Издание Spiritfarer®: Farewell

I really loved the story and game play! All of the characters were so unique and touching!!

This is my first time ever leaving a review.
It is such a beautiful game, and I'm only 6 hours in, but I am so captivated.
There is so much more content than I expected as well.

Great game! It's a very clever story, artwork & soundtrack. i'ts very deep so I don't want to spoil anything.

Starts off charming but turns into a chore list with endless travel. Go into it with the mindset its a game you NEED to take slow.

Cozy game, great story line

This game is about death, when you are watering the plants for 340th time while your crew rests and complains, you really want to end yourself. Boring, Grindy, and Tedious!

going in blind and realizing I suck at this game not because it's mechanically challenging or hard to figure out, it's quite literally my own trauma making it unnecessarily hard. I've never really looked inward on how I dealt with my grief growing up but taking someone to the everdoor keeps bringing me back to when I first encountered death like some part of me hasn't truly healed from it but the difference is there's closure I actually get a chance to say goodbye. idk im in tears rambling get the damn game its worth

I heard how touching and sad this game was with it's stories. It has a nice cozy vibe and co op to boot. But man it was not clicking. I played for a couple hours and quickly found out that the majority of the 'cozy' gameplay is just doing chores. I don't hate chore games but they have to be fun and reward me for my time. I don't enjoy essentially being forced to water the plants every single day, pick them, reseed them, and play lame minigames to catch fish and jellyfish or wait forever for my animations to finish to mine rocks.

Based on the other reviews I'm seeing, this trend does not seem to go away and it sounds painfully boring. I understand that I didn't get very far to enjoy the characters, but they have less presence than I thought they would. They mostly just ask for things like food and buildings. It's sorta all well and good but they're really just asking me to grind more chores and minigames. I didn't even get to any sort of meaningful story - I'm sure they're solid but it's not grabbing me. At the rate the game was going, I would be better off just reading a book to get good story.

Also the co op is ok. You can do chores almost twice as fast so that's a huge boon but then the camera doesn't stretch completely so on some maps you might end up far away. I also don't think this is necessarily the games fault, but several times the second controller got 'deleted' or something and it would revert to single player (being controlled by both players) forcing a reset to main menu. slightly annoying.

Overall I'm sure it's... okay, but I couldn't help but be bored and just read through the filler conversation as fast as possible and try to parkour to the next activity hoping it was more interesting than herding a sheep 20 feet or chopping down another tree.

I can’t recommend this game simply because it’s not for me. While it has a beautiful art style and a unique atmosphere, the gameplay felt too slow and, ultimately, not very engaging. Slower-paced games aren’t necessarily bad, but in this case, the mechanics didn’t hold my interest. The mini-games, which could have added variety, ended up feeling dull and uninspired. However, if you’re looking for something calm and meditative, this might be a good choice—just consider waiting for a deep discount.
Strengths:
1. Stunning Visuals – The art direction is fantastic, and the game is visually appealing.
2. Smooth Controls – Movement and interactions feel polished and responsive.
3. Intriguing Premise – The idea of guiding spirits to the afterlife is compelling.
Weaknesses:
1. Shallow Resource Management – Initially satisfying, but quickly becomes either pointless or frustratingly grindy.
2. Unlikable Characters – Most spirits feel one-dimensional, with exaggerated and often unpleasant personalities.
3. Weak Emotional Payoff – The game builds up to farewells that should feel meaningful, but they often lack depth, making it hard to connect with the characters.
4. Repetitive Mini-Games – Instead of enhancing the experience, they add to the monotony.

I wanted to love Spiritfarer, but despite its charm and potential, it never fully pulled me in. The characters didn’t feel compelling, and the gameplay loop became tedious. If a slow-paced, visually rich, and reflective experience appeals to you, it might be worth trying—but for me, it fell flat.

Spiritfarer: Farewell Edition

Gameplay: 7/10
Story: 9/10
Graphics: 6/10
Environment: 8/10
Optimization: 10/10


I don’t know where to begin this review without touching on spoilers, as I truly believe everyone deserves to experience this game firsthand. Instead, let me share something personal.

