Anybody need a hug?

Now considered one of the best indie titles of 2020, Spiritfarer is one of the coziest and most heartfelt games out there. If you haven't played it yet, it's a definite must if you ask me, and now you can play it right on your phone �if you have Netflix, that is. That's right, Spiritfarer is the next banger of a game that has been added to the streaming company's games library, along with Oxenfree and Moonlighter, to name a few.

Spiritfarer has players take on the role of Stella, a young girl who is to become the new Spiritfarer, or a figure who helps the souls of those who have passed and escorts them safely to the afterlife. It sounds bleak, but i?t's actually one of the most whimsical, touching, and comforting takes on death I've seen. The gameplay includes cooking, gardening, gathering materials, upgrading your boat, and giving hugs to those who might need them.

//twitter.com/net?flixgeeked/status/1535317620710420480?lang=en

Like I said, it's one of the best simulators out there, and it's a smart move for Netflix to grab such a beloved game to help bring players to their platform. The company is going harder on its gaming venture than ever before, having recently announced that it has its own internal studios working to develop original IPs. Netflix also let us know about a new partner??ship with mobile games publisher Tilting Point, who has helped bring cooking game Spongebob: Get Cooking and an upcoming Narcos-themed game to the platform.

It's a hard push, and after the closure of Google's Stadia in the past few weeks, it'll be interesting to see how Netflix fares in an already hyper-competitive mar??ket. The difference could be made in their dedication to creating their own titles i??n addition to games we already know and love, after all.

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A purchase for the ultimate fan

It seems like there are more Collector's Editions than ever these days. Just in the past few months, I've covered the release of Disco Elysium and Spiritfarer's special editions alone, and there are tons and tons more that seem to be cropping up all the time. This was usually the kind of thing you'd we'd only see with AAA titles, but?? now our favorite indie games are getting special treatment too, and rightfully so.

If you're buying a physical copy of anything these days, you're usually going out of your way to do so because of how prevalent digital-only sales have become. It can already feel special to have that case sitting on your shelf, but for those diehard fans, the Collector's Edition is the way to go. The price can be a bit of a sticking point, however, because these packages can run ??hundreds of dollars, depending on the game.

Even if you're a bit skeptical, though, the studios usually always do a really good job of making sure you're getting a good bang for your buck. The contents of these super special (and expensive) releases usually come with a range of all kinds of goodies, from art books to statues to real-life replicas of in-game items. Some of the coolest items I've seen included are to-scale helmets from Doom Eternal or Fallout 4, a mini version of the house from Resident Evil VII, or the replica loot chest that came with the Collector's Edition of Borderlands 2.

Despite how cool some of the goodies are that come along in these editions, I think I'd only be willing to shell out the cash for the games that are most special to me. The only one available right now that's tempting me is indeed Disco Elysium, considering it's in my top t??hree favorite games of all time, ??but I'm still on the fence about whether I want to spend that money right now.

As we continue to lean into digital-only purchases, it seems that this rise in Collector's Editions is a way to get more players to buy physical copies �and spend more money in the process. I don't have a problem with this at all, especially since studios often make their special editions feel like love letters to fans. However, you also have to be wary of less-than-satisfactory bundles, like that of Fallout 76 or The Witcher 3, for example.

Thankfully disappointing Collector's Editions seem like less common occurrences, but aft??er being burned in the past, I'm definitely skeptical when I'm going to spend that much money. That is why reviews and unboxing videos exist after all, which?? I have to remind myself before I get consumed by the hype.

So now I arrive at the questions du jour: how much?? are you willing to dole out for a Collector's Edition? Do you have any, and if so, what was your criteria for the purchase? Did it have to do with the game/property itself, or what items were actually included in the edition?

