Spiritfarer®: Farewell Edition

On the 19th of April 2024 my wife of 17+ years was on her deathbed at only 37 years old. She was dying of cancer and there was nothing to be done about it. She told me to play this game when I would be ready, because it would help me. She was gone less than 12 hours later. More than 2 years later, I finally play the game and the first spirit I take to the everdoor has me bawling my eyes out. Last night I finally find out what the game is about and I feel like I have to process it before I can continue further, almost finished. This is why she wanted me to play it, she knew Miss her every day still <3

Spiritfarer - дуже красива, мила і емоційна гра з чудовими персонажами і атмосферою. Але вона серйозно переоцінює, скільки часу ви готові їй віддати. Якщо ок з гріндом, бектрекінгом і повільним темпом - отримаєте сильний досвід. Якщо ні - під кінець можете просто втомитись, як і я. [b]Графіка і артдизайн[/b] Просто кайф. Намальовано неймовірно красиво: анімації плавні, персонажі харизматичні, локації атмосферні. Артстиль один з головних плюсів гри. [b]Атмосфера[/b] Надзвичайно мила, тепла і водночас сумна гра про прощання, втрати і прийняття. Вміє бити в емоції, але без дешевого драматизму. [b]Геймплей[/b] На старті дуже приємно: плаваєш, будуєш корабель, займаєшся фермою, готуєш, ловиш рибу, виконуєш квести. Все працює як затишний менеджмент + пригоди. Але з часом починаються проблеми. Гра взагалі не цінує ваш час. Грінду стає забагато, бектрекінгу теж. Часто треба мотатись по карті за одним ресурсом чи NPC. Окремо бісить, що інколи сюжет просто стопориться, поки не спрацює якийсь тригер. Найбільша проблема - затягнутість. На 10-20 годин це був би шедевр без питань. Але повне проходження - це 30-40 годин, і ближче до фіналу вже починаєш втомлюватись. Я був щиро радий закінчити гру, коли з’явилась така можливість, і навіть не закривав частину відкритих активностей. [b]Сюжет і персонажі[/b] Це головний козир гри. Персонажі прописані чудово: кожен зі своїм характером, проблемами і минулим. Їх історії цікаві окремо і гарно складаються в загальну картину ближче до фіналу. [b]Саунддизайн і музика[/b] Музика дуже приємна і різноманітна. Добре працює на атмосферу і не набридає навіть за десятки годин. [b]Технічний стан і проблеми[/b] На Steam Deck працює і грається чудово. Технічних проблем майже не помітив.

This game is both pretty good and pretty boring at the same time. I can't really get into too many details without spoiling the story, but let me put it this way: I spent about 24 hours on this game, which is quite a lot for a small scale title like this. The first 5 hours, I was quite impressed. There were interesting characters, the art style is excellent, and progression was pretty good. The last 5 hours, I truly enjoyed the way the story was going and was genuinely touched by the narrative. It's just that the 15 hours between the start and finish are a slog to get through. If you stick with it, like I did, it does pay off, but it just dragged on and on right in the middle, there. I think that, if the developers had cut five of the less interesting characters, made the mini games, resource gathering, and animations less dreadfully slow, it would have shaved about 10 hours off and made the experience a lot more streamlined and entertaining. If, unlike me, you have plenty of time to kill, you may find this game absolutely amazing. After I finished the game, I asked myself the question: "Did I have fun?" And I did, despite the pacing issues. So, I'd still recommend this game, but only if you have the time it asks of you.

I'm surprised, and saddened honestly, to say I didn't like this game; it failed completely to live up to its reputation. I thought, given the visuals and tone, this game was going to be a masterpiece (like GRIS in particular). However, I leave this game extremely disappointed and unable to even finish it. My biggest issue is that this game's too tedious. The management is simple and engaging enough at first but lacks any depth to be interesting over this game's ~20h runtime. After all, I can only do the same things in the same way so many times before it becomes mind-numbing. Moreover, no two characters feel distinct either; they look different but are all functionally identical. There aren't any characters who force you to engage with the game's systems in novel ways, creating a predictable and menial loop. Well, there is one character that feels distinct, but only because they're insufferable. The amount of backtracking is also beyond excessive. I'm a sucker for discovery, so the early game was engaging, but it just kept demanding you backtrack constantly. Repeatedly you spend waiting in transit, only to revisit the same place again and again. Mind you, backtracking isn't innately bad, but here it is because the ship's speed is so sluggish that you spend most time just waiting. The fast travel system is also woefully insufficient; It makes no sense why the game’s pacing slows down as the world expands. More of the map unlocked means more distance to travel, but the game never gives adequate speed upgrades to compensate, which makes it drag as you spend longer doing nothing but waiting. Plus, it baffles me as to why they would make the final Bow upgrades the most impactful speed ones. Why give players the quality of life of shorter wait times at the very end of the experience? Not being able to navigate at night was also extremely annoying, and the game never justifies its existence as a mechanic. I will admit, though, that this game isn't all bad. The visuals and animations are gorgeous, and it's evident how much love and effort went into this; the soundtrack is also really strong. I know there is a great game in here somewhere because I was enjoying it at the start, but it shouldn't be as long as it is. This is a twelve-hour game at best, not twenty plus.

