Spiritfarer

 PlayStation 4
User Score
8.0

Generally favorable reviews- based on 74 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 56 out of 74
  2. Mixed: 10 out of 74
  3. Negative: 8 out of 74

Review this game

  1. Your Score
    0 out of 10
    Rate this:
    • 10
    • 9
    • 8
    • 7
    • 6
    • 5
    • 4
    • 3
    • 2
    • 1
    • 0
    • 0
  1. Submit
  2. Check Spelling
view
per page
  1. skogsgurka
    Nov 19, 2020
    6
    If you like:
    Reading, metaphors, mobile farming games, and Studio Ghibli, this is definitely for you.
    It's probably even a home run if it manages to get to you emotionally, but I'm ashamed to admit I started clicking through most of the (well written!) dialogue, because it was just too tedious to read. Instead of getting emotional about the characters, my focus was on the addictive    If you like:
    Reading, metaphors, mobile farming games, and Studio Ghibli, this is definitely for you.
    It's probably even a home run if it manages to get to you emotionally, but I'm ashamed to admit I started clicking through most of the (well written!) dialogue, because it was just too tedious to read. Instead of getting emotional about the characters, my focus was on the addictive farming and upgrading that the game constantly pushed me into. And there was a lot of waiting! Waiting for animations to finish, for my character to sleep, for processes to complete, for characters stories to conclude.

    The art style is obviously super pretty, but I feel like it is exactly that; "obviously pretty". Having a dedicated "hug-button" on your controller says it all.

    At times, the game did a phenomenal job making me analyze metaphors, and I did enjoy that. And it's a certainly a cool take on the river Styx. And it's certainly a cozy video game. And I certainly was addicted to it. My greatest issue was feeling frustrated and stressed, when I wanted to be contemplative.    … Expand
  2. Schueli
    Oct 4, 2022
    9
    Eine Perle von Spiel. Das Spiel geht schon sehr lange und ist sehr entschleunigend. Man kann aber auch nicht aufhören, wenn man gerade drin ist. Da fahre ich noch hin und dann ist Feierabend, 2h später schippert man immer noch durch die Gegend. Es macht Spaß und hat so seine tollen Momente. Zum Ende hin vllt. etwas viel Text, dass man etwas die Lust verliert, zu lesen - jedenfalls bei mirEine Perle von Spiel. Das Spiel geht schon sehr lange und ist sehr entschleunigend. Man kann aber auch nicht aufhören, wenn man gerade drin ist. Da fahre ich noch hin und dann ist Feierabend, 2h später schippert man immer noch durch die Gegend. Es macht Spaß und hat so seine tollen Momente. Zum Ende hin vllt. etwas viel Text, dass man etwas die Lust verliert, zu lesen - jedenfalls bei mir so. Kann es aber durchgehend empfehlen.… Expand
  3. ghettie
    Sep 2, 2020
    10
    This is one of the best games of this generation. Brilliant storytelling, deep characters, fun and intuitive gnuameplay and charming graphics . There is no violence or battle system but the game keeps you engaged at all times.
  4. John_II
    Jan 18, 2021
    3
    TLDR:

    This game is just a giant list of chores, where the tedium of doing the same unfun activities over and over again gets in the way of what apparently is a beautiful story. Review: Not being a fan in general of farm-sims or inventory-management games, I gave this gave a shot because of all the positive reviews. If you like farm-sims and inventory-management games, then I    TLDR:

    This game is just a giant list of chores, where the tedium of doing the same unfun activities over and over again gets in the way of what apparently is a beautiful story.

    Review:

    Not being a fan in general of farm-sims or inventory-management games, I gave this gave a shot because of all the positive reviews.

    If you like farm-sims and inventory-management games, then I would say this game is for you because there is so much stuff to build and do and manage that you will be busy for hours.

    Why am I giving this game 3/10?

    This game is literally the most tedious game I have ever played. I oscillates between doing chores that are not fun to being too hard to figure out and some touching story moments. There is far too much of the former and not enough of the latter.

    I'm giving the game 2 points are for the art style and the music. I loved them. But I can listen to the soundtrack on YouTube and I can look at the art any time I want without buying the game.