I lost someone incredibly close to me to cancer 2 years, 2 months, and 23 days ago. She was the one who raised me from birth, the person I turned to for advice and comfort, the one who shielded me from the world. When she was gone, I felt lost. The only person I could rely on for guidance was no longer there. I healed—slowly, but surely—yet the scars remain.

Spiritfarer brought me back to that time. Its symbolism mirrored the emotions I once went through, and every character resonated with me in some way. Each journey to the Everdoor left me feeling both empty and relieved—a paradox that perfectly captures the reality of grief. The game doesn’t just depict loss; it makes you live through it.

As the credits rolled, I leaned back in my chair and sighed. That experience, which once felt unbearable, was suddenly fresh again—yet it didn’t hurt. Instead, it brought me peace.

The symbolism in Spiritfarer is its greatest strength. Every character embodies something significant, but listing them here would take away from the experience. What I can say is this: the music, the art, and the journey itself are nothing short of breathtaking. This is not just a game; it’s an experience—one that lingers in your heart long after you say your final goodbye.
I feel like this game is essential and relatable to everyone to an extent. 8/10 from me.

playing on mouse & keyboard
switching tabs using 1 and 2 has a short cooldown of like ~250ms (idk the actual number), this is annoying
if i want to cook 5 fish, it has the same short cooldown, i don't know why
so lets say the short cooldown for entering fish is 250ms
if i pressed e once every 250ms, it would be the fastest
however, if i mashed the key faster at 200ms, it would be slower because it isn't synced up and pressing the key earlier does not buffer the input
holding down the key doesn't seem to do anything, this becomes even more annoying when i want to saw wood or process linen
the little minigames you do to farm materials are really boring, somehow this game is more boring than OSRS
at least in OSRS, there is a mental strategy on what i'm going to do next
in this game, i feel braindead, running around, putting whatever i can find into my hoard stash because there is no storage management, its just farm all the resources on the map
ship navigation routing only allows up to 3 queued and the queue control kinda sucks
the music minigame for crops is just guitar hero, except u press the keys at the start of the symbol rather than the middle
but it doesn't matter anyways because u can just mash the upcoming key, u don't get punished when u press a key when there is no matching symbol lined up
the art style is decent, not as good as i thought it would be, i was slapped in the face on the intro when charon had very low resolution, the main character and his cat had high resolution and the rest of the screen was in the middle, absolute flashbang for my eyes
this continues for the rest of the game but isn't that bad
music is alright but i have a feeling that it'll just be the same old tune for the remainder of the game
the characters aren't too interesting, adding a menu specifically to check character happiness and their likes/dislikes objectifies them even more, but that's just my opinion
overall, kinda feels like playing a MMO, running around and farming mats, except without the promise of higher level, or rather, more fun content down the line

I tried the demo on Switch, and initially intended to get the game there, but it was on sale for an incredibly generous markdown on Steam so I grabbed it here.

I found this game while trying to find one to help cope with grief - this one was highly recommended for that, as well as trauma. A couple of reviews suggested that it may be too difficult to play in the earlier stages of grief, but I decided to try it anyway.

I recently lost my father. We were estranged for several years before his diagnosis, but we reconnected and he was sorry for the things he'd done. I spent his last few weeks at his side for a few hours each day.

Suffice to say, the reviews were correct, lol.
Not even an hour in, and I've wept twice. I don't even entirely know *why*, but there's something about how the first characters speak to you that is so .. comforting, enough so that it borders on feeling like a sort of empathy. Going off of the demo I played, I do think that feeling remains.

It's probably a game I'll take a long time to get through. I might even set it down a while; however, the comfort and kindness it brought (despite the bouts of weepiness) prompted me to leave a review already. I'll add more to this when I can get through the game.

The art is beautiful, the music is quaint, and the characters so far are quite endearing. This game was clearly crafted with love.

I got Spiritfarer on the switch and now I am playing it all over again right from the start again for a fresh new experience of the game. This game never left me, I think about it's lesson and story a lot. Please go in spoiler free, stop looking at reviews. Buy it and just play it. The music alone should be enough to swell your emotions!

