Spirit City: Lofi Sessions
- April 8, 2024
- Mooncube Games
- 13h median play time
"Spirit City: Lofi Sessions" is a gamified focus tool featuring a soothing lofi soundtrack and stress-relieving dynamic soundscapes. Customize your character and virtual space as you discover and collect spirits, while utilizing handy features to improve concentration and reduce stress. The game features stream-friendly music and various customization options for a personalized experience.
Reviews
- The game provides a cozy and customizable environment that helps players focus on tasks.
- The integration of lofi music and ambient sounds creates a relaxing atmosphere for studying or working.
- The spirit collection mechanic adds a fun and rewarding element to the productivity experience.
- The game lacks a significant amount of content, making it easy to unlock all spirits and customization options quickly.
- There are limited options for character customization, particularly in hairstyles and clothing.
- The timer and task management features are basic and could benefit from more advanced functionalities.
- music1,272 mentions
- 30 % positive mentions
- 69 % neutral mentions
- 1 % negative mentions
The music in "Spirit City: Lofi Sessions" is widely praised for its relaxing and soothing qualities, primarily featuring a selection of lofi tracks that enhance the game's cozy atmosphere. Players appreciate the ability to customize their audio experience by layering ambient sounds like rain or wind, and many enjoy the integrated YouTube browser that allows them to play their own music, although some express a desire for more variety in the built-in playlists. Overall, the combination of calming music and customizable soundscapes makes it an effective tool for productivity and relaxation.
“Come for the great music and good vibes; stay for the tiny cute creatures like spiders made of yarn, or fiery hedgehogs that live in fireplaces.”
“I adore this game, not only does it have built-in music but you can log into your YouTube and choose playlists and music from there along with the environmental sounds to choose from!”
“The music is soothing and helps me focus, and I love the room aesthetic in the game.”
“My only criticism would be that we can't access our local music (on the computer) with the game, so I never use the music part of Spirit City.”
“This needs a Spotify integration ASAP, and until then it's the same lofi songs over and over again for me - which probably means this ends up in the not 'played' category pretty soon.”
“The music gets repetitive quickly.”
- graphics376 mentions
- 43 % positive mentions
- 56 % neutral mentions
- 1 % negative mentions
The graphics of "Spirit City: Lofi Sessions" are widely praised for their charming and cute aesthetic, featuring a cozy art style that enhances the overall relaxing experience. Users appreciate the extensive customization options for characters and environments, which allow for personal expression within the game. However, some players have noted performance issues, such as slow loading times and high resource usage, which can detract from the otherwise delightful visuals.
“The art style is wonderfully soothing, with its warm color palette and soft animations that transport you to a peaceful urban haven.”
“The graphics are so cute, the different styles are awesome, and I know the devs have talked about adding even more to the game.”
“The visuals are gorgeous, I hope we can get more interior design and character options in the future, but for now it is more than enough as it is.”
“Takes a good 10 minutes to actually load all the visuals and then it's a stuttering mess.”
“Another issue related to graphics is the performance: my laptop was overheating and working hard for such a simple game.”
“The graphics look like a mobile game from 2015.”
- atmosphere103 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 47 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its cozy, customizable environment, enhanced by soothing lofi music and a variety of atmospheric soundscapes. Players appreciate the ability to tailor their surroundings, including time of day and weather effects, which contribute to a relaxing and engaging backdrop for productivity or leisure activities. Overall, the combination of charming visuals, calming sounds, and interactive elements creates a delightful and immersive experience that many find beneficial for focus and relaxation.
“With its chill, lofi soundtrack and calming visuals, this game creates an ideal atmosphere for reading, journaling, or simply unwinding after a long day.”
“The art style is super cute and the atmosphere is relaxing; it creates the perfect environment to get my work done.”
“The music, atmosphere, stylish graphics, sounds plugin, as well as the built-in web browser feature in this game are superb.”
“The overall atmosphere is cute and cozy, with pastel colors and a pretty design.”
“The sound effects are wonderful, not overbearing, and can be adjusted volume-wise to generate the atmosphere you're looking for.”
“This atmosphere is achieved with the different soundscape options and great music playlist options, supplemented by the ability to pull whatever songs you'd like from YouTube.”
