Spiritfarer

 Switch
User Score
8.3

Generally favorable reviews- based on 113 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 90 out of 113
  2. Mixed: 13 out of 113
  3. Negative: 10 out of 113

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  1. Deadheadbill
    Aug 20, 2020
    10
    Such a great game. There are no legions of undead to mow down. no min/max stats to be acquired, just beautiful hand-drawn graphics, simple and enjoyable game mechanics and a wonderful story.
  2. AlexTheAwesome
    Sep 17, 2020
    10
    My personal game of the year honestly, such a massive surprise that I didn't expect to love as much as I did.
  3. HappyDonnie
    Aug 20, 2020
    10
    Easy to love! No pressure in game, just chill at your own phase. I rate it 10 because its a perfect indie title, with a decent pricetag.
  4. Taly3m
    Aug 27, 2020
    10
    this is a fantastic game Good story and good control
    Cool graphic and you can hug NPC!
  5. abrus
    May 4, 2021
    10
    Believe the hype - this is a masterpiece! Amazing graphics, music and dialogue! It is crazy how invested you become in the story and the characters. There is a fantastic element of exploration too, and it is just so relaxing and therapeutic to spend time in this world. I feel there are genuine psychological benefits to playing this game, especially if you struggle with grief managementBelieve the hype - this is a masterpiece! Amazing graphics, music and dialogue! It is crazy how invested you become in the story and the characters. There is a fantastic element of exploration too, and it is just so relaxing and therapeutic to spend time in this world. I feel there are genuine psychological benefits to playing this game, especially if you struggle with grief management issues. I spent 30 hours playing this over 11 days and loved every minute of it! This is a game I will never forget and I'll probably play it again in a year or two. Thank you Thunder Lotus!!!… Expand
  6. DoodleNova
    Sep 17, 2020
    10
    Spiritfarer has been one of the best games I’ve played in a long while.
    Not only is the games art style very pretty, but the character designs, the places, the music and the heavy use of leitmotifs- it all comes together to create such a comfortable atmosphere.
    The game really has a way of making you feel strongly for all the spirits on your boat, even if you start off not being    Spiritfarer has been one of the best games I’ve played in a long while.
    Not only is the games art style very pretty, but the character designs, the places, the music and the heavy use of leitmotifs- it all comes together to create such a comfortable atmosphere.

    The game really has a way of making you feel strongly for all the spirits on your boat, even if you start off not being particularly fond of them. There are just enough spirits for you to get to know intimately while not feeling that there aren’t enough or that there are too many.

    Other then making friends with spirits the game has a resource management aspect. It makes travelling from place to place on the boat a lot more fun and less tedious. There are many quests to fulfil with these activities too!

    The one thing I should say is that spiritfarer is not yet at this point a fully ironed out and smooth game. There are bugs, for sure but that’s to be expected so early on and I haven’t had it effect any of the heartfelt moments so in my eyes they really aren’t an issue.

    If you want to chill and make friends while experiencing a very emotional story that manages to gradually shift the tone of the game with your progress, then I highly recommend spiritfarer.    … Expand
  7. Orezhon
    Oct 10, 2020
    10
    Questo gioco è stata una gran bella storia, ben scritto e ben narrato, maturo, non adatto a tutti, ma tremendamente emozionante.
    Come tutte le belle storie, vorrei che non finissero mai, ma questo viaggio, questo gioco, mi hanno ampiamente ripagato il prezzo del biglietto.
  8. FuzzFizz
    Dec 7, 2020
    10
    **TLDR - this game is pretty and it made me feel my feelings. 10/10 would play again.**

    This game was incredibly beautiful and I legitimately wept over the character stories. The art style is quite lovely and I was pleased with how intuitive the controls were. I'm not a very "good" gamer even though I enjoy the activity a lot --so it is a great thing when I have minimal issues    **TLDR - this game is pretty and it made me feel my feelings. 10/10 would play again.**

    This game was incredibly beautiful and I legitimately wept over the character stories. The art style is quite lovely and I was pleased with how intuitive the controls were. I'm not a very "good" gamer even though I enjoy the activity a lot --so it is a great thing when I have minimal issues learning the controls. The musical score is a masterpiece. I downloaded it and listen to it while I work because it is so soothing.
    There are still a few bugs, my game would crash every now and then and force me to replay at least an hour. I didn't mind much because the game is so good. But I could see it bothering someone who was less immersed and/or got burned by a crash setting them back more than an hour.