I don't hate this game, not at all, and can see the sentiment behind it; behind the main story, the smaller details, and the characters, but I feel like once the charm of its art direction and interesting starting concepts are gone, the game becomes very monotonous and boring and even frustrating in some areas. Spoilers going forward

By the time I had released a spirit or two I had grown so bored. Aesthetics definitely take precedent over thought into the actual gameplay/pacing. The characters themselves also don't have that much depth to them, and it's hard to grow attached to them. Even when you do at first, many of them wind up being some degree of annoying or insufferable. The only characters I had any sort of emotional attachment to were Stanley and Daria. I'd add Buck too, but despite him being a unique character in that he's already passed, there's not much else put into him, no real emotional send off, at least from what I got to see. Those were also the three characters I felt were tolerable enough to still be interesting.

The random NPCs you find have more unique dialog than many of the main spirits, which is almost a problem; even nobody NPCs will have walls of text that mean nothing, and considering for many of the side quests you have to speak to a bunch of random NPCs until luckily finding the one that triggers a quest, that's... Lame, IDK. There is 100% a lot of fluff and padding in here to extend the game's runtime without adding any actual substance There's a lot of other small gripes I have, but I'll leave it here.

To put it simply, this game is like buying a jelly donut, but there's only a tiddlywink of jelly in the very middle. It's very good jelly, but you were expecting an adequate amount of jelly and there is no more jelly

Some game studios interpret "cozy" as doing trivial, repetitive tasks. This is one of them. None of the mini-games support the story being presented---they only pad the game's runtime. My immediate recommendation would have been to turn this game into a walking simulator, except Jotun proves that would be a bad idea for this studio.

Thunder Lotus Games does what they always do: aesthetics right first and foremost. Everything else is left to the wayside.

So I beat the game...but basically because of sunk cost fallacy. The game has some highs but far heavier lows. This is definitely a "doing chores" game above anything else.

Mild Spoiler Warning below.



Spiritfarer is beautiful with its art direction and it controls well. The story premise is interesting and I wanted to be invested in it...but I just could not be. The game revolves around two things. Resource management and interacting with Spirits living on your boat. The idea is to get to know these individuals over time and release them through the Everdoor to pass into the afterlife.

The problem is the game does neither of these particularly well. The resource management was good at first, it scratches the resource management board game itch I have. But then where to spend resources is either non-existent or you find you suddenly have to grind for another couple of hours to complete one thing.

The spirits themselves...man they basically picked every worst archetype of people out there and put them here. There were a total of 2 spirits I actually cared for by the end. You don't get to know them THAT well in the end, you mostly just get to hear their quips directed at you, which the majority of them are very negative to downright insulting you constantly. If they aren't insulting you, they are being annoying as possible. There were a couple of spirits that I looked forward to seeing their final moments just to get more background on them and how they died, but in that moment they did almost none of that, so I STILL had no connection to them as they passed. Characters weren't just "here's something I like", they were "this thing I like is my entire personality, deal with it".

Time. Your time is not respected here. You will be grinding and grinding for resources to advance minor things constantly. Not only that, there's MANY things in the game that require full, multiple in game days to pass which are about 20 mins long. There were countless times I left my game running in the background because I was forced to wait literal hours for something to be done. There is no time advancement in the game other than sleeping at night. All day hours must be waited out in real time. In addition I would be doing this and doing all the quests I could with the resources the game had available at those intervals (you have to unlock more of the map with boat upgrades for more resources) but it turned out I had to do some random interaction to progress the game. No progression was ever clear. I would just be stuck because I needed resources I didn't have access to. For example, one requires fishing. I had done so much fishing up to that point I hadn't done it again for hours because I had SO MUCH already in my inventory, so why would I ever bother to do the mundane task again?

I tried so hard to like this game but man it was such a slog to get through with how bad pacing is and how unclear progression is. I love the idea, the execution was just so far off. You shouldn't assume your players are going to just do everything on repeat after they've already done it for hours on end. It gets boring, you need to spice it up or give better direction. I guess people who enjoy "cozy" games likely will enjoy this more but I was losing my mind after every dull task.

