Screenshots & trailers
How this score was computed
The VGC Score is a weighted blend on a press-comparable 0-100 quality scale. Steam approval rates are first calibrated (95% positive on Steam ≈ 89.5 quality, since Steam approval skews high). Press and tracked creator reviews each count ~2x a player review and share one cap against player evidence (creator buy/skip calls pool into an approval rate, calibrated like Steam approval); all-time sentiment is capped and halved (it's context, not verdict); reviews of the current build carry the most weight when a fresh patch anchors the window; and a 'typical game' prior keeps small samples from pegging the scale. Because press reviews and Metacritic user aggregates describe the launch build, their weight decays as the game ages (3-year half-life after a 1-year grace). That's how a game that launched rough can outgrow its old reception once updates win players over. Reviews under 2h playtime (the refund window), non-Steam activations, and free copies are downweighted.
| Component | Positive | Quality (0-100) | Weight (pseudo-reviews) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Press reviews (Metacritic) | – | 84 | 20 |
| Creator reviews (2 tracked) | – | 85 | 2 |
| All-time Steam reviews | – | – | 0 |
| Metacritic user ratings | – | 86 | 194 |
| Backloggd ratings | – | 86 | 750 |
| PlayStation store ratings | – | 84 | 750 |
| Xbox store ratings | – | 74 | 750 |
| Post-patch Steam reviews (trust-weighted) | – | – | 0 |
| Calibration prior (typical game) | – | 72 | 50 |
Scoring window: last 30 days (no significant patch detected) · 0 reviews sampled · 0 total reviews in window · weighted 0 up / 0 down · computed 3h ago · full methodology →
Press & Creators reviews (34)
Individual verdicts from outlets we track: scored reviews first, most trusted outlets first among them. The small badge is each outlet's trust score: how well its scoring history aligns with players.
- 80
“Spiritfarer is a good management game, simple in its playful structure, yet discreetly varied and visually inspired. The characters that we’ll have to accompany in the afterlife are nice, and the writing is accurate and stylistically heterogeneous. Too bad for a rhythm not always effective during the long adventure.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“Spiritfarer is somehow a game with no risk but all reward. There's no death, no pain, no rush on any task, and yet I don't think I've ever felt this complete. You're allowed to totally take your time, play on your own terms, and even though your tasks are easy, they are incredibly fulfilling. If the game had kept giving me quests, I feel as if I would have kept doing them for eternity, just because I wanted to. All of Spiritfarer's novel mechanical variations kept potentially repetitive actions from ever growing old. Its gleeful little islands got more exciting to explore as new platforming abilities were unlocked. The characters, even small ones with funny little quips of dialogue that you encounter, were friends that I cherished. I absolutely adored existing in Spiritfarer's beautifully animated, compassionate world so much that it genuinely came to feel like home.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“Spiritfarer has a soft, caring, bittersweet tone that I've rarely encountered in video games. For a game all about death and dying, I only ever felt calm and relaxed when playing it. The management gameplay is varied and engaging, and even though the scope if it leads to the game getting a bit too long in the tooth, it helps connect the incredibly emotional story beats together so well. Mix that up with its beautiful art style and enchanting music, and you've got one of the most emotional management games I've ever played. ”
read full review ↗ - 85
“A thought-provoking and bittersweet adventure that understands that death is part of living.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“Spiritfarer is a gorgeous mix of an action-platformer and an Animal Crossing-style town manager that stands out as one of the most unique and enjoyable games I’ve played all year. Its lengthy campaign is full of charming characters with somber, touching stories, even when the tasks between them can occasionally lose their shine. But with little pressure to grind or hurry like so many other resource collecting games, the journey to Spiritfarer’s Everdoor is definitely one worth savoring.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“Spiritfarer is a wonderful take on the management sim. It creates a profoundly fulfilling loop by rewarding character interaction far more than micromanagement. The stellar production values and writing balance the game's realistic, death-positive message with abundant empathy. Thunder Lotus has really hit the nail on the head with Spiritfarer, achieving its artistic goal with simplicity, style and remarkably few flaws.”
read full review ↗ - 76
“Even though it touches upon the themes of death and saying goodbye to your loved ones, Spiritfarer feels warm and upbeat. It also doesn’t feel like work, which is a rare thing for management games. [Issue#248, p.43] ”
- 73
“Spiritfarer is a perfect example of a game where one has to keep their expectations in check. I honestly feel the trailers have misrepresented what the majority of the game is, and I wish the developers had actually cut the content in half or found a way to speed up the entire process. What’s here hints at the depth of quality that could have been, but the designers seemed more concerned with giving their audience their money’s worth rather than packing ten hours with high-quality content. Or maybe I should have engaged in more meditation over the 25-hour experience. Regardless, Spiritfarer has moments of beauty that will resonate with many players, while others, like myself, will be left wondering what could have been.”
read full review ↗ - 86
“A clever mix between management, strategy, action and exploration. It’s not only very relaxing, but also has some heartwarming moments.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“An incredible game by Thunder Lotus Games who managed to tackle one of life's greatest tragedies with amazing grace. The beautiful storytelling, combined with the slow paced gameplay simply benefit every part of this wonderful journey.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“Spiritfarer is a poignant bridge between Animal Crossing, Stardew Valley and a ferryman of the dead simulator. It’s lovely, sad, full of emotions, death and management.”
read full review ↗ - 80
Eurogamer
GameSpot
TheSixthAxis
PC Gamer
IGN
Screen Rant
RPG Fan
GameXplain…and 22 more tracked reviews.