glitchhikers: The Spaces Between is touted on its Steam website as “a strange trip through the spaces between locales” where you can “discover yourself along the road” and was created by indie powerhouse Fellow Traveller (Paradise Killer, Suzerain). For those who understand that life is about the trip rather than the goal, the fee of only $12.99 is a fair price.
The first scene in Glitchhikers: The Spaces Between is intriguing: you find yourself in a convenience shop, yet it’s unclear how or why you got there. Some answers are provided as you enter and approach the counter, but they are merely operational: you are at a waypoint and your next journey is just outside. Would you prefer to travel on a motorway under the stars while only having the moon and your thoughts for company? Or would you rather ride a commuter train while flitting between automobiles and conversations while you wait to reach your destination? Later on, there will be additional choices, but for now, just one of them will do. Take a beverage from the refrigerator if you’d like, then leave right away; your journey is waiting!
I got in the car and just, you know, drove, deciding to go for a nice long drive. The roads were clear, the stars were sparkling, the DJs were waxing lyrical, the onlookers parked at the shoulders were easily slipping into my moving automobile, and the… wait, what? Yes, there are a variety of personalities in Glitchhikers: The Spaces Between and each of them has something intriguing to say while riding in the backseat of your car.
Glitchhikers: The Spaces Between is packed with people who all have distinct concerns on their minds, whether they are in your automobile, an empty airport, a park, a train car, or any other setting. One disabled hiker complains about how frustrating it is to take an aeroplane because the staff frequently damages their wheelchair, while another hiker laments the death of his brother and seeks comfort in the words of strangers on what is beyond this life. They occasionally pose questions, giving you a choice of several plausible answers. Each of them has been thoughtfully considered, and picking any of them will contribute to the conversation in a significant, illuminating way.
Even though I would always give any game that quotes Zhuangzi great marks, I must warn anyone curious about Glitchhikers: The Spaces Between that it is more of a contemplative experience — one of the philosophical meanderings — than a true “game.” It is a lot of things, including a walking simulator, an eerie story, and a calming journey, yet it is not action-packed. I highly recommend putting on some headphones and playing this at night for an hour or two before going to sleep if you enjoy chill music and ambient sounds with synthwave colouring and low poly art direction, but if you’re looking for a deeper meaning, I fear you’ve completely missed the point of Glitchhikers: The Spaces Between. Simply relax and allow the game to happen to you; don’t be afraid to take a break when and if necessary. Who says a voyage has to be completed in one sitting, after all? Glitchhikers: The Spaces Between is a great book, but not everyone will like it. I doubt this will convince you to change your view if walking simulators aren’t your thing. But Glitchhikers: The Spaces Between is unquestionably for you if you’re a major fan of liminal spaces and esoteric contemplations; I only suggest reading it in short spurts.
