MeinMMO editor Maik Schneider has discovered a fascinating management game on Steam that puts no time pressure on its players. He presents you Spiritfarer and explains why it is his discovery of the month.
Compared to shooter gameplay, management games are usually a bit more relaxed.
There isn’t constantly a bunny hopper with a sugar rush around the corner to match the latest quarterly reports. However, it often takes a certain level of attention to avoid driving the built city into bankruptcy.
The management game Spiritfarer takes it a relaxing step further.
While looking for a couch co-op game for my fiancée and me during the cold winter months, I discovered the small indie game from 2020 and was immediately smitten. I’m happy to explain why the cute game convinced me right away.
I’ll include a trailer for the game here:
Spiritfarer doesn’t annoy – It relaxes
The game’s theme doesn’t seem to match the friendly comic style at first glance. We take on the job of Charon, the ferryman of the dead in Roman and Greek mythology.
Charon is done with the job and looks forward to having new adventures. I play Stella, a young lady who is now the new ferryman of the dead. In couch co-op mode, Player 2 can control the kitten Daffodil and take on all the tasks that Stella can also do – except for talking to the spirits.
The gameplay revolves around my ferry. I’m supposed to build and equip a ship so that spirits feel comfortable on it. Souls who are not yet ready to go. I build factories, fields, and lounge areas, and improve my ship to reach new areas or produce better materials.
Everything is very closely intertwined with the story. Every new room is connected to one of the spirits and each spirit has its personal story that I get to know gradually.
The goal is to give the spirits a pleasant time on the ferry and to help them come to terms with their past. The spirits desire some food, the fulfillment of certain quests, and a regular hug doesn’t hurt either.
Spiritfarer is never pushy. Spirits appreciate food but don’t actually need to be fed. There’s plenty of food anyway.
At my own pace, I sail through the world of spirits, collecting the necessary materials for upgrades and fulfilling my guests’ wishes so they can say goodbye.
A story to empathize with
To introduce Stella to the world of spirits, I initially meet people from the character’s former life. One of them is Gwen, Stella’s oldest friend, who was like a big sister to her. Stella and I handle the ferry, arrange discounts with the merchant, and help out at the loom.
I will help Stella work through her problematic relationship with her father, which helps her accept her own fate.
Sometimes the stories become very concrete, and I learn about important events from the spirits’ past. Sometimes they are moral stories that convey values and a lesson.
Each spirit represents a new story, a new fate. The adventures of Spiritfarer take place only half in the game world – the other half happens in the speech bubbles.
The stories are usually so human, so relatable, that even the 30th speech bubble of a story does not invite you to quickly click it away.
An end is in sight
The pace and the constant connection to the story are not the only things that make Spiritfarer so special. It is also a management game with an end.
There is only a limited number of spirits. Eventually, all houses are built, all stories told, and all islands explored. You can play Spiritfarer once to the end, warm your heart, and say goodbye to the sweet world.
According to “HowLongToBeat,” you need about 25 hours for a normal run (howlongtobeat.com).
Top ratings on Steam
I discovered Spiritfarer in the Extra subscription of PS Plus. It costs regularly €24.99 on PlayStation and Steam. For PS4, there’s even a Blu-ray version that you can get cheaper.
On Steam, Spiritfarer has absolute top ratings. At the time of the article, nearly 23,000 users have left a positive rating, with a rate of 95%.
The soundtrack, atmosphere, story, and relaxed approach are praised – I don’t need to repeat the points, I’ve already praised them enough.
Here and there, there’s criticism about the grind and the repetitive tasks. There’s no automation; you often have to intervene yourself and produce as needed.
However, if you are looking for a relaxed experience that provokes smiles but also contemplation, take a spin in Spiritfarer and its gentle gameplay.
If you’re always on the lookout for strong co-op adventures, then check this out: Top 25 best co-op games 2022 for PC, PS5, Xbox, and Switch
