Spiritfarer is a beautiful game about moving on Eurogamer.net If you click on a link and make a purchase we may receive a small commission. Read our editorial policy. Spiritfarer is a beautiful game about moving on Ebb and flow. Feature by Christian Donlan Features Editor Updated on 13 Dec 2019 7 comments In fantasy terms, Spiritfarer has focused on the equivalent of the Grey Havens, the place in The Lord of the Rings where you go and never return. This is a "cozy management game about dying", which is a very appealing pitch. There's a short demo on Steam that you can play right now. Do play it. Spiritfarer is already wonderful. You play a ferryperson for the deceased. You have a beautiful boat that appears to have all sorts of dwellings built on it. It reminds me a little of the old London Bridge that was teetering with overhanging buildings like Nonesuch House and whatnot. You take people aboard when they are almost ready to move on. You build them rooms to stay in and you do things for them - in the demo you are tasked with going to retrieve a beloved necklace for someone. There is a lot of gadding back and forth across the sea managing things. Plant crops in a little garden. Catch fish and cook for people. Attend to people's moods. Spiritfarer is trying to do something very difficult, I think. From the demo you spend a lot of time nudging people's moods to where you want them to be. I worried at first that it was a little transactional. But then I started to wonder if, over the full length of the game, the individual bumps and nudges will smooth out. I suspect the people you're ferrying are not the true passengers, in other words. I suspect that Spiritfarer is trying to make something happen on your side of the screen, as you witness these people moving on and engage with what you are a part of. Spiritfarer, then, may be a beautiful game about something we don't like to think about very often: the idea that death is a part of life. I can't wait to play more. Become a Eurogamer subscriber and get your first month for £1 Get your first month for £1 (normally £3.99) when you buy a Standard Eurogamer subscription. Enjoy ad-free browsing, merch discounts, our monthly letter from the editor, and show your support with a supporter-exclusive comment flair! Support us View supporter archive More Features Digital Foundry Nvidia GeForce RTX 4090: a new level in graphics performance The Digital Foundry video review - and how the new GPU champion delivers for 4K 120fps gaming. 14 Feature Evercore Heroes wants to wind people up the right way "There's less rage at them, because they didn't end your fun." Feature What games get wrong about horses And what they could do about it. 34 Feature Shout out to all the Overwatch supports - where would we be without you? Merci. 55 Latest Articles Digital Foundry Sennheiser's legendary HD 599 open-back headphones are just £70 at Amazon in the Prime Early Access Sale Comfortable with neutral sound and a wide sound stage. Preview Football Manager's new Console edition is the best you'll get without a PC Getting Touch-right. 1 Splatoon 3 Amiibos will be out next month Ink-coming! 3 Fans think Phil Spencer's shelf is teasing the Xbox Game Pass streaming box UPDATE: Xbox confirms old Keystone prototype. 61 Supporters Only Premium only Off Topic: Take a minute to appreciate Cookin' with Coolio's incredible scallops recipe. What a great book. Premium only Off Topic: Reading City of Glass in comic form "Where exactly am I going?" Premium only Off Topic: Il Buco is a transporting film about a really big hole Underlands. Off-Topic Netflix handled Sandman brilliantly It was Dreamy. 9 Buy things with globes on them And other lovely Eurogamer merch in our official store! Explore our store