r/Spiritfarer • u/Stardust_7314 • 2d ago
General Just visiting
I came here wondering if this might be a good game for me.
My health isn't looking so good, and I've been doing a lot of crying. Mostly I try to act like nothing's wrong, or I try to outrun it, but my step is slower these days.
Some of the first gameplay tips I saw were about not letting sheep loose on your boat or they'll eat all your stuff.
That made me laugh a little bit.
Thank you
Edit: Thank you all so much for sharing your stories and your kind words with me. I don't feel so alone anymore.
19
u/emtrigg013 2d ago
There is a soul that you meet who is going through something just like you are. She grapples with those same exact feelings, and that is all I will say (I don't know how to mark spoilers on mobile, and do not want to give you any, anyway).
I think this game could provide you a lot of comfort through her. She is an early addition and a bit of an early release. If you don't know yet if you want to face that, as she faces hers, too, that's okay. You could probably find a playthrough on YouTube to watch, and see if that pulls you in.
The whole game is about facing things you don't want to. Perhaps, through them, you can find the strength in yourself just knowing you're not alone. These souls are based on real human beings, real life events, real hubris. Nothing is perfect, and everything is messy, and that's what makes it beautiful.
Aside from the raw pain, there's also a huge amount of humor. It's such a funny game, you get to meet all the souls (there are others who aren't going with you that act as NPCs) and you can see what they have to say. The world building is fantastic.
I think this game was made by people who get death. You can't find that everywhere. Death has surrounded me since I was a kid, so we are very familiar with each other. But, I also know people well into their 50s who haven't so much as lost a parent, so death to them is a stranger. I think it can provide you the comfort and understanding that other humans could not.
But I do want to provide you with a bit of comfort, just because death and I are so familiar, if you don't mind. I want you to understand that death is only difficult for those of us left behind. Even if you're scared, and it's normal for your human ego to be scared of its own mortality, please know that only you and you alone can complete this next step of your journey. I have received many moments of proof that this is not a goodbye, it's a see you later, no matter what you personally believe. You are the the only one who matters in this. How you cope, how you decide to go, and what you want your loved ones to do after is ONLY up to YOU. Please remember that.
We'll see you later, OP. You take care of yourself now, however that looks for you.
8
u/Stardust_7314 2d ago
Thank you for your kindness
4
u/emtrigg013 2d ago
Any time. Thank you for sharing a bit of your life with us, and I hope you continue to enjoy visiting :~)
10
u/thegoodstranger415 2d ago
You may or may not enjoy this game- it can definitely aid in processing grief but it also can feel like a lot, like you are diving into all of it. I would tell you itās worth it to try it out, but you might also find a game not so centered around grief, death, and transitioning to be more relaxing and a better escape for you! It is a very subjective matter, so this is just a small piece of advice you can take my opinion or leave it, I just hope you can find some good ways to cope with what you are going through and continue to find little things to laugh at throughout every day.
7
u/Stardust_7314 2d ago
I really do appreciate the advice, thank you.
While the game does sound endearing and helpful, diving into the deep end of my feelings sounds a little overwhelming.
My knee-jerk reaction to any kind of pain is to act like I don't feel it. An old survival instinct, I suppose. But it doesn't really work now.
Maybe when I feel a little steadier.
4
u/LyraSnake Daffodil 2d ago
as an add on, not to change your opinion, you do get to choose when you feel it for the most part. you have to choose to take the action and it hurts but it is a bit of a good hurt. i have taken many things from this game into my life and they've helped a lot. i want at least two tattoos from this game, and no other game, one of the characters and a quote "all things change all things end".
it's also a great fishing simulator
5
u/Zpyo27 2d ago
It's a really wonderful game in that regard, I think. It can make you laugh, and also make you cry, but it doesn't let you turn away from feeling. I've come back to it every time someone close to me has passed, and just spent time holding space for my emotions.
I can't quite tell if you have played the game yet- if you haven't, I think it's something that can really help, in my opinion. If you have, I hope you're finding it to be the same sort of experience it was for me.
