Spirittea feels as if Stardew Valley crossed with a Studio Ghibli film, and that sounds absolutely wonderful. You’re a writer in the countryside, hoping the environment helps you finish your book. But you soon find yourself keeping up the bathhouse, befriending locals, oh, and helping the spirits who are all over. You’ll have to find these spirits, puzzle out a way to calm them, and then invite them to the bathhouse.
You can also fish and catch bugs, dig for treasure, collect figurines, gather tea leaves, and play around with the arcade cabinet. I’m not sure where that leaves time for your character to finish their book, but I’m not mad about it. Spirittea also features day and night and seasonal cycles, complete with events and festivals.
Oh, and if you thought that Stardew Valley and Studio Ghibli cross was a reach, among its inspirations the game’s Kickstarter page lists Stardew Valley, Harvest Moon, Animal Crossing Spirited Away My Neighbor Totoro and the anime Natsume’s Book of Friends and Barakamon.
Release Date: 2023
Platforms: PC, Switch, Game Pass