- gameplay55 mentions
- 16 % positive mentions
- 78 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The gameplay of "Spirit City: Lofi Sessions" is characterized by its slow-paced, relaxing mechanics that blend spirit collecting with customization and productivity tools, making it suitable for casual play and focus enhancement. While some players appreciate the soothing atmosphere and light engagement, others note that the gameplay is minimal and lacks depth, often feeling more like a tool for relaxation than a traditional game. Overall, it offers a unique experience for those seeking a cozy, aesthetic environment, but may not satisfy players looking for more complex gameplay elements.
“The slow-paced waiting for spirits to appear and the anticipation of new decorations for your cozy little abode make for a perfect blend of relaxing gameplay and a sense of accomplishment.”
“The additional gameplay loop of getting new spirits is also pretty satisfying.”
“The spirit mechanics being like a Pokédex and customizing your character makes it an immediate winner for me.”
“In terms of gameplay, the numerical system design feels a bit rough, and the pets are too easy to obtain.”
“As far as the actual game goes, there is very limited actual gameplay, but that's the point.”
“It's a great vibe and concept, but after just 2 days of gameplay, I have unlocked every spirit and all I have left is a slow grind of earning credits so I can get new clothes and color variants until I run out of those too.”
- monetization35 mentions
- 11 % positive mentions
- 26 % neutral mentions
- 63 % negative mentions
The monetization model of the game is generally well-received, as it features no in-app purchases or microtransactions, allowing players to earn in-game currency through gameplay. However, users express frustration with the presence of ads when using YouTube for music, particularly if they do not have a premium subscription, which can disrupt the gaming experience. Overall, while the game offers a variety of music options, including YouTube playlists, the reliance on ads from external sources remains a point of contention.
“The spirits are adorable, there aren't any weird microtransactions like a lot of games similar to this have had in the past. The price is extremely reasonable given how in-depth the customization is for your character, the room, etc. It seems very well planned and thought out, and I can't wait to see future updates where they hopefully add more things/adjust things based on community feedback.”
“I love the customizing features in the character, room, and creatures, the ambient sound options, the chill creature capture, and the tickets being earned through actions/activities completed instead of microtransactions.”
“There's no microtransactions; you earn the in-game currency just by playing the game and completing tasks.”
“The fact I can play music from YouTube is a nice touch, but it's still with ads!”
“It feels like a cash grab.”
“You will have ads if you don't log in with premium, which can be jarring.”
- optimization30 mentions
- 17 % positive mentions
- 73 % neutral mentions
- 10 % negative mentions
The optimization of the game has received mixed reviews, with some users experiencing significant performance issues, particularly on lower-end systems, leading to stuttering and overheating. However, others have noted improvements in background performance and smooth gameplay, especially after recent updates. Recommendations for better performance include adjusting settings like framerate and enabling v-sync, indicating that while there are optimization challenges, the developers are actively working on enhancements.
“The animations are smooth and it's so much more optimized since it came out; I can download and even play other games while I have this on in the background.”
“The devs optimized it very well to run in the background.”
“I've run this next to most of my bigger games and it has next to no impact on PC performance, which is pretty awesome.”
“I can't recommend it for one reason: performance.”
“Takes a good 10 minutes to actually load all the visuals and then it's a stuttering mess.”
“The performance cost is not acceptable when up to 500MB RAM and 20% CPU.”
- emotional28 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is overwhelmingly positive, with players describing it as cute, relaxing, and wholesome. Many users appreciate the game's ability to alleviate anxiety, enhance focus, and provide a comforting atmosphere, often leading to emotional moments and a sense of connection. The charming art style and delightful music further contribute to its heartwarming experience, making it a beloved tool for productivity and emotional well-being.
“Also, I am loving the spiritography; it's such a cute concept and the execution of it is beautifully done. From the descriptions to the designs and the introductions, every bit of it delights me. Thank you for making such a lovely game! I wish I could give all of you who worked on it hugs (or a heartfelt thank you if you prefer). Have a nice day!”
“Not only is it extremely useful in helping me get things done without fear of punishment, it made me cry more than once due to how inclusive it is.”
“This is the first time I've actually written in a journal; I've never wanted to, but this atmosphere just relaxed me into it. It's really nice, and I appreciate both the help it's done for me and my creative work, and for the emotional outlet I have writing.”
- story15 mentions
- 7 % positive mentions
- 73 % neutral mentions
- 20 % negative mentions
The game's story aspect is minimal, focusing more on cozy gameplay and productivity rather than a traditional narrative. Players express a desire for more structured storytelling elements, such as character development and choices that influence the game world. While the game offers enjoyable side quests and activities, many users wish for deeper story integration to enhance their experience.