    The other point is for the goodbyes to the characters, which are emotional and tug at the heart-strings. The one with Alice was particularly touching for me.

    What's wrong with this game?

    - There is no tutorial on how to make any of the high-end stuff. Yes, there are guides out there online, but having a community does not make up for this unforgivable shortcoming. So when you get later on in the game, you don't know how to craft anything. It's maddening.

    - The same thing that plagues the lack of crafting tutorials also holds up the game. I got about 30 hours in and wasn't even close to being done because I could not figure out how to make e.g. glass sheet, or copper sheet.

    - Another issue is that you do not know where to find things. After 30 hours and watching two guides, I still have no idea how I am ever going to get e.g. ectoplasm.

    - While I like some of the exploration, it's maddening that you're constantly being told to go to places you can't get to because you don't e.g. the lantern for the fog, or the rock breaker.

    - The amount of tedious BS that you need to do to advance the plot is simply unacceptable in a "relaxing" game.
    - I was able to catch lots of old boots in the early stages of the game, but later in the game fishing was so tedious and so hard that I gave it up all together.

    - The minigames are fun once or twice, but after the third or fourth time I just wanted it to be over. Instead I farmed resources where I could, but some minigames are unavoidable, which is just a silly design choice.

    - I was able to catch lots of old boots and small fish in the early stages of the game, but later in the game fishing was so tedious and so hard that I gave it up all together.

    - This game is supposed to be about optimization, and yet you are continuously throttled in what can be optimized.

    - There is one quest where you need to pay a guy 450,000 Glims (money) for something. After grinding and harvesting for like 15 hours, I had 350,000 Glims. Then when I looked up online how to do this quest more efficiently, I found out you can just talk this guy's girlfriend and you don't have to pay anything. What a colossal waste of time.

    - There is no payoff for anything you do - excepting the goodbyes to the characters. You get new abilities so you can explore new areas, which contain chests that give you... wait for it... just more dumb stuff for your ship that you won't use or that's completely uninteresting.

    - The tedium even shows up in the dialogue of the characters that you cannot skip. Sometimes I would accidentally talk to a character and then be stuck for a minute just skipping their inane dialogue, which is a shame because you're supposed to connect with these characters.

    - In that way Spiritfarer managed to ruin it's own best feature - love, life and death and how it brings us all together. The stories and hugs we share. Spiritfarer made me hate the best part of it.

    - 30 hours in - I could not tell when it would end. So I uninstalled the game.

    When are grinding or chores fun?

    I have put like 4 weeks of my life into e.g. Destiny (and Destiny 2). I don't mind some good old-fashioned grind. I don't mind it because it's FUN. I did about 150 hours of Diablo III - that's a fun and dynamic grind (if you like that kind of looter / dungeon crawler). I even put about 150-200 hours into Anthem which has it's own brand of fun - at least it's such a pretty game to look at.
    Spiritfarer is the grind without the fun. That's what ruins this game for me. I think that's the worst thing I could say about the game is that I find actual chores like cooking, cleaning, getting groceries and doing dishes, to be more fun than playing Spiritfarer. I might have persevered through the throttling of progression, the lack of direction, the lack of tutorials, the lack of being able to make progress when you want, if this game's core gameplay loop was FUN. But it's not.    … Expand
  5. sityoazzdown
    Dec 27, 2020
    7
    It's an ok game. I was bored and addicted at the same time, while also semi-intrigued at stella's journey. It's basically a more fleshed out farmville/cityville with some light exploration and metroidvania elements. The stories you had on your journey were ok, but it's not memorable as some review outlets would had you believe. Anyone who enjoyed cityville/farmville, and got hooked on itIt's an ok game. I was bored and addicted at the same time, while also semi-intrigued at stella's journey. It's basically a more fleshed out farmville/cityville with some light exploration and metroidvania elements. The stories you had on your journey were ok, but it's not memorable as some review outlets would had you believe. Anyone who enjoyed cityville/farmville, and got hooked on it like some drugs, this game probably would do the same. You get addicted to the grind to see what would happen next when you finish. However, a lot of the game feels like filler. The rewards and side-quests (or to be more specific.. extra grinding?) turned out to be non-essesntial, and I wished I didn't do as much extracuricular activites. The term as wide as an ocean, but deep as a puddle sometimes rears it's ugly head in this game. The best example would be the humongous things you can cook, but realize you can literally feed hungry occupants berries and alterante between them, all set.

