Spiritfarer is an upcoming management adventure games where you play as the titular Spiritfarer, the ferrymaster of the dead. A new trailer shows off the game's vibrant hand-drawn aesthetic and the adorable cast of anthropomorphized animals that you will get to know as you ferry them to the afterlife.
The developers, Thunder Lotus Games, have had success with their two previous titles, Jotun and Sundered. Their 3rd game, Spiritfarer, aims to pull at player's heart strings with an emotionally engaging experience filled with unforgettable character moments.
Little has been revealed about the gameplay of Spiritfarer outside of the trailer, though one could assume the basic loop of the game involves harvesting materials and crafting items to improve your boat in between story beats that will allow you to form a bond with the passengers of your spirit ferry.
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The trailer, which features a beautiful orchestral score, introduces a handful of the spirits you'll be getting to know on the ferry, including a deer, a badger, and a fiddle playing bird. It appears that spirit animals all have glowing white eyes while living animals, like the raccoon shop keeper, have black eyes.
The pretty little kitty featured in the trailer, named Daffodil, is actually a playable character in co-op mode. Two friends can play Spiritfarer together and mine, farm, harvest, fish, cook, and craft to their hearts content. It isn't yet known if Daffodil has all the same capabilities that Stella the Spiritfarer has, but it would be great to see Daffodil mining with a tiny pick-axe.
The developers describe the game as a "cozy management game about dying" and promises that players will "Spend relaxing quality time with your spirit passengers, create lasting memories, and, ultimately, learn how to say goodbye to your cherished friends." Relaxing and cozy aren't exactly the words I would chose to describe staring unflinchingly into the infinite void of death, but if Spiritfarer has somehow managed to make departing from the world into something beautiful, I think that's an experience a lot of player will want to have.
Thunder Lotus Games is bringing Spiritfarer to PAX West in Seattle August 30-September 2. Spiritfarer is planned to release sometime next year. The studio's previous games Sundered and Jotun are multi-platform and play excellently on the Switch.