Its a nice game but the "tutorial" feels like it goes on for ever since it doesnt specificly end and anypoint so you dont shake the feeling, gathering resourses is fun but then you have to process them and it feels a bit forced cause at the 3/4 mark of the game you keep finding new types of materials that might just be used once or twice, i feel 1/2 of the spirits are extremly ungratefull, ask too much and insted of thanking you they spit to your face, sure when you gotta say goodbye to them they try to end up on a possitive note but honestly i have been waiting for ever to kick them out so i can use their "flowers" as currency to improve the boat.
Very grindy game without much reward

Spiritfarer is one of those games that is likely to leave some kind of an impact on anyone who's just willing to give it their time and attention, which is also likely why it's regular main story achievements have a very low percentage of people who've accomplished them (besides the fact that I think the game has been in game bundles pretty often).

This is a slow based game. It has a lot of dialogue, things take time to grow, cook, finish, move between and progress and we live in a world where many might not have the attention span for it, especially if they don't get into the rhythm of the game within the first spirit or two.

However, I'd encourage anyone to return to it and try to give it a try for a while longer. I also highly recommend anyone who doesn't have the game yet to give it a try. That's because there are a lot of things in the game that may well be helpful for many to hear, if you're just willing to open up to them. The game may be all about death, the whole premise is you giving spirits their last journey before moving on to no one knows where after all, however, it's also about a lot more than that. It handles struggles, insecurities, disabilities, different joys, things people put importance into and more. It doesn't always talk about them in the most direct way, but there is a lot to be glanced from your passengers, if you just listen. You won't like all of them, you won't understand all of their ways of thinking, but that isn't the point. You'll learn of their lives, help them move on and, little by little, also learn about the character you're playing.

It should be noted that the game does have the occasional glitches usually around quests moving forward, especially within its latter half of gameplay. All I've encountered through my playthrough were minor inconveniences though; exiting to the main menu and returning into the game was all I needed to fix them.

Stumbled upon Spiritfarer by sheer chance while looking for something to play in local co-op. I was surprised to find this game in my library—I don’t remember when or why I bought it. When I started playing, I was surprised again by its sheer quality and unique mix of genres. I didn’t expect to find a Metroidvania fused with farming and building mechanics, all centered around guiding souls to their final rest.

**Overview**
The visuals are simply breathtaking. I can't remember the last time I saw such high-fidelity 2D graphics. Characters, buildings, backgrounds—everything is a feast for the eyes. The animations are top-notch—buttery smooth and plentiful. This abundance of animations makes traversing the world (gliding cat!) and interactions a lot more enjoyable.

The co-op implementation is something I truly appreciate. The game does its best to give both players the freedom to move independently. The camera zooms out considerably, leaving enough space to fit even the largest ship. Sometimes, this can be problematic—it becomes hard to perform precise tasks, or the dialogue box may not fit on the screen. Otherwise, it’s one of the best implementations I’ve seen. The only exception might be split-screen co-op, where players have complete freedom, but at the cost of reducing the available screen size by half.

Explaining what you do in the game is tricky since so many gameplay elements intertwine. First and foremost, you are a temporary stand-in for Charon, meaning your main task is to find and ferry the souls of the dead to the afterlife. You travel through the underworld on a ship, exploring islands to find lost souls or run errands for them. Hence, the gameplay naturally alternates between sailing the seas and exploring islands.

**Islands**
Exploration plays like a platformer/Metroidvania hybrid. You can explore whatever is available, but some areas remain locked until you acquire new skills (such as double jump). There is no combat or experience system—instead, learning new abilities requires two things: finding an altar and gathering enough obols from the souls. Each soul grants you an obol after boarding the ship.

Platforming in the game is quite accessible. We had some difficulty figuring out the controls for rope movement, but for the most part, we had no major issues exploring the islands. With one outrageous exception—Daria’s dream sequences. The difficulty spike here is jarring, to the point that we were forced to switch to single-player mode just to get through them. Why introduce such a brutal platforming challenge in an otherwise calm and relaxed game? I have no idea.

**Ship**
The ship is the second, and arguably larger, part of the game. It’s your floating home, and you use it to navigate the world. Travel isn’t instantaneous—you chart a course, and the ship physically moves to the destination in real-time. However, time spent traveling isn’t wasted—you’ve got a shipload of tasks to keep you busy.

One major task is food management. You grow and cook food on the ship and then cater to the needs of your passengers. Farming involves planting, watering, harvesting, and processing (milk → yogurt).