    It's. Ok.    … Expand
  6. solid_ml
    Aug 28, 2020
    10
    I have no words how amazing this game is. It's incredibly emotional, artwork and animations are gorgeous, characters... oh my god, characters in this game... I love them all. Really, I cried for the first time playing video game when the time to say goodbye to my favourite characters came. Thunder Lotus, I love you guys! You've done an amazing job!
  7. SplitMind
    Jan 16, 2022
    8
    Spiritfarer isn't going to be everyone's cup of tea but is still a game I recommend despite its flaws.

    The graphics of Spiritfarer are done very well, a cartoon style that captures your attention and is able to capture every theme or mood that it aims for. It does come across as fairly indie but that's not necessarily a bad thing. The graphics serve to emphasise the atmosphere and the    Spiritfarer isn't going to be everyone's cup of tea but is still a game I recommend despite its flaws.

    The graphics of Spiritfarer are done very well, a cartoon style that captures your attention and is able to capture every theme or mood that it aims for. It does come across as fairly indie but that's not necessarily a bad thing. The graphics serve to emphasise the atmosphere and the Everdoor in particular always is a sight to behold.

    The gameplay of Spiritfarer capitalises on well established mechanics from games like FarmVille, Stardew Valley and The Sims. A lot of these mechanics such as growing food and dealing with the needs of characters are usually mechanics that make me groan due to their prevalence for over a decade, but Spiritfarer manages to employ each of these mechanics to create a holistic package that is still enjoyable.

    What stands out about the game is the boat being your base and how you essentially build a village on it with regular upgrades. This is actually quite genius and innovative as it eliminates a middle man in the usual RPG routine of travelling on foot - you can undertake tasks whilst the boat is en-route.

    The downside of all of this is that repetition creeps in the longer the game lasts, and unfortunately I found Spiritfarer to be a bit too long and some of the resource gathering to be a bit of a chore. I soon learned that the best way when I needed something was to look online for the fastest route to acquisition. It gets quite irksome for me when characters are getting overly choosy about what they eat when few of them provide any service of their own to benefit me.

    Spiritfarer's forte by far is the story. You are essentially escorting souls into the afterlife, learning about them, getting to know them and how they are connected to your past. This is Spiritfrarer's strongest suit because as you escort each character you do find that you cared for them and miss them once they're gone, even if they were a bit of a pain on your boat. The same downside from before weighs the story down too - I found it too long. This could be a person preference but there's a certain 'cycle' of events involved in escorting a character through the Everdoor and it gets repetitive to the point that I was skipping dialogue towards the end, losing out on the emotional aspect of the story.

