Spiritfarer

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Spiritfarer is a fantasy platformer game that combines cozy management and exploration elements. As Stella, the Spiritfarer, players build a boat and care for deceased spirits while traveling across mystical seas. The game features a two-player cooperative mode, allowing a second player to join as Daffodil the cat. With its interesting plot, masterful visuals, good soundtrack, and emotional depth, Spiritfarer explores themes of friendship, loss, and acceptance.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Reviews

95%

Audience ScoreBased on 14,991 reviews

story2,404 positive mentions

grinding1,108 negative mentions

story
5,832 mentions
41 % positive mentions
57 % neutral mentions
2 % negative mentions
The story of "Spiritfarer" is widely praised for its emotional depth and poignant exploration of themes such as grief, loss, and acceptance. Players connect deeply with the diverse cast of spirits, each possessing unique backstories that unfold through heartfelt quests, leading to bittersweet farewells. While the gameplay can become repetitive, the beautifully crafted narrative and stunning visuals create a memorable experience that resonates with many, often evoking strong emotional responses.
- “Incredible graphics and smooth animations; this game is the most heartfelt adventure story, made us cry.”
- “Completing quests for spirits also brings me a lot of joy; I didn't expect to cry during my playthrough, but I really felt connected to each of the characters and their stories. Spiritfarer is definitely worth playing.”
- “The story is beautiful and the characters are robust and lovable.”
- “The story has its moments, but overall I find it boring and bland.”
- “The emotional load was too heavy, and so I only recently got around to finishing the story.”
- “However, the narrative, storyline, and character writing all fall pretty flat; don't play this if you're looking for a groundbreaking story.”
emotional
4,054 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of "Spiritfarer" is widely praised for its heartfelt storytelling and the profound connections players develop with the characters. Many reviewers express that the game evokes a range of emotions, from joy to deep sadness, often leading to tears during pivotal moments, particularly when saying goodbye to spirits. While some players found the emotional impact less resonant, the majority agree that the game's exploration of themes like grief and letting go is beautifully executed, making it a memorable and touching experience.
- “The game does get quite emotional (I cried multiple times), which adds a lot of depth to the characters.”
- “This game is a reminder that grief is love persevering... I am completely emotionally destroyed after playing this.”
- “I never imagined just how heart-wrenching and beautiful a game about letting go could be, yet here I am.”
- “This game is so beautifully heart-wrenching, holy crap.”
- “Simply beautiful and emotional game; I would love to play it for the first time again.”
- “The story... that was my biggest hope for this game. From the beginning, it is clear that this game is about death and loss, which I don't want to be edgy, but it could easily set the stage for an emotional story that I would love.”
gameplay
2,528 mentions
35 % positive mentions
57 % neutral mentions
8 % negative mentions
The gameplay of *Spiritfarer* is a blend of resource management, exploration, and light platforming, often described as relaxing yet repetitive. Players engage in tasks such as gathering materials, crafting, and fulfilling the needs of spirits on their ship, which can feel tedious over time. While the mechanics are simple and accessible, many reviewers noted that the emotional depth of the story and characters often outweighs the gameplay experience, making it more about the journey and connections than the mechanics themselves.
- “Spiritfarer is an amazing game that balances incredible stories with fun gameplay.”
- “The gameplay is satisfying enough; there is always something to do, somewhere to sail to, and the process of upgrading the ship feels great.”
- “The gameplay loop is repetitive, but that can be soothing.”
- “The gameplay is mostly mini-games to harvest your crafting materials, and that can get a little repetitive, but the game offers enough variety to keep you entertained from start to finish.”
- “The gameplay just is not good, period.”
music
2,447 mentions
61 % positive mentions
38 % neutral mentions
1 % negative mentions
The music in "Spiritfarer" has been widely praised for its beauty and emotional depth, often described as soothing and fitting for the game's themes of life and death. Reviewers highlight the soundtrack's ability to enhance the storytelling, with many noting that it evokes strong feelings and complements the stunning hand-drawn visuals. Overall, the combination of the game's art style and music creates a captivating and immersive experience that resonates with players long after they finish the game.
- “Beautiful game, gorgeous music, makes me cry every time.”
- “The music is beautiful, as well as the storyline.”
- “The soundtrack is stunning!”
- “The music can get repetitive and ziplining in one area can be obnoxious but these are obviously not game breaking cons.”
- “The music is relaxing for the most part but can give an 'adventure-y' vibe when doing missions or minigames.”
- “The music, while not exactly the type I would just listen to in a vacuum, is extremely good within the game at setting a mood and evoking a vibe.”
graphics
2,084 mentions
68 % positive mentions
31 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The graphics of "Spiritfarer" have been widely praised for their stunning hand-drawn art style, which evokes a whimsical and emotionally resonant atmosphere reminiscent of Studio Ghibli films. Players appreciate the vibrant colors, smooth animations, and the overall aesthetic that enhances the game's themes of love and loss. The combination of beautiful visuals and a soothing soundtrack creates a captivating experience that many find both relaxing and deeply moving.
