Spiritfarer

Spiritfarer as a game is a perfect antidote to much of the chaos and swearing and panic of many of the other games I’ve played in 2020.

Spritfarer looks like a bit like a Klei game (think Don’t Starve and/or Griftlands), plays a bit like Stardew Valley but oddly never reminded me Animal Crossing – which I think is very much to it’s credit because for all it’s cutesy and lets face it absolutely massive appeal, ACNH became a tiresome clickfest and although I loved it dearly in months of need I haven’t picked it up for a while now and I’m not sure I will go back.

The idea with Spiritfarer is that you’re taking over from Charon (pronounciations optional) as the dude who takes dead folks from this world to the next. In this incarnation of the job description you (and your petable cat who is also couch-co-op playable delightfully) have to turn your ferry into a floating apartment complex to accommodate a variety of very distinctly drawn characters while you help them through a range of emotional issues and blockages before they can pass on in peace.

It’s a nice idea and it’s lovingly executed with a strong mix of adult (though not explicit) subject matter and so far it seems to be handled sensitively and with care. At one point you’re helping to resolve a workers rights strike, at another you’re helping your aunt-spirit work through her unrequited love for a filanderer.

Look I spoilt all the Spiritfarer character endings for you…