    Overall, Spiritfarer is a game I can easily recommend. It uses familiar mechanics to tell a more meaningful story, a story which has definitely carried more meaning for me than most games in recent years. It does outstay its welcome a bit, but still clocks in at under 30 hours if you know what you're doing.    … Expand
  8. meny82
    Aug 23, 2023
    0
    Life Rule: A LOT TROPHY BUGGED = ZERO ON METACRITIC -----------------------
  9. Rimorine
    Dec 1, 2021
    9
    This game has stayed with me ever since playing it, deep emotional depth, great soundtrack, gorgeous scenery and a really nice slice of farming simulator. Very Ghibli in style and really captures a specific feeling perfectly. The story goes to pretty dark places at times, especially with the Lilly update which provided great additional emotional depth.
  10. eXoFrey
    Oct 5, 2022
    9
    Totally loved it! This is a very chill and beautiful game. The music is absolutely amazing and the story is just very beautiful as well. It feels rather melancolic or sad by moment, but there are also much feel good moments. Managing the boat, and trying to figure out new recipes to care for your spirits is super fun! The only unfortunate problem is that once you reach half of the gameTotally loved it! This is a very chill and beautiful game. The music is absolutely amazing and the story is just very beautiful as well. It feels rather melancolic or sad by moment, but there are also much feel good moments. Managing the boat, and trying to figure out new recipes to care for your spirits is super fun! The only unfortunate problem is that once you reach half of the game there will be a few glitches when releasing the spirits to the everdoor. It doesn't really affect your gaming experience, but it's just a shame cause you are not able to read what the spirits are telling you before passing to the other side. Still love it though!… Expand
  11. painava
    Dec 30, 2020
    8
    Did anyone else try this with two players? So many glitches and bugs the game is, at times, almost unplayable. Graphics stutter and flash (especially around Stella's cabin) colour distortion, freezes (even froze my console entirely once which has never happened before), NPCs getting stuck etc. Most of these problems occur with two players, but there are many bugs when playing solo too.Did anyone else try this with two players? So many glitches and bugs the game is, at times, almost unplayable. Graphics stutter and flash (especially around Stella's cabin) colour distortion, freezes (even froze my console entirely once which has never happened before), NPCs getting stuck etc. Most of these problems occur with two players, but there are many bugs when playing solo too. Without these problems, Spiritfarer could easily be amazing. But for now, I have to leave it a lower rating.… Expand
  12. paulleo
    Sep 26, 2020
    10
    Such a beautiful and subtle game...I likened this to What Remains of Edith Finch. I think it's a game which everyone should play at least once. I feel this is a soulful masterpiece which is a near impossibility not to prompt a few tears. This game is what The Last of Us part 2 wants to be emotionally.
  13. ramob
    Jan 24, 2021
    0
    This game is made for soy boy critics. I gave up when I had to cut off a tree and I spent more than ten minutes in that task. Crap.
  14. Neo-BRAT
    Oct 16, 2022
    10
    Одна из самых душевных игр. Выглядит как мультик, но абсолютно не детская, многослойная и философская. Спасибо!
  15. Granada_Espada
    Aug 23, 2020
    9
    Трудно не повторить само описание авторов, что это "милая игра о смерти", но хочется добавить, что она еще и тяжелая. Тяжело расставаться с персонажами, пусть даже мы о них не так много и знаем. Хотя разработчики и добавили огромное количество рутины, которая ближе к середине может слегка вскружить голову, но она приятно развлекает. Выполняя мелкие поручения или просто исследуя мир
    в    Трудно не повторить само описание авторов, что это "милая игра о смерти", но хочется добавить, что она еще и тяжелая. Тяжело расставаться с персонажами, пусть даже мы о них не так много и знаем. Хотя разработчики и добавили огромное количество рутины, которая ближе к середине может слегка вскружить голову, но она приятно развлекает. Выполняя мелкие поручения или просто исследуя мир
    в поисках новых ингредиентов, ты полностью отдаешься процессу, не замечая крайне простенькие механики по растягиванию твоего пребывания. Это в меру весело и не напряжно, кроме последней половины игры, когда это уже чуточку надоедает. Мир яркий и приятный, здесь нет места опасностям или трудностям, нет возможности пострадать или погибнуть. Медленно, но верно поднимающийся вверх корабль всегда найдет чем завлечь в пути от одной точки до другой, начиная от банальной рыбалки и заканчивая изготовлением различных вещей для последующей прокачки самого же корабля. Но главным украшением игры являются наши гости-духи, которых мы собираем по всему миру, с которыми говорим, делим пищу и теплые объятия. Каждый обладает своим характером и предпочтениями за всеми интересно наблюдать и тем труднее в один прекрасный момент услышать от них, что они уже готовы. А это значит, что нам пора выполнять свою основную работу, как перевозчика душ. И это один из грустнейших моментов, ведь на корабле станет чуть тише.
    Визуально игра выглядит прекрасно, рисовка очень приятна глазу. Музыка и звуки также максимально приятны, хотя на них большую часть времени внимания и не обращаешь.
    А -1 балл, это лишь за рутину ближе к концу и саму концовку. Она напрашивалась другой. И да, тут вы будете плакать. И не один раз.    … Expand
  16. draco199
    Oct 25, 2020
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This game really is a heartbreaking platformer, teaching you how to let go of your loved ones and move on. The artworks is amazing, and so are the animations. I've only encountered visual glitches for the cat where it just kinda slides around. I think the one that was the most sad was Stanley's story line. Now, every spirit tells you about their backround, Stanley's is that he's a kid, supposedly 8 according the the wiki, and he's trying his hardest to be happy. He tells you that he doesn't like messing up, and you can even tell that he already has low self esteem. I think the part that got me the most was at the end, where the spirit, being Stanley. will ask you to take them to the everdoor, a place where they can fully pass on. On the boat ride, they elaborate on their backstory, and his was the the saddest by far that i've seen. Great game, play it.… Expand
  17. Lotharworks
    Aug 23, 2020
    10
    From the moment i first saw the trailer for this game i was spell bound with it and knew i would be an emotional wreck. A nice relaxed game where you just do not want to say good bye to any of the spirits you are taking to the other side. If you do not cry at least once you have no soul.
  18. GFEPIPY
    Sep 2, 2020
    10
    Amazing game, fun gameplay, fun characters, great graphics, one of the best indie games of this generation.
  19. jorr1313
    Sep 5, 2020
    9
    Great blend of Animal Crossing style gameplay and narrative story. Lovable characters and excellent pacing. Also, a lengthy game worth the $30 price.
  20. GamesWhisperer
    Nov 6, 2020
    8
    Spiritfarer was a delightful surprise, full of charm and personality despite the sombre nature of the game’s story. The resource management and crafting are both enjoyable and satisfying, but do tend to drag on in the second half of the game.