    My review isn't doing this game justice - It was a very different experience from most games I have played - not because the game style was different or the graphics - It's because of the way the writers get you so genuinely attached to these characters in such a short time.

    This sort of emotional release is really valuable because of the isolation that has been brought about by the global pandemic. Sometimes it's really nice to ugly cry over a game when you don't have what it takes to emotionally process your real life.    … Expand
  9. omniface
    Mar 7, 2021
    10
    pros
    great story
    great controls
    unique styles
    great graphics

    cons
    none
  10. Jullai
    Jul 10, 2021
    10
    I could not put this game down! Charming characters and stunning world. The gameplay is addictive and everything is very thought out and just works great together. I would absolutely recommend this game to anyone looking for a relaxing, cozy and polished management game.
  11. Dzot
    Oct 3, 2021
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. It's AWESOME!!!! I never play at very beautiful and gentle game! I'm never cry in my life, after game like this!… Expand
  12. annaKpuerta
    Oct 25, 2021
    10
    Genuinely beautiful game. Excellent gameplay and the story was even better.
  13. rebster
    Jan 16, 2022
    10
    I could not put this game down.. It's such a relaxing and wholesome game to play and perfect to play to unwind. The music fits the game so well, it's so fun learning about the spirits' backstories, and the art style of the game is just beautiful. There's always so much to do in the form of requests and crafting and cooking and farming and taking care of the spirits. There are a lot ofI could not put this game down.. It's such a relaxing and wholesome game to play and perfect to play to unwind. The music fits the game so well, it's so fun learning about the spirits' backstories, and the art style of the game is just beautiful. There's always so much to do in the form of requests and crafting and cooking and farming and taking care of the spirits. There are a lot of lessons to be learnt about letting go and the grieving process. The creators of the game really deserve praise on this game because I feel like they paid attention to so many small details that make the game so much more cozy feeling, for example you can crouch down and hug your cat. Do yourself a favour and get this game!!

    I just finished the game yesterday and I personally did not experience any crashes the older negative reviews have been mentioning.    … Expand
  14. SgtWantCuddles
    Oct 24, 2022
    10
    Spiritfarer is hard for me to describe. It is definitely a management sim and you play several resource gathering minigames (relating to certain characters) and crafting minigames - they do make up a sizeable amount of your time spent but overall the majority is spent exploring, learning, and developing relationships with characters. The soundtrack is gorgeous and there are certain tracksSpiritfarer is hard for me to describe. It is definitely a management sim and you play several resource gathering minigames (relating to certain characters) and crafting minigames - they do make up a sizeable amount of your time spent but overall the majority is spent exploring, learning, and developing relationships with characters. The soundtrack is gorgeous and there are certain tracks that still make me tear up listening to them. This game's emotional impact can be tremendous and some characters moving on (not really a spoiler since it's kinda a core gameplay mechanic) confused me until I got context later and it hit me like a truck. I still haven't recovered from the implications of one of them. It truly felt like I knew the characters and that's a sign of great storytelling. Highly recommend this if you are looking for a relaxing, beautiful game that could leave you emotional. It was also great to have Daffodil the cat to have a drop-in, drop-out co-op partner that could help with crafting, gathering, and anything other than talking to characters and boat building. My partner greatly enjoyed the time together.… Expand
  15. URJudged
    Sep 27, 2022
    10
    Despite this game being very different than my usual go to games, I had a great time playing. The story is wonderful and the characters are very well developed. The coop is very well done and absolutely adorable (P2 gets to be the cat). Most of the mechanics are smooth and intuitive even for my partner who doesn't normally play many video games. This was one of the few games I felt like IDespite this game being very different than my usual go to games, I had a great time playing. The story is wonderful and the characters are very well developed. The coop is very well done and absolutely adorable (P2 gets to be the cat). Most of the mechanics are smooth and intuitive even for my partner who doesn't normally play many video games. This was one of the few games I felt like I wanted to 100% it. Highly recommend if you enjoy story based games and tend to enjoy deep, developed characters.… Expand
  16. Daveisonline
    Aug 19, 2020
    9
    This game caught me completely by surprise. This is a game where limbo is a vast open sea and you have to befriend spirits before sending them onto the afterlife. The game at its core is a farming/resource management game, however the fact that your "farm" is set on a boat which steers itself allows you to multitask with ease.

