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I was into Spirittea the minute it was pitched as "Stardew Valley crossed with Spirited Away". In reality, this is as close as we're probably going to get to a Spirited Away game. Remember that moment in Spirited Away when Sen discovers - with a little help from No-Face - that the Stink Spirit that comes to the baths is actually a powerful energy? Well, that sort of mystical detective work and mystery is exactly what's at the heart of Spirittea, as is the bathhouse itself.
Thankfully, Spirittea doesn't dabble in the smelly, messy kind that Sen has to contend with. But it turns out there are plenty of disguised spirits lurking in the small town you've just moved into. You think you're escaping city life for a bit of peace, a moment to find space to write a book, but after an all-enlightening cup of tea (we all know that feeling), you can suddenly see and communicate with spirits. It starts with a bossy and often slightly mean cat spirit who will act as your guide, but from there you'll be following the clues to discover why spirits have been tormenting the poor townsfolk.
Whether it's discovering who's been rifling through the carrot patch in the depths of night, figuring out how a soup recipe will hinder a restaurant thief, or stopping someone continually vandalizing a young man's shrine to his late father, there's a lot of detective work to be done in Spirittea. It's not afraid to force you to figure things out for yourself. There's very little handholding here, it's more about speaking to people, checking the complaints board for any weird goings-on and then heading to locations around town at specific times to see what you can find. The spirit discovery system is really creative, and there's so much to do that you'll be praying for more time in every in-game day.
Spooks and soots
A lot of that comes from how satisfying it is to run the bathhouse and it's here that the Stardew Valley comparisons come into play. It offers that 'just one more day' gameplay loop that really complements the spirit detecting, always keeping things fresh so you don't feel frustrated by either element.
The bathhouse itself is a cold dusty place when you first get there, with spiders and cobwebs being the only visitors in quite some time. You'll have to start up the fire and keep it roaring by chopping logs out of a magically regrowing tree root. This warms the baths but also allows you to dry off the towels you've washed so that they're ready for guests. Even keeping on top of the washing and the heating is a constant process, but then the spirits start flooding in. Seating them in the baths is a puzzle too, with spirits each having certain requirements about who they'd prefer to sit next to. Get it wrong and you've got some angry spirits and significantly less income. It's just a case of trial and error until you figure things out.
The more you make the spirits happy and well-rested, the better you'll be at seeing spirits out in the town, which opens up even more detective work away from the towels and the cobwebs. Plus, you'll get more money , which opens up upgrades like more baths or a kitchen for offering snacks and hot meals, and even the option to give massages to perk up those dissatisfied by their placement.
You can grab a broom and a duster to clear the floors of dirt and sweep away those pesky cobwebs, but eventually, you're going to need some help. Befriending spirits not only varies up your clientele but some will also offer to help in the bathhouse. Make pals with the villagers by going to the karaoke bar, catching bugs, grabbing something to eat, or doing other activities. This will also eventually allow you to hire them to work for you - just to ease some of that load.
I just can't get enough of Spirittea. It manages to take so many elements and package them up to offer up its own spin, all the while celebrating Japanese and East Asian culture. It's a compelling little world and the writing is witty, clever, and fun too. There's a lot to love about Spirittea, especially if you do love Spirited Away and games like Stardew Valley.
Spirittea is out now on PC, Xbox Series X, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch, plus it's also on Xbox Game Pass.