_{[Image Credit: twistedsymphony]}

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Buckle in, folks

I don't know about you, but I'm a bit of an anxious flyer. There's something about being on a plane that makes it impossible for me to get comfortab??le. I think it might have to do with being in such close proximity to strangers, especially right now. That can make it a bit difficult to get through the five-hour flight I've had to take to get home?? the past few years since I moved to the West Coast. Thankfully, gaming has been the one thing that seems to help during my holiday travels.

Of all the things I've tried to bring onto a plane to keep me busy, games seem to be the only thing I can have with me that helps me relax a little. I think it's because games are such an active activity, I usually get so involved with wh??at I'm playing that I completely forget I'm on a plane at all.

So, in an attempt to help any other travelers who get a bit nervous during their journey, here's my guide to the types of games to play when you're traveling. Oh, and I travel with my Nintendo Switch, so you're going to need one ??of those if you want to follow along.

Simulators

Alright so you're gonna wanna go ahead and start with your favorite simulator game. I find these are great for the ride to the airport, waiting in line for TSA, waiting at the gate, and waiting for takeoff once you've boarded. They're obviously some of the most relaxing games you can play, which i?s going to help you deal with all the stress of getting through the airport. 

Animal Crossing is a great one as you can use this time to get all your da??ily chores done, but Stardew Valley is also a solid go-to for me ??here because it divides up time into nice, digestible ??chunks. You need to wait an hour? Nah, that's only four days in Stardew time. Plus, the slow-paced nature of this game means that you can easily look up from your console as needed without ri?sk of dying or loss of progress.

Other good simulator games to try are My Time at Portia, Story of Seasons: Pio??????????????????????????neers of Oliv??e Town, Spiritfarer, and Farming Simulator.

Turn-based

If you're someone who needs a little more action in your life, turn-based games are a great way to go. Like simulators, they're easy to have going when you're multitasking, because they kind of pause themselves every fe?w seconds while waiting for you to do your button input, whether it?'s making your turn or simply pressing A to progress the dialogue. These are great for any of the lead up to your trip, plus the first half of your flight when you're waiting to be interrupted by the drink cart. 

My favorite turn-based or other??wi??se visual-novel-esque games to travel with are Ace Attorney and Slay the Spire. Ace Attorney has the benefit of its episode structures, because ?I can make it through one during the five-hour flight it takes to get back to the East Coast. Slay the Spire is such a fun game and it's honestly slept on �it'??s a deck-builder roguelike that's perfect to play in short bursts.

Other great turn-based ??or visual-novel-style games to try are Pokemon (duh), Octopath Traveler, Fire Emblem, Paper Mario: The Origami King, and pretty much any of the famous JRPGs.

Immersive

Okay, this one will come in clutch for any of my other anxious flyers out there �download an open-world game you know you love. You're gonna start playing, and soon you're going to be so consumed with what you're doing that you totally forget ??about your holiday travels. Anything with real-time action will be your best friend, b??ecause it forces you to focus more on what you're doing.

My personal go-to is Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, because no matter where I jump into a save file, I can immediately have fun with it?. It's become something of a comfort game on planes for me, honestly. I've also considered trying out shooters that I know I ?enjoy like the BioShock series, because the storytelling and gameplay are so involved, ??I think it would have the same effect. More than genre, what's key here is to find a game that you feel sucked into.

Other immersive games to play whi?le traveling are Minecraft, The Wi??tcher 3, Monster Hunter, Assassin??'s Creed, and Xenoblade Chronicles.

Twitchy

If all else fails, that's alright, we just need to bring out the big guns. If I'm really having a hard time on the plane, I put on whatever game has the twitchiest controls I can find. I want fast-paced, real-time gameplay that requires dodging, strategy, timed jumps, and so on. These types of mechanics not only require all of my attention, but my active brainpower, so I really have no other choice t??han to focus on the game over my anx??iety.

The one catch with this one is that you usually need to bring a Switch Pro Controller along, ?set up the screen on the tray table, and play that way. It actually works pretty well, if you don't mind the extra bi?t of hassle. Hades is hands down my go-to for this, and has ?gotten me through those last few exhausting hours of the flight pretty nicely.

