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I really didn't know what to expect when I started playing Spiritfarer. Sure the reviews are good and the art-style is nicely done, but wow, was I in for a surprise!

You start out as this young girl named Stella, along with her little sidekick cat Daffodil, being tasked with this strange thing called the SpiritFarer. I'll be honest, it was sort of overwhelming at first, not knowing exactly what a Spiritfarer is and all. To find these (animal) characters scattered across the seas and to bring them on-board your ship so that you can send them into their afterlife. It all sounds pretty straight-forward. However, it is far from it. Most require objectives that need to be met first before proceeding through the Everdoor. It's all a mystery on what's going to happen next.

As you're progressing through the game, you'll find out that many of these characters have certain likes and dislikes. They're affected by other characters around them, by their living situations, and by their food consumption. Many factors make a difference in how each character acts while on-board your ship. Some may play music if they are so inclined and satisfied enough. Others may bring you fish, wood, or treasures they find along the way. Half the battle is finding out what each individual likes and doesn't like. It's not a requirement (at least I don't think it is), however if they are satisfied, it helps with your journies and makes for a pleasant experience.

There are many things that I can say as to the reasons why Spiritfarer is such a great game. From the artwork, to the music, even the base building is quite enjoyable. However if I was to choose one out of them all it would be Stanley. I'm not going to ruin it by telling you all how you meet Stanley, but just know that I was caught completely off-guard by his first appearance. It made me laugh and I'm sure you will too. But, meeting Stanley for the first time aside, I really enjoyed his enthusiasm and personality. Stanley made the game quite interesting.

That being said, all of the characters have different personalities and there is bound to be one which you enjoy or can relate to on one level or another. Be forewarned however, even though this looks like it could be a childs game, it is not. It is more really made for us adults that are still a child at heart. Some vulgar language is used and some provocative scenarios are talked about. I actually think that they could of made the game just as good with leaving those bits out all together. Not that I mind, but to be family friendly for all to enjoy would have been a fairly easy task for them considering that there is not much of this language or scenes that take place. I can see why it is kept as well however, considering that the various personalities do and act quite differently, and I'm sure they were wanting to touch on several IRL scenarios which could happen in order to relate. All in all, it's not a complaint, however just something to mention so that others are made aware of it.

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Content: 10/10

There is enough content to keep one busy for quite some time. I played for a little over 70 hours, however I had to run a second one partially through in order to get the last achievement. (Sealed Lips and Loose Lips) You can only choose one. There may be a way to revert the save file in order to get it with one play-through, but it only takes a couple hours to get to if you know what to do.

Animations: 10/10

It's aspiring to see animations as good as they pulled off here. From the water reflections to the character movements, all of it was something to behold. I particularly enjoyed watching Stella and Daffodil's animations. The few cut-scenes were right on par.

Graphics/Artwork/Illustrations: 10/10

The art-style is simplistic. There were no corners cut to deliver an above average product.

Gameplay: 9/10

The gameplay is fun, interesting, and overall a pleasant experience. There is one caveat to this however.
Sometimes you have to send characters through the Everdoor in order to progress further into the game. This, even though being the basis of the game, should not be a hindrance to progression. I believe some more thought in this area could have benefited the overall player experience.

Controls: 10/10

I used a PS4 controller most of the time and the game recognizes quick swap, so you can swap between k/m or other controllers quite easily without having to restart. All of the controls are pretty straight forward.

Reliability: 10/10

No complaints here. The game ran smooth and never crashed or did anything odd.

User Interface: 9/10

Even though the UI is very intuitive for the most part, there are a couple of things that definitely would have helped throughout the experience. One is the boat "improving/editing". Takes a while to move the in-game cursor to the specific buildings. Another is a tracker to track your quests and where you need to go. Also possibly highlighting NPCs who have quests for you. None of these are game breaking, but with a little more effort and thought into them, it would have really helped the overall experience.

Music And Sounds: 10/10

The music and sounds are one of the best things about Spiritfarer. The character sounds, the town sounds, even the different event sounds were all just amazing. If there is one area where Spiritfarer stands above all the rest, it is in their music and sounds. Also, the song that is played when you complete the game is absolutely fantastic! (I've got to find that song)

Originality/Story: 10/10

No doubt that the story in Spiritfarer is by far one of the most unique storylines that you'll ever come across. The fact that each character has their own story is a story all in itself. I believe they tried really hard in order to connect with each person on an individual basis, which is, in my opinion, very difficult to pull off in the short amount of time that someone spends in your game. Excellent job on this. Kudos.

Community Vibe: 10/10

The community absolutely loves Spiritfarer! Go check out some of the reviews and the community posts for yourself. I'm sure many are looking to see Spiritfarer 2! (you better be making a 2 lol)

Total Score: 98/100

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All in all, Spiritfarer is a very well thought out game that is intended for the child in all of our hearts. There are many things that I can say about Spiritfarer, the gameplay is unique, the storyline is unlike any other, etc, etc, but to simplify it into just one word, Spiritfarer is simply "beautiful"! The storytelling, the artwork, the sounds, everything about it is "beautiful"! I had an excellent time playing and I look forward to a Spiritfarer 2 someday. (you better make a 2, lol) Maybe some guy named Asher and his dog Gio? haha.

As I posted in the review that I made for our group Games You Absolutely Must Have "If this GYAMH doesn't touch your emotions in some way, check your pulse!" Because it's true. There are so many different avenues and personalities within Spiritfarer, that if you can't relate to not even one of them, maybe you need to go outside and touch some grass. Idk, just a suggestion.

Be sure to check out the group we run and find some more Games You Absolutely Must Have by clicking on the link there. We provide game reviews, giveaways, and other gamertainment, so stop on by.

Thanks for taking out the time to read this review. Have care!

Cheers :)