    The 2D art style is amazing and the soundtrack is    This game caught me completely by surprise. This is a game where limbo is a vast open sea and you have to befriend spirits before sending them onto the afterlife. The game at its core is a farming/resource management game, however the fact that your "farm" is set on a boat which steers itself allows you to multitask with ease.

    The 2D art style is amazing and the soundtrack is phenomenal. My only main complaint is with the Switch version in general: As your boat gets bigger; the game starts to suffer from a framerate issues, hopefully that can be amended in the future.    … Expand
  17. Kronhas
    Feb 21, 2023
    9
    It is a beautiful game, very artistic and with very deep messages on such an important subject as death. In terms of mechanics, it is quite entertaining, with a mix of conversational adventure and farm simulator. Towards the second half of the adventure it gets a bit repetitive and there is little challenge, not worth the grind itself. But if this happens to you, go straight to completingIt is a beautiful game, very artistic and with very deep messages on such an important subject as death. In terms of mechanics, it is quite entertaining, with a mix of conversational adventure and farm simulator. Towards the second half of the adventure it gets a bit repetitive and there is little challenge, not worth the grind itself. But if this happens to you, go straight to completing the story of all the ship's companions, and you'll see some tears come to your eyes, with a bittersweet feeling. Bravo to the studio, and for their bravery in creating Spiritfarer! I recommend it.… Expand
  18. Kwar
    Aug 29, 2020
    9
    I absolutely adore this game. Every single part of it. Beautiful it's sensitive caring just really lovely and calming. Sadly it is a little glitchy so I had to restart a few times. That's why 9 out of 10.
  19. spencerplewe
    Jul 15, 2022
    9
    Beautiful in style and substance, Spiritfarer is a sea-faring community/farming adventure that's fun to play and look at, solidly explores themes of death, and manages to keep things fresh with each spirit you encounter. I experienced multiple crashes on my playthrough, though.
  20. Denvers
    Aug 19, 2020
    9
    Spiritfarer is a fun, adventurous, and heartwarming game that has a lovable cast and addicting gameplay. In this charming indie game, you play as a girl named Stella who has appeared in this mysterious world where spirits lurk to be satisfied. Make friends with familiar faces and travel the open seas to discover the world and collect resources. In terms of gameplay, it is really hard toSpiritfarer is a fun, adventurous, and heartwarming game that has a lovable cast and addicting gameplay. In this charming indie game, you play as a girl named Stella who has appeared in this mysterious world where spirits lurk to be satisfied. Make friends with familiar faces and travel the open seas to discover the world and collect resources. In terms of gameplay, it is really hard to describe - Spiritfarer feels like the perfect blend of Night in the Woods, Stardew Valley, Animal Crossing, and Sea of Theives. My biggest issue with the game is that, even though the game is highly addicting, during multiple-hour gameplay sessions the tasks can get really repetitve and start to feel like a chore.

    Reccomendation: If you like games with great characters, epic adventures, or even just casual-friendly gameplay mechanics, this is for you. In addition to that, if you likes any of the titles I previouslyt mentioned, you will most lieky love this game.

    Final Verdict: 90/100 - Great    … Expand
  21. EnigmaXtreme
    Aug 25, 2020
    9
    When Nintendo shadow dropped 6 (count em SIX) titles this week during the Indie World, it was going to be hard to decide which of them to tackle first. But this one definitely spoke to me unlike any of the others. Spiritfarer is probably one of the most heartfelt, most pure games I have ever played that was a metaphor about death.

    You play as Stella who has been appointed as the new    When Nintendo shadow dropped 6 (count em SIX) titles this week during the Indie World, it was going to be hard to decide which of them to tackle first. But this one definitely spoke to me unlike any of the others. Spiritfarer is probably one of the most heartfelt, most pure games I have ever played that was a metaphor about death.

    You play as Stella who has been appointed as the new “Spiritfarer”, a modern retelling of Greek Mythology and the River Styx. According to legend, Charon would ferry souls across the river who had fare with them at their passing. Payment was provided by a coin placed in the person’s mouth at their burial. This game opens up though with Charon declaring to you his retirement and your cat Daffodil rummaging through his robes.