    Most character’s storylines will tug at the heartstrings, but I do wish they were more fleshed out, which would have made a more emotional impact.    Spiritfarer was a delightful surprise, full of charm and personality despite the sombre nature of the game’s story. The resource management and crafting are both enjoyable and satisfying, but do tend to drag on in the second half of the game.

    Most character’s storylines will tug at the heartstrings, but I do wish they were more fleshed out, which would have made a more emotional impact. Sending off each character to the afterlife were moments that will stay with me for a while, and everyone even just a little bit interested in playing Spiritfarer, really needs to so they can experience these great moments.

    See my full review here: http://gameswhisperer.home.blog/2020/11/07/spiritfarer-review/    … Expand
  21. Namajamaa
    Sep 11, 2020
    8
    A game that actually makes you emotionally engaged and uses its gameplay establish its themes? Sign me up! Spiritfarer uses its mix of platforming and management gameplay to explore death, grief, and acceptance through exploration and building, and it's both fun and heartbreaking.
  22. Morrowclaw
    Dec 11, 2020
    10
    A beautiful game in which you must confront loss and inevitability. Every step forward brings you towards the end of your journey and you won't want it to. It's truly a magical game with rewarding actions, dialogue and characters. Play it now.
  23. Arocko
    Jan 2, 2021
    10
    Brilliant. Enthralling. Heartwarming.

    (Plus I love my boat!) The customizable options of the boat in Spiritfarer - which you build by collecting resources from islands - makes this a unique management game. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed tricking my boat out and managing it. It’s the best of farming sim and Iron Age management games - with a hint of fantasy. Additionally, you fall in love with    Brilliant. Enthralling. Heartwarming.

    (Plus I love my boat!)

    The customizable options of the boat in Spiritfarer - which you build by collecting resources from islands - makes this a unique management game. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed tricking my boat out and managing it. It’s the best of farming sim and Iron Age management games - with a hint of fantasy. Additionally, you fall in love with the characters! As you escort them to the afterlife, your adventures with them warm and ache your heart. The storyline of each spirit is moving and entirely original. Lastly, I fell in love with Spiritfarer because it reminds me of Hayao Miyazaki‘s work (and Studio Ghibli), which I adore.

    It’s a beautiful, must-play for folks who want a calm, touching, truly original game.    … Expand
  24. ram_1941REG77
    Oct 30, 2022
    8
    Wonderful game
    Do not add, do not subtract! Thank you for putting in a piece of your soul!
  25. DrPigLizard
    Jun 12, 2021
    9
    I have played video games for many years and I have never thought to rate one before Spiritfarer. I thought I was signing up for a casual management sim with a nice ethereal backdrop - which it is, don’t get me wrong - but witty characters, charming writing, and a wonderful plot make it so much more.