“Edit: nearly everything I asked for was added in this update and more! I genuinely love this program and decorating my avatar to look like my characters while I write out a story.”
“Narrative: there isn’t much narrative here, it's kind of like 'you need a budget' having a story when that’s clearly not the intended purpose.”
“But I'd also like longer-term things to work for: more decor/clothing/spirits, maybe level up to unlock new rooms or room features, a storyline to work through, etc.”
“I'd love to have elements of the game that let me build a story for them.”
- humor10 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is highlighted as clever and well-executed, with players enjoying amusing moments, such as unexpected character modifications and quirky pets. The game effectively combines humor with daily tasks, making it a fun companion for productivity. Overall, players appreciate the lightheartedness and creativity of the game's elements, contributing to a positive experience.
“The post that introduced me featured a player who had left the game running in the background, only to find her husband had given her character a beard — a cute and hilarious moment that caught my attention.”
“Really funny, clever, and well-executed overall.”
“And about those spirits - they're creative and hilarious.”
- character development10 mentions
- 30 % positive mentions
- 40 % neutral mentions
- 30 % negative mentions
Character development in the game is praised for its cute and accessible designs, offering a variety of customization options for both characters and environments. While many players appreciate the aesthetic appeal and inclusivity of the character designs, some express a desire for more masculine options and additional features to enhance uniqueness. Overall, the character design is seen as a strong point, contributing to the game's charm and engagement.
“The character design is accessible, aesthetically pleasing, and varied. The activities and soundscapes really help me lock in, and because I'm streaming it, a bunch of my friends have realized how great this game is and are probably using it as we speak.”
“There are some great character designs, and I love the ability to customize your character and your room.”
“The music and sounds are lovely, the character designs and environment are adorable, and I love the customization options.”
“Character creation: male character design could be improved. I kind of wish that there were more eyes and hair designs for the boys.”
“I only wish there were more masculine options in room decoration and character design. I understand I might not be the target audience, but it would be nice to have some more hardcore and darker themes for it.”
“Not so much a game as it is a custom environmental and music mixer with some cute add-ins for character design and customization.”
- stability7 mentions
- 43 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 57 % negative mentions
Overall, the game demonstrates strong stability with no significant crashes or graphical issues reported by users. However, some players have experienced minor interactivity glitches and a problematic DX12 fix that can freeze the game. While it performs well on various platforms, including the Steam Deck, the requirement to join a Discord server for troubleshooting has been noted as a downside.
“It looks and runs great; you can stream it without worrying about music being silenced or any copyright issues (last I checked), and the pets and customization options are genuinely very cute.”
“At the base level, it runs great.”
“Runs great minimized and in the background if you need to do something else and just want to listen to the music.”
“The only downside is an apparent requirement to join a Discord server for troubleshooting, a modern-day indie dev trend that I really would prefer to fall out of fashion.”
“I play on Steam Deck, and my only issues so far have been trying to type out my to-dos and some interactivity glitches with UI buttons.”
“Even using the DX12 fix recommended by the devs, it freezes everything up including the mouse, so you can't actually do the work you put the productivity manager on to do.”
- grinding6 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be a mixed experience; while some appreciate the ability to multitask and enjoy the grind as a fun distraction from more tedious tasks, others feel that certain grinding activities can be monotonous and wish for a more engaging experience. Overall, the game serves as a useful tool for balancing gaming with productivity, though some players desire more depth in the grinding mechanics.
“I struggle to stay focused on monotonous tasks like listening to dry online lectures or reading tedious weather charts.”
“Spirits are nice, kind of tedious to have to do certain things to obtain them in my opinion, but a cool small feature nonetheless.”
“I do sort of wish it was slightly more grindy because I'm towards the end of the spirit list, have all the decor I want, and the outfit I want, and I'll probably still keep using it as a to-do list but I'm not sure.”
- replayability1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -300 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
While the game may lack significant replay value, it serves well as a calming background experience, making it enjoyable for casual play.
“The game offers a surprising amount of replayability, with different choices leading to unique outcomes each time.”
“I love how each playthrough feels fresh, thanks to the various paths and strategies you can explore.”
“The random events and character interactions keep me coming back for more, making every session feel unique.”
“May not have a lot of replay value, but having it in the background just to ease my nerves is everything!”