Other twitchy games to try are Hollow Knight, Celeste, Cuphead, Super Smash Bros., and really any?? othe?r fighting game that you might enjoy.

Man, typing this all out really makes me feel crazy, but this is really the process I go through playing games during my travels. If nothing else??, I hope that this could help someone else as they navigate one of the most stressful times of the year. And of course, feel free to give these a try if you're just at home needing an escape from your family this Christmas. I have a feeling I'm going to this year. Good luck out ?there, gamers.

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It's not a "goodbye," just "see you later"

Any video game that can be described as "cozy" is always a win for me, and nothing could be truer for Spiritfarer, the indie darling of a management sim and sandbox action game released by Thunder Lotus games last year. I got really sick last December, which is when I actually decided to pick it up and give it a try, and it was the ultimate comfort when I was feeling miserable. It sounds like Spiritfarer has been a great comfort to other players, too, because the game just surpassed a million units sold across all platforms. This news is exciting enough on its own, but it gets even better, because it coincides with the release of Spiritfarer: Farewell Edition. 

Along with the base game, this edition will also include the brand new Jackie and Daria Update, as well as the previously released DLC, which introduced characters Lily and Beverly. Physical editions will also be available for PlayStation 4 and the Nintendo Switch, and will include a 96-page digital art book, six collectible postcards and sticker stamp sets, and a digital copy of the game's soundtrack. A Collector's Edition is also coming, which will run you $199.99 and will include everything in the regular editions, as well as a fully functional Everlight Replica and a Constellation Lantern Display Box. The Collector's Edition is set to ship in early 2022, and both versions of the game are available to purchase or pre-order now on publisher iam8bit's website.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=mWcDpodmiKg

While we wish Spiritfarer could go on forever, Thunder Lotus has confirmed that the Farewell Edition marks t??he end of the release of any ne?w updates for the game.

"All good things must come to an end," said Nicolas Guérin, who served as the game's creative director. "And Spiritfarer has been especially good for Thunder Lotus! For our work to be welcomed into the lives of so many people is especially gratifying, particularly given how much heart we tried to invest in the game. It was a challenging project, but telling these stories truly helped us grow as developers. We’d like to offe?r our heartfelt thanks to all o??ur fans for their support and for helping us reach this special milestone!"

Spiritfarer is? truly a delight to play, and worth picking up this time around if you don't have it already. It's relaxing, poignant, and simply beautiful, which makes it a perfect game to cozy u??p with this holiday season.

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In light of these impactful updates, I'm kind of glad I haven't fully finished the main story yet

Spiritfarer is a game you can really sit with for a long time, an?d it's nice to know that it'll be even better than before when I go back to revisit its sad but ultimately ?uplifting afterlife. On December 13, developer Thunder Lotus is releasing the game's third free content update �a new island, a pair of new spirits, another event, and more ferry upgrades.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=aVbhDBYadPo

With this free update, players can sail to an ?island with a rundown hospital, at which point they'll meet the new spirits: Jackie, the caretaker, and Daria, th?e patient. Our ever-helpful protagonist Stella will pitch in to restore the hospital and ease Daria's anguish. And because this sim game is also a platformer, there will be a new platforming event, too.

Knowing how Spiritfarer handles big topics in nuanced and compassionate ways makes me think this will be another touching story, especially since it's try?ing to end on a high note.

"The team was unanimous in their desire to make the game’s final update something special, and I feel they’ve really pulled out all the stops here," according to creative director Nicolas Guérin. "The Jackie and Daria Update is a lovely curtain call for Spiritfarer as well as a great show of gratitude to the fans who’ve supported us since the day we announced the project. We hope they enjoy taking one final voyage with us!�/p>

This update follows the Lily and Beverly updates, both of which added quality-of-life improvements that help cut down on some of the repetition that can weigh on players over time. On my end, I still haven't gone back to finish the main story �although that's probably for the best at this point. With the l??ast update locked in, the time feels right.

