Recent reviews by thedragonfeline

Simple, enjoyable, but short... Note, though, that in many Humongous games, the routes through the game change each play, so its worth a replay for the sheer fun of it. I used to do it all the time as a kid! This is definitely improving on Dry Cereal, and honestly? It's nice to take a break from being a serious adult tm and enjoy the unhingedness of it all.

This game is a blast. I played as a kid, and it's nice to go back and enjoy the ridiculousness and simplicity as an adult. Honestly, Spy Fox > James Bond.

I can see what the creators were trying to do with this game. They are going for a Spirited Away + Stardew feel. The bathouse mechanics are good overall, and it's pleasant when you figure it out, but many other mechanics are clunky.

My chief complaints:
Socialization with the other people is mainly to convince them to slave away in the bathouse for you. They aren't particularly interesting and the socializing minigames are not very good.
The rate of customers is slow. Once you get all of the baths, the strategic challenge of placing the spirits, which adds a bit of spice to the cozy mechanics, is not really there anymore. Maybe they get faster later on, but I didn't feel motivated enough to do that.
The bathouse is the only way to earn money. This is a matter of personal taste, but the cozy games that hyper-emphasize making money (Little-known Galaxy comes to mind) feel off somehow. The cat spirit can be greedy and money loving, that's his character and I love him for it, but the game really straps you for cash, and everything has to be bought. The time stamina mechanic makes the bathhouse awkward, too.
Finally, one of the key ways that farming and life sims (like Animal Crossing) give you a sense of everyday life is by tying you to the seasons. Certain crops grow, certain bugs show up, and you are very aware of what you need to be doing. That isn't entirely there in Spiritea - there are season-tied mechanics, but - and this is key - no garden space. You can't grow a little garden to support and improve your bathhouse experience, and it's very easy to lose track of time... and not in a good way. If I lose track of time in a game like this, I want it to be "Oh, I spent hours playing this... ah, just one more day," and not "Oh. Spring passed in game without me noticing it because I was dedicated to that spirit bathhouse grind." It's very capitalist rat-race and it doesn't feel like it goes with the theme.

Anyway, some of these might get patched, but that's my experience.

This is an amazing game, a masterwork of art and game design, absolutely unforgettable. I'd say the only flaw - and it's a big one - is the ARG elements, but go ahead and ignore those and play this game anyway. It is near perfection for its particular niche, and it will take you for a ride you will not forget.

Also, graphics wise, it really goes to show that super-detailed high-poly graphics are not necessary for a good experience. It is gorgeous.

Stardew Valley is a great genre-defining classic indie farming sim, well worth the hype. There are many great mods, too - the Yandere Elliot mod is especially deep.