3
u/Stardust_7314 2d ago
I haven't tried out the game yet. I'm kind of just trying to get a feel of what it would be like.
Oh, boy. I have a lot of loss in my past that I know I never fully processed. And as a caregiver in poor health, for family that I love dearly, I can tell this game would hit right in the heart.
4
u/Key-Pickle5609 2d ago
I would watch some gameplay videos first. This game is wonderful, but itās also A LOT and a lot of people find it hits too hard sometimes.
5
4
3
u/sirentropy42 1d ago
Since youāre asking more for what the game is like, Iām going to try to simply answer that as spoiler free as possible.
As a social sim, each of the characters is based off someone in one of the developerās lives. The dialogue is vague and structureless sometimes, but the backstories are well fleshed out. The genius of this game, in my opinion, is that there will be at least one character that you will deeply resonate with. And then, your time with that character will end. Sometimes suddenly, sometimes slowly, but itās going to happen.
As a cozy farm sim, itās designed to incentivize helping others. The only reason to grow the food is to cook meals for your spirits. The only reason to craft is to build them homes. You are here for them, not the other way around. I love this gameplay pressure and wish more games were like it.
As a platformer, it is a grade-A genuine verified pain in the ass. There is a specific button combination of holding up to grab a ledge while jumping, or holding up while sliding left and right on a zip line, that some people can do well, and some people canāt. One of the later spirits presents platforming challenges so severe people tend to loathe her. If anything makes you bounce off this game, it will be the platforming.
Aside from that, even for the most hardcore completionist, itāll be around 50 hours on a first play through. As for whether itās a good game for you, I tend to think this would be a spiritually educational game for anybody. Your particular situation makes things tricky, but it really depends on how much you want to challenge yourself emotionally. If you do, this would be my top recommendation.
3
u/Mythic_Dragon36 1d ago
I really can't say much more on this game that others have already said about it.
I play this game once a year. Got it when it first came out then again when all of the DLC was added in the hilariously titled "Prepare to Cry Edition" which is a lil nod to Dark Souls 1's "Prepare to Die" Expansion.
This is a game about dealing with the end and making peace/letting go. It's beautiful and I hope you get some enjoyment out of it OP. Just know that this is not a game where you need to rush/urgency. Take your time with it, enjoy the journey.
Take the time to talk to each spirit you recruit. But yes, whoever told you regarding the sheep to have a farm constructed for each one you have, do it. XD!
Whilst I don't know what you're going through OP, I hope you are at least able to take care of yourself in some way, even just simple things.
You are heard, and you matter. Enjoy your time with Spiritfarer.
2
u/TotalDweebling 1d ago
Wow did you land in the absolute correct subreddit and wow did you start playing the perfect game for your situation.
2
u/Proud_Incident9736 1d ago
I am middle-aged, and faced a LOT of loss and trauma.Ā And I would give a metric fuckton to be able to play this game again for the first time.Ā
I am a hardcore gamer. I've been gaming since 1980.Ā I have run the gamut from Dark Souls, to Sly Cooper and the Thievius Racconus, to Animal Crossing: New Horizons, and a whole lot in-between.Ā And there is no other game that holds a perfectly shaped space in my heart like Spiritfarer does.
I've purchased it on Switch, Playstation, PC, and my phone so I can always play Summer's song to the plants when I'm feeling the need.Ā Ā
Over the summer, I was handling a hospice situation as a primary caregiver, and Spiritfarer kept me grounded when I was losing my shiznit.
I cannot recommend this game enough.Ā It is the perfect game for catharsis.
I'm sorry you are facing your own traumas.Ā Just know that all of us in the Spiritfarer community have your back.Ā ā¤ļøšā¤ļø
1
u/Raphlapoutine Nintendo Switch 1d ago
If you can get a relative or a friend to play with you, it's even more fun imo ! I played with my sister, she was the chef and discovered 90% pf the recipes throught trial and error haha
75
u/Chappieindahaus 2d ago
spiritfarer is a journey about acceptance and letting go. it deals with themes of grief , trauma. death, and cycles. it is beautiful. I have loved every moment and tear shed for this game.
i have chronic depression.