Stardew Valley fans looking for another holdover until Haunted Chocolatier can check out Spirittea, a spirit management sim with an authentic Japanese backdrop, announced for November 13th.
With a blend of Stardew Valley and Studio Ghibli’s Spirited Away, Game Developer details that Spirittea tasks us as an estranged writer who escapes to a decrepit bathhouse and begins seeing and caretaking for spirits after drinking from a magic teapot.
Further Reading: Our Interview With Spirittea Creator Dan Beckerton
While it boasts much of the same Stardew elements in settling into a new community, befriending the locals, and digging into a host of quirky minigames, Spirittea shines with its vast introduction of spirits and a thematic Japanese setting.
Instead of farming, Eurogamer details that Spirittea challenges us to get to know the cast of bizarre spirits, learn their favorite activities and foods, and build a wacky bathhouse to please these strange visitors and wandering poltergeists.
Between caring for visiting cat and chicken spirits to inviting lord tiger spirits with more egregious demands, Spirittea’s tasks focus on food preparation, bathhouse management, and quirky chores like bug catching and karaoke.
While I doubt we’ll turn into a gross, greedy old lady with magic powers running the bathhouse like in Spirited Away, fans of the animation are sure to delight in Spirited Away roleplaying as their bathhouse grows (and maybe turning some poor girl’s parents into pigs, we’ll see).
Besides spirits, Kotaku details that the game’s unique art style offers a more subdued approach to Stardew’s vibrant colors with a very Earthbound-esk art style to accompany the more natural colors and moody backdrop.
Overall, Spirittea’s visuals paint the image of a more authentic approach to the setting, with stylishly detailed Japanese furniture, more subtle character portraits, and some wilder elements like playing karaoke to the rhythm of Spirit QTEs.
Whether they’re looking for a new approach to Stardew or want to live one of their favorite animated movies growing up, players can check out Spirittea this November 13th and see if it is indeed their cup of tea.
Is Spirittea Coming to Every Console
Yes, Spirittea is coming to Steam, Xbox, PS5, and the Nintendo Switch on November 13th. Furthermore, Spirittea is also coming to Xbox Game Pass if you want to save yourself some money or check out this title and plenty more of the fantastic indies on the vast catalog.
Further reading
Looking for more updates on Spirittea’s release or other Stardew Valley-esk sims. Check out the articles below for more indie news and updates!
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