Another key element is resource gathering and processing. Early on, you primarily scavenge materials from islands. As you progress, you’ll build processing stations to refine raw materials into more advanced ones—like turning ore into ingots. These facilities are just one type of building you can construct. Others include housing for souls, food-related buildings, and a few miscellaneous structures. Everything requires resources, and later, you can upgrade both the buildings and the ship, demanding even more materials.

And here lies my main gripe with Spiritfarer—the sheer amount of repetitive tasks. By mid-game, I was burnt out from the constant chore loop and was ready to call it quits. The only reason we stuck it out was that my wife is a completionist and refuses to abandon a game halfway.

I’ll admit—part of the problem lies with us. In any game with resource gathering and crafting, it’s easy to fall into the trap of overproducing, so you have to be mindful not to waste time stockpiling unnecessary items. That said, the game could do a better job of easing the grind. One glaring improvement would be the ability to travel at night—something that only unlocks toward the very end but would have been incredibly helpful much earlier.

**Souls**
Last but not least—the souls themselves. I’m running out of steam, so I’ll keep it short. The souls are just as beautifully drawn and animated as the main characters, making it a delight to watch them wander around the ship. Their personalities are relatable, and you can easily see echoes of real-life friends and family in them. Their quests aren’t particularly memorable, but they align well with their personalities.

One soul, however, left a lasting scar—the D&D guy. He drowns you in more tasks than anyone else, but here’s the kicker: you don’t actually have to complete any of them because he’s imaginary! You can’t bring him to the afterlife. Had I known this from the start, I would’ve saved myself a lot of time and effort.

Maybe the game did hint at his optional nature, but this brings me to another notable flaw: the tension between gameplay and storytelling. The constant pressure of managing chores made it difficult to fully engage with the narrative. My wife played as the main character, meaning she handled the dialogue, while I was often too preoccupied with ship tasks to follow the story properly. As a result, I didn’t form strong attachments to most of the characters.

Spiritfarer is a truly special game that blends adventure, management, and deep emotional storytelling into an unforgettable experience. Their personal journeys are touching and often bittersweet, making each goodbye feel meaningful.

underrated game,.. it really made me cry..
every spirit has a specific personality it's hard to get over it.
a lot of fun mini games to collect resources
yes no pay wall after buying the content. content is too good truly worth the money,
i don't recommend buying it with full price tho buy when there's offer..
game is worth it. atleat for one time play its good

I had heard of this game from a TikTok. Thus, I was excited to purchase this game on discount with high hopes. It has great art style, sound design, characters etc. but my one and only issue is that the grinding in this game is tedious. I tend to lose track of the lore of each spirit in detail because i have so much resource collecting in between. It loses the depth and the effort the story writers put into the game, all for 30 hours of playtime. There's a lot of flashing lights as well. BESIDES THAT, a lot of care is put into the game. If you value casual, story, experiences and don't mind the grind, then this game is always worth the play (especially on discount).

Maybe it's just that my attention span cannot handle something calmer than a Black Ops game. I'm not sure.

EDIT: im gonna cry

This is truly one of the most thoughtful games I've ever played.

I'm always looking to find new indie games, especially ones that have an emotional story line. Spiritfarer is a very emotional game that I highly recommend to anyone. I was fortunate enough to buy this game on sale, after hearing many good reviews about it, however, I would strongly urge anyone to buy this game, no matter the price.

A few of the many pieces that make this game so amazing are the beautiful soundtracks that play throughout the game, my favorite being the one that plays when a spirit passes on. There is also a gorgeous art style that has a cozy, welcoming vibe. Additionally, the characters have such diverse personalities that are so obviously well thought-out, and pleasant to interact with.

As mentioned, the emotional factor of this game is outstanding. Honestly, I am not a very sensitive or emotional person, but this game absolutely made me cry. The story line of this game is so well written, and you're always trying to help the spirits with whatever baggage they have, so that they can move on. A few of the stories are sad, and it filled me with pride when I was able to release them to pass on.

I absolutely loved this game and I urge anyone mildly interested to buy this. You truly won't regret it.