- “The art style is stunning, the music is soothing, there's a wide variety of things to do and places to go and stuff to find, the characters are all charming and fun and unique, and the whole package is a lot of fun.”
- “Spiritfarer is a beautifully thought out game with a stunning art style, amazing music, and the gameplay as well as the base concept of the game are extremely solid as well.”
- “The graphics are beautiful, the story is amazing, everything about this game is wonderful.”
- “The graphics and animations feel substandard, the gameplay is a tedious loop of micromanaging crops or passengers, each action feels like a mobile-game-style QTE, dialogues are unbearably badly written.”
- “The graphics are pretty and the concept is unique, but the gameplay was extremely boring and tedious.”
- “The visuals can be glitchy, often the kitchen and corral backgrounds turn a flat green and I lose the beautiful art!”
grinding
1,145 mentions
1 % positive mentions
2 % neutral mentions
97 % negative mentions
The grinding aspect of "Spiritfarer" has received mixed feedback from players. While many appreciate the game's blend of farming, crafting, and resource management as a relaxing and engaging experience, others find it tedious and repetitive, especially in the late game where tasks can feel like busywork. The mini-games associated with gathering resources and fulfilling quests can become monotonous, leading some players to feel overwhelmed by the amount of grinding required to progress, particularly for completionists aiming for 100%. Overall, the game's emotional narrative and charming aesthetics often help mitigate the grind for those who enjoy a slower-paced gaming experience.
- “The gameplay is also very fun and thankfully not grindy or difficult, so I can focus on progressing the characters' stories.”
- “Spiritfarer does a good job of keeping gameplay varied and not too grindy.”
- “Beautiful game, lovely story, it's not too grindy or time-sensitive like Stardew can be; I really see myself getting into the game.”
- “The gameplay can also get extremely tedious at times and it feels a bit like a chore simulator.”
- “The art style, soundtrack, and characters make this game worth playing, but the gameplay makes the entire thing extremely tedious.”
- “The gameplay itself isn't perfect and, while often satisfying, is also often tedious, but that's not what I'll remember about this experience.”
humor
278 mentions
100 % positive mentions
-1 % neutral mentions
1 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is described as a delightful blend of light-heartedness and depth, often juxtaposed with emotional moments that evoke both laughter and tears. Players appreciate the witty dialogue, quirky characters, and humorous interactions that provide levity amidst the game's more serious themes of loss and grief. Overall, the game successfully balances its bittersweet narrative with charming and funny elements, making for a memorable and engaging experience.
- “The dialogue is exceptionally well-written, offering a mix of somber reflections and light-hearted humor as you interact with the diverse cast of characters.”
- “The characters are funny, interesting, flawed, and believable.”
- “The writing is very good and often funny.”
- “In short - it's not funny, it's not emotional, it's not engaging.”
- “The jokes fall flat and feel forced, lacking any real wit or charm.”
- “I expected a lot of laughs, but instead, I found myself cringing more often than not.”
atmosphere
269 mentions
57 % positive mentions
42 % neutral mentions
1 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of "Spiritfarer" is widely praised for its calming and immersive qualities, combining beautiful graphics, a soothing soundtrack, and heartfelt storytelling. Players describe it as a cozy, introspective experience that evokes a range of emotions, from joy to melancholy, while fostering deep connections with its characters. Overall, the game's aesthetic and audio elements work harmoniously to create a magical and relaxing environment that enhances the gameplay experience.
- “The music is amazing, and it's not overly intrusive and just adds on top of the already amazing atmosphere.”
- “The art, sound design, music, and atmosphere are all incredible - I really appreciate the beauty of the game, which made it feel quite magical.”
- “The atmosphere is always cozy, the stories are engaging, the gameplay loop is satisfying and begs to be eagerly explored.”
- “After a while, the ship feels very disconnected and the atmosphere gets grindy quick.”
- “Checked this game out because it looked like it had the beauty and style of the Ori series - it does not, it sort of tries to, but is a far cry from the same atmosphere.”
- “The gameplay is not the strongest side of this project, as it is monotonous and aimed not so much at the exciting problem solving, but more on the atmosphere and the relationships between the characters.”
character development
161 mentions
51 % positive mentions
47 % neutral mentions
2 % negative mentions
Character development in the game is widely praised for its depth and emotional resonance, with many reviewers highlighting the unique and charming character designs that enhance the storytelling. While the art style and animations are consistently described as stunning, some players feel that the character development can become repetitive or inconsistent over time. Overall, the game successfully intertwines character design with meaningful narratives, creating a heartfelt experience that resonates with players.
- “The storytelling is done entirely through direct chatting with the characters, and one very important rule about character development is that you need to feel the impact of those characters, not just be told about them.”
