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 it’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.
Spiritfarer: It's a cozy management game about dying, and it's coming to mobile for the first time on Netflix this year. #GeekedWeek pic.twitter.com/bUCdYMTQAw
— Netflix Geeked (@NetflixGeeked) June 10, 2022
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 partnership 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 market. The difference could be made in their dedication to creating their own titles in addition to games we already know and love, after all.