Spiritfarer is a beautifully crafted game that blends cozy resource management with deep, emotional storytelling about life and death. At first glance, it appears to be a simple simulation where you manage resources, build structures, and ferry spirits to the afterlife. However, underneath its charming visuals and soothing gameplay lies a poignant meditation on loss, grief, and acceptance.

One of the game’s greatest strengths is how it allows players to progress at their own pace. There’s no pressure to rush through objectives or optimize efficiency. Instead, Spiritfarer encourages players to take their time, enjoy the journey, and interact meaningfully with the spirits aboard their ship. Each character has their own unique story, personality, and struggles, making their eventual departure all the more emotional.

For those who have recently lost a loved one, Spiritfarer can be a particularly cathartic experience. The game doesn’t force players to say goodbye before they are ready. Instead, it fosters an environment where players can process their emotions naturally, learning to accept and let go in their own time. The farewell moments, though heartbreaking, are handled with grace and warmth, reinforcing the idea that while loss is inevitable, love and memories endure.

The hand-drawn art style, accompanied by a soothing soundtrack, enhances the game’s introspective atmosphere. The soft animations and gentle music create a sense of comfort, making even the heaviest moments feel tender rather than overwhelming.

Overall, Spiritfarer is more than just a cozy management game. It’s a heartfelt exploration of mortality, relationships, and the importance of making peace with goodbyes. Whether you play for the charming gameplay or the emotional depth, Spiritfarer leaves a lasting impact, reminding us that saying goodbye doesn’t mean forgetting—it means cherishing the moments that made those connections special.

what an amazing game! it is perfectly paced, there is grind but you feel accomplished doing it. there is progress and you feel such a reward from completing the different tasks. it feels like a mad dash at first but once you get the hang of it, couple hours maybe, it is absolutely engrossing. i 100% the game and couldnt get enough. yes, there may not be a whole lot of replay value, but my god the first time you play it. such an experience. i laughed and cried, legit. such a wonderful game. oh lord the credits had be bawling...

This game rules. I didn't think I would enjoy it that much and bought it on sale, incorrect I love it and would pay full price for it and some.

Chill game that manages to make the player think and feel with its characters

I can not recommend this game based on that its just not "my kind of game". While being very beautiful and atmospheric, the game is slow and is not very fun. while being slow and not fun the game does not have to make it a bad game but as far as i have seen the mini-games makes it boring and does not add anything to the game-play. But if you are searching for a relaxing game this might do it for you. I would recommend waiting for big sale though

Além da história mais linda que já vi, o jogo tem um toque de sentimento super especial que dá o molho que o jogo tem. Lindo, fácil de jogar, tranquilo pra jogar em qualquer momento do seu dia, sem estresse, e dá pra chorar bastante também.

"The Ones Who Really Love You Never Really Leave You." - Giovanni
"My Heart Is Stronger Because You're In It." - Astrid

I really love this game! It´s beautifully made and it did make me cry. It takes its time and you can relax as you do your tasks and contiune the story. Just a heads up, you won´t know which characters end will hit you the hardest

This has become one of my favorite task manager games. The theme, message, and characters you meet along the way keep me going back to play.

Spiritfarer is a masterpiece from beginning to end. It had its low points, but they are nowhere near comparable to the high points I've experienced the whole way. It's fun, and it is beautiful in its art and its story. No other game has come close to the feeling this game gave me.

what the f happen on this world of stream ?!?! why this game is not on the top tier of this genre of games?!?! English is not my mother language but i did search all the words i dont know to get more deeply in character and it worth it!! This game is my very first game on stream but since then to now i still cant find other games could fill my heart , my feelings and so much things i dont know how to say in English but trust me this game wouldn't easily taken 1st place by other games. If you hesitate to buy this game DON'T DO THAT DUMB SHIT cause that really waste your time, only you have to do is BUY THIS GAME NOW!!! i wont tell it twice. To developers of this game DON'T STOP MAKING GAME LIKE THIS although I haven't through this game as 100% but I hit 80% and all that 80% makes me regret how can I never beat 100%. this game mean so much to me. I first play demo and from that I addicted by this game for a weeks (and still I a m right now). I dont know why this game is not in the recommendation of the best game. Developers, YOU SHOULD ADS MORE!!!!!!!!!!!! what you waiting for? why dont you ad this game on googles, youtube, instagram or maybe hire some influencers to speak out HOW THIS GAME SHOULD BE IN THEIR LIBRARY!! one thing I want to review to this game is THIS GAME SHOULD BE DISCOVERED BY THE WHOLE WORLD!! I'm so glad I'm the samll part who found this game, but sorry for most of people in the world who hasn't found this game. and last one, SPEND YOUR MONEY ON MAKING THE ADS !!!!!