I'm always interested to hear how well-supported indie games are doing commercially speaking, and in Spiritfarer's case, the game has cleared 500,000 sales across PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, and PC. It honestly deserves even more players. I get that it's not as outwardly universal or approachable as something like Stardew Valley, but once you dig in, it's one of those experiences you?? aren't going to forget. I'm sure it'll keep going.

As work on Spiritfarer fully winds down??, we'll have to see what Thunder Lotus does next.

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Lift some more spirits on your cruise of the afterlife

The indie seafaring adventure Spiritfarer is just over a year old now, but its still getting new? content. Today, Thunder Lotus added a new spirit pal Beverly to the game, as well as numerous quality-of-life updates to make life at sea a little easier.

Detailed in today's patch notes, the Beverly Update includes the tiny owl pal Beverly, located in Oxbury, as well as a full spirit questline for the bird. A few new living accoutrement are also getting added to the boat, including the Archive room for old documents and ??a radio in the Lounge, which will let you listen to the soundtrack.

Traveling has also been updated, with a "Safe Travel" option to skip events and a queue for destinations, which are big boons for late-game seafaring. There are some other nice points that smo?oth out some parts of the game, like a faster "going to sleep" sequence and a new Watering Upgrade.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=izkQNsycnRA

It's a lot of really nice updates, especially for a single-player (or same-screen co-op) narrative journey that's already a year old. Spiritfarer was a very pleasant surprise last year, with a lot of depth and heart hidden behind its resource management and cute art. The way that Thunder Lotus has been gradually updating the game over time, adding more spirits and more content to an already full game, just makes it all the more intriguing to re-download. I'm not sure if I'm ready for that heartache again, but maybe just a calm drift along the ocean and so?me fishing with my cat pal is in order.

The Beverly Update is live now on PC and rolling out to all platfor??ms throughout the day, including PS4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch.

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The Spiritfarer documentary is free on YouTube

Spiritfarer is a special game with a heart of gold. As the team at Thunder Lotus sums it up, it's "about dying, but not about killing" �a too-rare sight in this medium. In a new making-of documentary from The Escapist, the developers explore the original ideas behind Spiritfarer, their very personal inspirations, and how everything cam?e together to form a soothin?g management game where your main reward is a heartfelt narrative.

"Spiritfarer is mostly like an open-ended question," said art director Jo G??authier. "Wh??at if we didn't fear death as much?"

//youtu.be/qxx8sEGjntI

Members of the development team sat down to talk through stories about their "loved ones who touched them deeply," according to marketing director Rodrigue Duperron. "Eventually, as a team, those stories were sort of modified, but a lot of big pieces of p??eople's stories would be the main inspiration for some of these characters."

"All the names that appear in the credits are people who influenced us in a way. But not all of them are a spirit, and not all spirits are inspired by entirely true characters," said creative director Nicolas Guérin, whose grandmother helped inform Astrid, one of many characters that players help guide and sup??port in the lengthy afterlife adventure game.

Guérin also spoke about the management and farming aspects of Spiritfarer, and how the game isn't for everyone. "To a degree, there are some moments that many players can feel are a bit of a drag, a bit long, the loops take ??time to kick in," he said.

"In a way, the fact that the chores are kind of repetitive is the point. Some players are bored, and I get it. But if you take the time to accept this, then you go into a state that's much more in acceptance to the message.??" [...] "For me what's important in the game is to have a takeaway from it. You play the game and th?en something should resonate with you not just as a player, but as a human being."

The Spiritfarer documentary also shines a light on the game's war??m lo?ok and tone.

"Spiritfarer's style was kind of a huge journey for us because we had done Jotun and then Sundered??, but we were in a very dark place in terms of theme and mood," said Gaut?hier.