    Spiritfarer, the cozy management game about dying, sets sail today ...
    You acquire a large boat of your own and picking up lost souls to join you on your journey through the afterlife, all of who are represented by giant animals, from there you can navigate across the sea and expand your boat. The game promotes itself as “a cozy management game about dying”. As you are constantly attending to your passenger’s wants and needs, these could be something like hunger or having their own place or something as simple as a hug.

    The world is full of little islands to explore, some are full-on towns, while others are simple places full of materials to gather, you will need to gather all the wood, minerals and food you can carry as you will constantly be making upgrades and building new sections to your ship. Like a kitchen to prepare everyone’s meals, to which all your passengers will have various likes and dislikes, expect the frog who will just eat anything. Setting up Gardens to grown vegetables and seeds and places that will take care of all the wood, metal and fabric you come across

    I will say that Spiritfarer’s art style and 2D sprite animations is probably the best I have ever seen in a video game, where every motion you make, every hug, every strike with your pick ake is amazingly fluid, but sometimes it can be a bit frustrating, as the game plays a lot in real-time so having to go through the whole saw animation to cut down a tree can be annoying. The game also has you travel to each destination in real-time, this gives you more time to attend to everyone’s needs, rearrange the buildings and do fishing, like…..a lot of fishing.

    The comparisons with a certain other title that came out this year are obvious from the start, while it can prove daunting at first very soon you find yourself getting into a real groove attending to everybody’s needs and planning out where you are going next. The game really does play like a condensed version of New Horizion with a truly relaxing ambient soundtrack making you just want to sit back and watch the waves go by. While your passengers will get hungry and whinge at you to build them their own place, this is no way to fail in this game with the creators wanting you to take it all at your own pace.

    You get to discover the stories of those who join you on your boat, a journey that sadly has to eventually end. It can be truly devastating after spending all that time getting to know them, feeding and hugging them that they will eventually move on, leaving behind a single flower and an empty room.

    But as Dr Seuss once said “Don’t Cry Because It’s Over, Smile Because It Happened.”, there is something truly magical about Spiritfarer, it is very easy to just while away the hours. Although there were times I felt completely lost on how to progress next, like needing a certain type of wood or mineral with no way to find it and being unable to afford a necessary upgrade to the boat to progress further. But it is during these moments that you take a breath and you are able to find the solution.

    You will find yourself coming back to the game over and over again, just to spend time with everybody and explore the islands. The lack of any kind of rush or failure allows for a serious relaxed approach that I can definitely appreciate at the moment. There are also some truly entertaining moments like catching lightning in a bottle during a storm, musical mini-games to help your plants grow or saving a giant serpent by driving a pickaxe into their skull.

    I wish my time with Spiritfarer could have been longer, but like in the game, everything must come to an end…..and that’s ok.    … Expand
  22. Ant21089
    Aug 21, 2020
    9
    I saw the trailer for this in the indie direct and grabbed it right after. I knew that I would enjoy this game, but I didn't know I would this much. I love games like Stardew Valley, Animal Crossing, Terraria, Graveyard Keeper, etc. so this game seemed right up my alley.

    I have already sunk hours into this game since I got it, and can't wait to keep going. The game itself is so relaxing    I saw the trailer for this in the indie direct and grabbed it right after. I knew that I would enjoy this game, but I didn't know I would this much. I love games like Stardew Valley, Animal Crossing, Terraria, Graveyard Keeper, etc. so this game seemed right up my alley.

    I have already sunk hours into this game since I got it, and can't wait to keep going. The game itself is so relaxing that I forget I'm playing a game sometimes. The characters are vibrant and each have unique attributes to them. The presentation just adds to the experience with music that I can't wait to hear or get out of my head. There's new music everywhere whether it be from discovering a new place, a thunderstorm, or any other change in the environment. The graphics are a fun and colorful presentation and really add to the experience and I'm pleased to say that it looks as gorgeous on my t.v. as it does in handheld mode.