- “The diverse character design and heartfelt exploration of life and death add depth and emotional resonance to this charming game.”
- “The character development and story are like a wild rollercoaster where you never want to get off.”
- “Character development is managed badly - a lot of characters behave inconsistently, or express sentiments or feelings which aren't really earned over the course of their stay on the ship.”
- “The game is so focused on everything being gathering or fetch quests, that it seems to leave character development on the sidelines much of the time.”
- “It's an RPG without any real character development.”
stability
86 mentions
3 % positive mentions
5 % neutral mentions
92 % negative mentions
The game's stability has received mixed feedback, with many players reporting various glitches and bugs that can disrupt gameplay, such as freezing, animation issues, and control problems. While some users noted that these issues are often minor and can be resolved by restarting the game, others experienced more significant frustrations, particularly in multiplayer modes. Overall, while the game runs well on platforms like the Steam Deck, it still requires further polishing to address the persistent bugs.
- “I had no glitches or crashes, and scene transitions loaded with quick efficiency.”
- “The game also plays fine; there are no glitches or bugs to make note of.”
- “Nearly bug free.”
- “Instead, I got numerous bugs and glitches, such as Daffodil no-clipping through the water and into the sky in multiplayer, resulting in a subpar experience.”
- “The one fault is I've found mining minerals often freezes the player in place, basically crashing the game.”
- “This game is a buggy mess, and every time I would reload it, a different bug would occur.”
replayability
43 mentions
16 % positive mentions
70 % neutral mentions
14 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's replayability is generally considered low, with many players noting that it is primarily a one-time experience due to its linear storytelling and lack of significant choices that would encourage multiple playthroughs. However, some players appreciate the immersive content and emotional depth, suggesting that while replay value may be limited, the journey is still worthwhile and can draw them back occasionally. A few reviews mention that certain achievements could incentivize a second playthrough, but the consensus leans towards it being a game best enjoyed in a single run.
- “Spiritfarer's replayability is another strong aspect.”
- “Plus there's a ton of replay value since the order and speed in which you complete tasks influences how you experience the character's storylines.”
- “And due to the nature of the game, it will always have replay value so you can hang with your favorite spirits again.”
- “There is almost no replay value; once your business is finished, it really is best to just... move on. I hope you get to feel the full impact of the game like I did.”
- “The only downside I can see, other than the occasional grindiness, is that it doesn't have much replay value.”
- “No replayability - despite the fact this game has several achievements that you could only get by playing twice, there just doesn't seem to be a reason to replay this game, especially when it's essentially just grinding resources.”
optimization
27 mentions
26 % positive mentions
52 % neutral mentions
22 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's optimization is generally well-received, with many players reporting smooth performance and minimal bugs. However, some users noted specific issues such as stuttering during certain events, clunky controls, and a lack of quality-of-life features that hinder the experience. While the game is not designed for those seeking optimization, it offers a relaxing and emotionally engaging experience for players who appreciate its cozy atmosphere and character-driven gameplay.
- “I've not run into any bugs, everything runs smoothly, and so far I give it a 10/10.”
- “The game runs smoothly, for the most part.”
- “I also like that there is no calendar/date system, so there is no feeling of having to rush through the game in an optimized fashion, and it can be enjoyed at any speed you like playing at.”
- “I think that gamers who get the dopamine rush of optimization might not find as much satisfaction from that aspect here.”
- “Hoarding resources and traveling back and forth between locations is the core gameplay...and needs to be done...countless, countless times; sadly some aspects of traveling, hoarding, and forging aren't optimized.”
- “The interface is not optimized for the amount of repetitive things that you have to do.”
monetization
7 mentions
29 % positive mentions
29 % neutral mentions
43 % negative mentions
The game is praised for its lack of predatory monetization practices, such as ads, microtransactions, and in-game purchases, which sets it apart from many mobile games. Players appreciate the experience as refreshing and engaging without the typical monetization pitfalls found in the genre. Overall, the absence of these elements contributes positively to the game's appeal.
- “The gameplay reminds me of mobile pet city builders, but without all the predatory microtransactions.”
- “There are no in-game purchases.”
- “This game also feels like it could have easily become a mobile game filled with ads and microtransactions... thank you to the developers for not doing that.”
- “If you enjoy looking at halfway decent pictures, like being led by a carrot on a stick, or if a mobile game that doesn't have predatory monetization appeals to you, then this may be right up your alley.”
- “I'm not really into shooters and AAA games, glorified ray-tracing demo games, games riddled with microtransactions, loot box stuff, and season passes/DLC games anymore.”