The art style took "a lot of iteration," going from "a comic book style-ish to something more gritty." But the team wanted to "make people feel comforted in talking about death because death is such a scary topic. That was when I remembered Hiroshi Yoshida, a woodblock painter. I remember all of his pieces bringing me serenity and it made me want to visit the place that he painted. The serenity of the landscape and a desire to explore was really something we wanted to communicate through Spiritfarer."

The art director brought up a point about the game's coziness that I innately felt while playing, but hadn't really dwelled on: the "texture of paper" in the art style, which draws from woodblock printing and watercolor to pull off a much-needed "homey" vibe. "It's about balancing the colors and? what people feel about those colors."

One other fun tidbit: Spirtfarer could've been set on a train, not a boat, but the latter gave the level desig??ns more flexibility (and it's more thematic).

I know plenty of you have connected with this game on a deep level since its 2020 release, and some of you are likely waiting until you're in the right minds??et to try it, which I fully understand. Just don't let it f?all off your "eventually" list and slip into obscurity.

_{[Destructoid and The Escapist are both a part of the Enthusiast Gaming network.]}

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More updates are planned for this year

Last year's Spiritfarer was a bit of a surprise. The co?zy management sim about a boat sailing spirits through the afterlife made for a pretty compelling journey, and there's more on the horizon.

Developer Thunder Lotus announced today that the Lily Update is live for free, to celebrate Spiritfarer clearing 500,000 copies sold. The update is currently available across all systems, including Xbox Game Pass where it's still part of the lineup at the moment?.

This update adds Lily the Butterfly Spirit, a new character that will apparently add some details about protagonist Stella's story. Without spoiling the general narrative of Spiritfarer, that's a pretty good reason for those who have already wrapped up their run of the game to come back. There are also some improv??ements to local co-op and other various bug fixes.

As previously announced, Lily is the first of three updates in store for Spiritfarer this year. It's pretty nice to see Thunder Lotus continue to roll out reasons to come back to Spiritfarer this year; it was a cozy refuge for me last year, and new story segments combined with some added gameplay and quests seems like a good enough excuse for more ho??urs spent on the river. Gotta catch all those fish, right?

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New spirits to befriend, extra story content, and more buildings

I'm genuinely shocked to hear that Spiritfarer ?is getti??ng three significant free content updates this year, but I'm all for it – the soothing afterlife simulation game really left a mark on its fans. It's a keeper.

Thunder Lotus put out a 2021 roadmap with an overview of what to expect:

As you can see, it's a mix of new story content, game improvements, and new crafting resources and boat buildings. If it were just the latter categories, it'd be cool enough, but the characters are the heart of this game. As for co-??op, there's going to be a better interface and opportunities to fish together.

About those four new spirits:

• "Lily is the only spi?rit that's active during the night?. Just as she had been a shining presence in her big sister's life, here she illuminates the night and lets you navigate your boat even when it's dark! Isn't that ??convenient!"
• "Whi??le visiting Oxbury, Stella is accosted by a stranger who turns out to be her old neighbor Beverly! She's? been feeling rather lonely on this island and couldn't be happier to have finally found someone to talk to about the past!"
• "Out of the blue, Stel??la receives coordinates for a new island?? that houses a run-down hospital. There, she'll meet two spirits: Jackie, the caretaker, and Daria, his main patient. Seeing that Jackie is overworked, Stella decides to lend him a hand."

The spring, summer, and fall updates will be ?released on PC, PS4, Switch, Xbox On??e, and Stadia.

According to Spiritfarer creative director Nicolas Guérin, feedback and ??suggestions from fans "definitely helped us zero in on the best path forward for the project."

I'm gonna have to get back to my half-finished save file one of these days when I can concentrate on where I should be sailing and what resources I should be prioritizing next. This is a fairly long game and, charming as it is, I lost steam. These 2021 updates should be a nice kick in the pa?nts to see it thro?ugh.

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