This game healed something in me.

No, I'm not being hyperbolic. This game seriously healed something. I've been my mom's caregiver for the past year. She was diagnosed with dementia a year ago, and it's progressed quickly. She's already at the end stage. So, we're dealing with hospice, and getting ready for the inevitable conclusion of this evil disease.

Since mom reached end stage, I've been in constant "doer" mode. I moved into her house, make sure she's fed, bathed, etc. That, coupled with countless doctors visits all over our part of the country, has wiped me out. I'm physically and emotionally drained. I haven't cried over the situation in months, and that's led to a lot of personal guilt.

When I moved into mom's house, I had to say goodbye to my PC, so I thought I would get a steam deck to play games in my downtime, if I ever had any. I heard about this game on TikTok, and I downloaded it. Seemed like a simple game, and I could pause it if mom needed me. Something to pass the time. It also deals with death and dying, so I figured it was a fitting game.

Boy, did I underestimate this game. Every character has an emotional storyline, and the conclusion of each storyline is even more emotional. But, there's one character that really reminded me of what I've been going through with mom. Those of you that have played this probably picked up right away on who I'm talking about. I finished her storyline early this morning, while it was still dark outside and before mom was awake. I haven't wept so hard in months. I'm not talking about crying a few tears. I'm talking full-blown, grown-man-ugly-crying. All those months of pent-up emotions, unconsciously put away so I could focus on mom, came to the surface in what I can only describe as the ultimate emotional release. I cried. I cried about that character. I cried about mom. I didn't realize how much I had been holding onto, but when I tell you that I feel physically lighter now, I mean it. There's no other way to describe it.

Thank you so much to the developers for this game. No game has ever had such a profound impact on me. I don't even typically like games like this! But, it's just the game I needed. I'll continue to play it, sitting next to mom every day, loving her and taking care of her, playing the role of "Spiritfarer" myself as my mom and I navigate this disease together ❤️❤️❤️

I was looking for something to play casually and had magic in it and this is the game to play. It does make you cry especially if you have lost parents, friends, and family. This game helps you understand the "letting go" part of grief. Believe me there were some characters in the game that would get on my nerves but once they were gone, I missed them asking me for stuff. I have played through once and I am going to play through the game a second time and take my time playing it. Very casual. Very chill

I never write reviews but I have sobbed so many times and have been moved so much by the story that I simply couldn't resist. Beautiful graphics, amazing characters and cozy gameplay. I have played through this once before and it hits me so much harder now. Thank you for creating such a wonderful game, one of my favourites if not my favourite.

Very good game, very pretty, im really enjoying it, there seems to be a bug in the game where you have to take gwen to the everdoor and it makes me cry like a little bitch, see about getting that fixxed

I love how relaxed the game play is, and the story is great! I think this game has a very important message to portray that people need to hear. Grief and loss are powerful emotions that can span over many life scenarios. I have only said goodbye to one friend in the game so far and it was an interesting experience to say the least. I highly recommend this game for anyone who struggles with grief, loss, and understanding friendships/relationships.

This game.... ooooooh this game. If you think someone is cutting onions everywhere you are for about 30 hours, you would be very wrong. The story is touching and heart breaking at the same time. Rife with wholesome resolutions and deeply rich characters. It's like watching a moving painting. 11/10 going to play again.

A game that has beautiful graphics, engaging storyline, humour, sass, emotion, and will definitely hit you in the feels. This game explores unfinished business after death and you are the Spiritfarer helping to guide these spirits through their unfinished business, and lead them to their crossing over. Engaging, compelling, beautiful, and wonderfully in depth.

