If you’re someone who’s had to deal with depression at any point in your life (and if you’re not, hello, freak) then here’s a piece of advice that’s stood me in good stead: keep a list of the media that makes you happy.

I have a collection of movies (Emperor’s New Groove, Big Lebowski), TV Shows (Frasier, Simpsons) and books (literally anything by PG Wodehouse) that have served me well when the black dog is scratching at the door and whining to be let out so that it can shit on the lawn of my mental health. To these I add Spiritfarer, a cosy management sim by Canadian indie developer Thunder Lotus Games released in 2020 for Windows, Mac, Linux, PS4, XBox One, Switch, Android and Stadia.

It’s a lovely, sweet, relaxing game about DEATH.

The game begins with your character, Stella, waking up on a boat being rowed over blood-red waters by a giant skeletal figure in a black hood. This figure, Charon, tells you that he’s retiring and you are going to take over from him, ferrying souls to the afterlife.

You’re given a run-down barge that you have to renovate and you sail across a beautiful archipelago of spirit-haunted island, picking up passengers and collecting the resources you need to make the boat comfortable for them.

Along the way you learn more about Stella’s past and her connection to all of these souls as you help them resolve their outstanding business so that they can cross over to the other side.

The first thing that has to be said about this game is how beautiful it is.

It has this gorgeous hand-drawn style, accompanied by an ethereal score that creates a wonderful, relaxing ambience.

But it’s not just a mood piece. The gameplay is also extremely satisfying, appealing to the problem-solving part of the brain. You’ll find yourself making to-do lists in your head as you work to satisfy your passengers; okay, the mouthy frog wants fried chicken which means getting oil which means getting olives which means buying olive seeds which means unlocking that part of the map where the racoon who sells seeds has set up shop which means upgrading the ship which requires silver ingots which requires a smelter which requires the frog to build me a smelter which requires fried chicken…

But there’s always a solution. There’s always a way forward. And that’s one of the reasons I find the game so calming. Every problem just requires a little bit of thought and a little bit of time, and you’ll get it. You’ve got ths.

Which is not to say the game won’t test you.

As your voyage continues, your ship becomes a veritable floating village, laden down with farms and houses and your passengers bustling to and fro in your little ocean going community. But everyone’s journey will come to an end, sooner or later. Eventually, they will come to you and murmur “I think it’s time for me to go”.

You take them to the spirit door while they reflect on the life they led.

Sometimes they’re happy and at peace.

Sometimes they are laden down with regret.

You stay with them, regardless, until the end.

And you cry like a hungry baby.

But, you go back to your ship. Because you have other people relying on you, who need you. And there are more islands to explore and more people to help and more things to build.

And it’s all so, so beautiful.

And even if it makes you feel sad, sometimes?

It’s okay.

You got this.