I don't think I've ever played a game that understood grief this gently. Over the years I've lost my dad and my brother, and today I'm also a caregiver for my mom. I wasn't expecting a cozy management game to affect me the way this one did, but it absolutely wrecked me... in the best possible way. Spiritfarer doesn't tell you to "move on." Instead, it quietly teaches acceptance, gratitude, and how love can remain even after saying goodbye. And the soundtrack... it's simply beautiful. Even months later, hearing certain songs brings me right back to the moments I shared with these unforgettable characters. This isn't just one of my favorite games. It's one of the most meaningful experiences I've ever had. Thank you, Thunder Lotus.

其实流程没有通关，委托差不多在60%，但我也不是特别想继续打下去了，所以会被丢到暂时封存的分组里。 我觉得游戏前期2-3个小时还是有意思的，无论是和新角色对话还是开船欣赏途中景色，每次在夜幕下看到自己的小船都很有成就感。但由于能力锁+节奏设置，游戏需要大量甚至说没有必要的资源量升级船只、搭建和装扮房间，导致我不得不花费大量时间在中途来回重复跑图上。也许是开发者更希望玩家享受路上的旅程，但对我而言看着一样的海面、钓着差不多的鱼、进行着差不多的操作，实在是太无聊了。再加上本游戏其实强调的是和npc互动，但随着房子变大、场景变广的情况下，根本找不到人，甚至还会突然跑走！ 此外关于游戏内的角色和对话，我个人认为游戏在“把人送走”这部分的对话内容水平远远高于在船上的日常对话，但其实日常对话才是我了解角色的主要途径。就像我只会觉得乔瓦尼是花花公子，不会因为他突然说我上过战场而理解他及时行乐；米奇和布鲁斯每次都要求饭菜不能简单还对我态度恶劣，我也不会因为布鲁斯突然说自己的弟弟早已去世时产生一些同情。但我确实很喜欢小夏面对恐惧的态度，喜欢小蘑菇的探索精神，会一步步跟在爱丽丝旁边陪着她遗忘、看着她无措地搓手会有一丝心疼，也会在空中滑翔时截下自己和天上的葛文的合影。第一次送走葛文时我只是感到一阵空虚，但往后几乎每个角色我都会掉下眼泪，毕竟我们曾经一起走过一程。

[h2]It was amazing.[/h2] Spiritfarer is a philosophical story about the lives of people who were close to the heroine, but their stories can be so close to other real people. The game itself is extremely leisurely and might even seem boring, but that's its main advantage: like a meditation, it forces you to slowly explore its world, unhurriedly telling its story. Most of the game consists of farming and parkour, and you will need to monitor the mood of the spirits by fulfilling their wishes. The game is beautifully drawn, with the animal-shaped spirits and the eternal gates truly captivating. Music is a special kind of art: flutes, violins and piano create a magical feeling of calm, and each spirit has its own unique theme. Stella herself is an incredibly charming character, despite her silence. You become invested in her, and the ending truly brings tears to your eyes. It's now one of my favorite games, even though it's not as extensive in gameplay as Stardew Valley or other similar games. I definitely recommend diving into this world if you like meditative gameplay and music that relaxes your mind.

If you want a review on gameplay mechanics or other technical crap, pass this review by, because while this game is truly enjoyable in every aspect, that is not what mattered to me nor what I wish to celebrate about it. This game... is so much more than a game. Its reflection, sadness, joy, and pure catharsis rolled into a beautiful and melodious experience. I have faced my own demons and sorrow about someone who was extremely close to me while helping other souls find solace in death. While I will forever have sadness when I think of her, it has helped me find peace in the thought that maybe she is looking at me with love and forgiveness. If you want just a cozy game, there is a multitude of titles you can choose for that, but if you want that and you want to face emotions that may not be the most comfortable, but chances are you will endure, absolutely play this game. It has helped shape my perspective and feelings towards life and death and with that has earned a special place in my heart.

Se você está lidando com luto, recomendo fortemente. Se você não está lidando com luto, recomendo fortemente.

It's very annoying when a game claims to be cozy while it's core mechanisms keeps building more tasks for you to complete and punish you when you stop. Your passengers will grow hungry overtime and repetitively demand their needs to be met. It's like being forced to switch between short videos when you expect a nature documentary. Also, for a claimed cozy game, a few passengers' stories surely involved political content and can be a bit controversial.