Written by Qianhui 2022 Cohort
I want to recommend a game: Spiritfarer. The beautiful art style initially attracted me, but I eventually became engrossed in its story. It is a cozy resource management game about dying’, developed by Thunder Lotus Games studio. Players start the game as the protagonist, Stella, takes on the task of helping a few unsettled souls to come to terms with their lives so that they can pass through the Everdoor and into the afterlife.
Spiritfarer is the most story-rich game I’ve played this year. Stella is more like a hotel manager than a spirit farer. She has to build different facilities on the ship, including farming, cooking, refining metals, etc. The most important thing is to keep her passengers in a good mood. She can give them food they love, hug them, or fulfill their little requests. The later stages of the game can be a bit exhausting, but once I think of these people who were Stella’s family and friends when she was alive, I have no complaints.
I think the most beautiful thing about Spiritfarer is its narrative. Every place in the game may trigger a soul’s memories, and they will reveal the scene, offer a commission, and tell you their story. Each soul’s story is unique and has touching moments. The stories are the most excellent part of this game: as you unlock the story deck, you become a listener, and the souls in the game establish a bond with you.
When you complete all the commissions of one soul and listen to their stories, their journey is about to end, and it is also another beautiful moment. This soul will leave you a token of remembrance, and then you will row with him to the Everdoor to send him to the afterlife. S/he will tell you his gratitude on the way. After the last embrace, the soul floats to the gate and drifts into the night sky to become the corresponding animal constellation. After that, a pillar of light will appear on the sea’s surface, and if you touch the starlight, you will see the soul’s memories of when s/he was alive.
When I was little, I liked to ask my mother, “Where do people go after they die?” Spiritfarer uses words and games to build a beautiful world after death. It lets those souls become the player’s friends, adventure together, and then say the best goodbye. I think this is a kind of art that perfectly combines words and games.