    I thank the writers for their heartfelt tributary that Spiritfarer most certainly is, by    I have played video games for many years and I have never thought to rate one before Spiritfarer. I thought I was signing up for a casual management sim with a nice ethereal backdrop - which it is, don’t get me wrong - but witty characters, charming writing, and a wonderful plot make it so much more.

    I thank the writers for their heartfelt tributary that Spiritfarer most certainly is, by the end I found myself heart-wrenched, reflecting on family, among other things.

    I heartily recommend this game    … Expand
  26. vergildantes02
    Aug 23, 2021
    10
    Amazing and heartwarming story and characters. The art is beautiful and mechanics are engaging and fun.
  27. Fyxhcl
    Jan 9, 2023
    7
    Spiritfarer is a pretty game about managing a ship and exploring an otherworldy world.

    During your travels, you'll collect resources, expand your ship and welcome passengers into your boat. They will give you tasks and by helping them you'll progress into the story. The game plays like a 2D platformer and your time will be divided between your ship, whose design depends on how you    Spiritfarer is a pretty game about managing a ship and exploring an otherworldy world.

    During your travels, you'll collect resources, expand your ship and welcome passengers into your boat. They will give you tasks and by helping them you'll progress into the story. The game plays like a 2D platformer and your time will be divided between your ship, whose design depends on how you placed the buildings, and exploring the various islands that populate the archipelago map. The platforming and action parts are pretty easy (you cannot fail) and the biggest challenge is given by the exploration.

    The first part of the game is the strongest, with the novelty of exploring the sea and gathering new resources, building new things on your boat and greeting new passengers. After midgame, this formula becomes a bit stale, and you keep repeating the same tasks over and over in order to advance the story a bit, but you never get anything really "new". All the things that you unlock in the late game, are basically just more advanced versions of what you had since that point. At this point, all the gathering of resources and traveling from island to island becomes a chore in order to build everything you need and progress.

    The game plot is about being the new Charon, ferrying souls from this world to the next one. All your passengers will be anthropomorphic animals, but they were real people before dying, and during the time they spend on your ship you'll learn about their stories, and their reflections on life based on their experience. This has been the least interesting part of the game for me, since many times the dialogs were just very slow and boring, and I didn't find any interest about these people lifes.

    In summary, Spiritfarer is a nice game, very relaxing to play and fun for most of the time, that will become repetitive after a while. But if you like its formula, it will grant you several hours of fun.    … Expand
  28. cipesi
    Nov 26, 2021
    7
    Enjoyable, but crashes a lot and you lose progress often because of it. Plenty of nice tasks, fun for hours. Likeable characters.

Awards & Rankings

23
#23 Best PS4 Game of 2020
87
#87 Most Discussed PS4 Game of 2020

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
83

Generally favorable reviews - based on 8 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 7 out of 8
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 8
  3. Negative: 0 out of 8
  1. Pure Playstation
    Aug 4, 2021
    80
    Spiritfarer offers calm and serene gameplay while dealing with some heavy subject matter that will surely poke at your emotions. The mini-games are a fun distraction and being able to dish out hugs whenever you feel they are needed helps make this journey a very personal one. Don’t forget your tissues…
    Read full review
  2. GameSpew
    Aug 3, 2021
    90
    Gorgeous, emotional and heartwarming from start to finish, playing Spiritfarer is like sinking into a nice, cosy duvet. It envelops you, and you won’t want to leave. Its slow and steady pace won’t be for everyone, but for those who want a beautiful game to unwind with, it doesn’t get much better than this.
    Read full review
  3. Playstation Official Magazine UK
    Sep 18, 2020
    80
    With a focus on care and comfort, this is textbook cosy gaming. Its world of spirits is one you’ll want to get lost in and there’s unlikely to be a single guest you won’t be endeared to by journey’s end. Set sail under a snuggly blanket as the nights begin to pick up a chill, and let your heart be warmed. [Issue#180, p.74]
See all critic reviews »