Super enjoyable. Beautiful story telling, touches on so many situations one may have experienced in life, or will experience. Ship management combined with stress free resource gathering helps keep you involved in the game while you get invested in the story.
I whole heartily recommend.

A lovely game without stress and many nicely written storylines. Love the artstyle, music and over all feeling of this. There were a couple of instances where I didn't understand how to proceed but that's a minor thing and that's what forums are for anyway :). Highly recommend!

I love the Artstyle, the handsome characters and the wonderful story, ich love everything in this game!

Since this is overwhelmingly positive, I'd like to offer a bit contrarian opinion. TL;DR: maybe play the first 10~15 hours and drop it once it gets repetitive.

The idea of helping souls with their final journey is novel, interesting, and heartwarming. First 10 hours are refreshing and moving. Even though I haven't dealt with any loss recently in my life, I felt connection with many of the characters. However, towards the final 1/3, the game becomes repetitive and boring.

For example, Daria's plot line was tedious and boring, the dialogue was utterly incomprehensible. I felt no connection whatsoever to that character. It also involved some not-so-easy platforming. I was really frustrated by it because who would difficult platforming in a wholesome game about departed souls.

By the end, most tasks are "go to this island, speak to that person". Lack of fast-travel is the most frustrating part. Yes, there is a bus, but you have to "Walk to cabin, set course to bus stop, wait until ship arrives at bus stop, speak to the seal, watch the animation that you've watched 100 times, walk to cabin again, set course to your final destination, wait for ship to arrive again". All those was just to travel from one island to another. It gets old fast and drains the fun out of the game.

Edit: The ending was also very anticlimactic and a bit disappointing due to bad design. The ending starts with Lily appearing on the ship and giving you tasks, however, you can do those way before you are close to the end, which is what I did. When I'm finally ready for the ending, it was just a super short animation with no dialogues or story. I expected a much more emotional ending.

Spiritfarer is a wholesome 2D game where you act as the newly appointed responsible for taking people to the afterlife. It combines elements of a few different genres. There's the management aspect of expanding and building facilities on your boat, some light platforming with Metroidvania-like abilities, and—most importantly—a strong focus on exploration. You steer your ship through many new islands and areas that are unique, each with their own quirky characters that you get to know.

I really love this game, from its beautiful graphics to the touching story and soundtrack. I love that you can take play it at your own pace. You can either focus a lot on getting to know the characters aboard your ship, you can focus more on acquiring the resources to make better facilities, or you can focus more on the exploration aspect. In the end, you'll end up doing all of those, but your focus is up to you. I was really into the story of this game and the unique concept of ferrying souls in such a warm, inviting setting. I highly recommend this game for anyone that likes wholesome, unique stories with a side of diverse and interesting exploration and platforming.

Chill gameplay with a pretty story. can get grindy sometimes during the game and some parts can be confusing but overall fun

im about 12hrs in and LOVE IT!
the soundtrack is amazing and genuinely helps me relax. usual grinding tasks are intentionally slow and really gives you time to think about your game play. and the story so far is so good! and there is a local co-op option i cant wait to check out.

Spiritfarer FOREVER & ALWAYS <3
An interactive experience about care-taking and letting go. Confronting death and loss in the most gentle, humanizing, beautiful, ways. Cried multiple times in this, felt affirmed just as many times. After coming home from teaching, which can be emotionally painful and mentally exhausting, it was a comfort to play this game. The game-play isn't challenging (except for the platform-hopping level with the moth lol), but the ideas of the game are infinitely more challenging on an existential level than 99.9% of games you will play.
Do yourself a favor and play this very sweet, very poignant game. It made me want to eat chilaquiles and so when I visited Mexico City, I went to a chilaquiles-focused breakfast spot called Chila-killers!

P.S. This completes my mental trilogy of indie games that explore themes of death and grief in the most exquisite, wise ways:
Gris
What Remains of Edith Finch
Spiritfarer

After waiting around for a while, I finally decided to get Spiritfarer and try it out for myself. It is one of the most well written, beautifully designed, and all around incredible games that has been produced in quite some time. This is the type of game where it is recommended to go in blind, let the story unfold for you, and just enjoy the ride.
I cannot recommend it enough.

You will cry like a baby throughout this. It is just a fact.