    I totally get that games like this aren't for everyone, but if you love games that have a story to discover, wonderful characters, and have you doing work but making it fun, this game is for you. I'll definitely be sad when this comes to an end, but I can't wait to see how it does.    … Expand
  23. RuadhanKi
    Aug 23, 2020
    9
    This is a cozy management animal crossing-esque sim where you explore the surprisingly charming after world, aiding the dead to the next world. The writing breathes life into all the characters and although optional you will want to hug them frequently. The mini games are fun though most side quests feel a bit out of place and progression can feel slow or gated occasionally. Definitely recommend.
  24. Arallyn
    Sep 6, 2020
    9
    Great, chill game. Good stories, fed to you little by little, showing each character's journey towards accepting death. Very touching. Knocking it a point because of performance issues. It probably crashed once every five hours. Autosave made it so very little was lost, but it's still annoying.
  25. GretelZ
    Sep 20, 2020
    9
    Love the cozy game!! But i think it should add controll for the camera ro zoom in or zoom out for better look, and make the boat management nore easier
  26. GSundberg
    Jan 5, 2021
    9
    Fantastic game with a very immersive world that's way too easy to lose yourself in for hours. Unfortunately it seems to crash every 5hrs of consistent play, but frankly without that I likely wouldn't have gotten up to eat or stretch. A few animations and tasks like watering plants are too long but so worth the money and time.
  27. thebigcringe
    Apr 10, 2021
    9
    such a good game, played it for 2-3 hours a day for about 2 weeks straight and loved every second of it. the movement is great, it’s like if animal crossing was 2d, much cooler, and a metroidvania. would recommend it to anyone who enjoys a good cozy (and sad) management game.
  28. levmanny
    Jun 13, 2021
    9
    This game made me laugh. It made me cry. It made me step back and think about my own mortality. If you're looking for a resource management game with an amazing story, you'll find it in Spiritfarer.
  29. ochjago
    Nov 22, 2021
    9
    I loved every minute of this game. The art style, music, spirit's stories - it all worked so well together! There are annoying bugs every once in a while, but the game was good enough to tip the balance in its favour.
  30. min_che
    Jan 3, 2022
    9
    Really enjoyed the game, the artwork is wonderful, as well as music, and the gameplay is just what I needed. There are several reasons it's not a 10, but a 9 for me. The co-op is not enjoyable, I tried playing with my partner but it really ruined the mood for me. At times the font is too small to read in both handheld and docked mode. When it comes to gameplay, I enjoyed it less and lessReally enjoyed the game, the artwork is wonderful, as well as music, and the gameplay is just what I needed. There are several reasons it's not a 10, but a 9 for me. The co-op is not enjoyable, I tried playing with my partner but it really ruined the mood for me. At times the font is too small to read in both handheld and docked mode. When it comes to gameplay, I enjoyed it less and less with the arrival of new spirits (when I like the characters I'm doing a quest for, I'm happy to do it, but when I don't, not really). That led me to stop playing at 85% as I felt that I already got everything that I could from the game and that it was time to let go.… Expand
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Awards & Rankings

21
#21 Best Switch Game of 2020
25
#25 Most Discussed Switch Game of 2020

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
84

Generally favorable reviews - based on 23 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 21 out of 23
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 23
  3. Negative: 1 out of 23
  1. Nintendo Force Magazine
    May 13, 2022
    90
    If you haven't heard anything about Spiritfarer and you enjoy amazing narratives filled with varying emotions coupled with light platforming and farming/crafting simulation, then drop everything and go buy this game! [Issue #58 – March/April 2022, p. 20]
  2. The Indie Game Website
    Sep 7, 2021
    90
    Spiritfarer is a fantastic title that runs like a dream and firmly delivers on its warm aura interlaced with emotional weight. Beautifully executed in its approach to complex subjects, players will be thoroughly engrossed and immersed in the nautical spirit world Stella and Daffodil inhabit, and the carefully built (if inevitably fleeting) friendships of unique spiritual companions. Step through the Everdoor and see what’s on the other side.
    Read full review
  3. Impulsegamer
    Aug 31, 2021
    90
    Spiritfarer is a real treasure. It’s rare to find a game that hits the homerun of being fun to play and gorgeous to look at, while also having a touching narrative to tie it all together. The crafting and exploration gameplay elements are by no means revolutionary, but they are executed superbly to be both compelling and satisfying, whilst complimenting the story structure of the game. If my word and the screenshots alone aren’t enough to convince you this is one of the best looking games around, check out some videos of it in action to see what I mean. Overall, Spiritfarer is an easy recommendation for anyone reading this article; pick it up and allow it to wash over you like an emotional detox for your soul.
    Read full review
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