Anyone who knows us here at Professional Moron (in real life) can confirm we drink vast amounts of tea. That isn’t some mission to prove our British patriotism, as our interest comes from Japanese Teaism philosophy.

Naturally, we surged towards this game with wild abandon. Yes! Spirittea offers tea! Tea and video games in this Stardew Valley (2016) type Studio Ghibli homage.

Except this rural-life RPG from Cheesemaster Games of Edmonton, Canada is heavily steeped in the ways of Nippon. As a life sim we liked its breezy nature and we’re here to celebrate its chillaxed time of it.

Have a Spot of Tea in Spirittea

After the massive success of Stardew Valley (one of the biggest indie game hits of all time), it’s fair to say the life sim genre has become overcrowded.

Even Stardew’s mix of far life simulation was nothing new. It was inspired by Japanese developer Amccus’ Harvest Moon series on the SNES in 1996. And that was an idea adapted from Maxis’ SimCity (1989).

Spirittea enters the fray with a new take on the genre. Tea. 🍵

More specifically, it’s Teaism meets Studio Ghibli’s Spirited Away (2001). Where you take control of a fantasy writer who’s moved to the countryside to create.

You move to a village (which we called Moo), name your character (we’re called Carrots), and settle into a sleep rural life.

However, things take a trip for the supernatural after a sip from a mystical teapot that throws reality out of order. Rather! Here’s an intro to how it all works.

We don’t think Spirittea does anything different for the genre. Some reviewers we’ve seen even struggle with it as a boring slog—Destructoid gave it 4/10.

Certainly you need patience with this one. It as a requirement to bask in the joys of nothingness as you trek from one side of the map to the other.

The first mission is to introduce yourself to all 27 characters on the map. Off you trudge to find them all… that one did drag a bit.

However, once you’ve got the basics of the game down you settle into village life then that’s when the pace picks up a little. But it is a methodical slow burner of a game.

You play from one day to the next and, over time, minor events occur and you bask in the spirit-based nature of the community. These titles are essentially about a gaming loop, completing days and waiting for in-game developments to occur.

Here’s a closer look at the first hour of it all (if you so wish to view it).

It’s relaxing. That’s why this genre is so popular, it takes you away from the pressures of modern life.

But there’s a fine line between relaxation and boredom, one that Spirittea wavers between with wild abandon. That first task of finding everyone in town isn’t well judged at all and turns into a tedious slog.

Yet the game kicks in fully after that and it turns into a chance to mingle with those characters, discover spirts, and drink tea (you can also pet the in-game cats and dogs).

You’ll find mini-games, too, and various tasks that are there to get you to see the entire map of Moo.

Spirittea is a solid effort and one we enjoyed.

Yet its drifting into so cosy it’s boring is a bit too on the regular side of things. Cheesemaster Games can continue to shake that up with patches and new content, but as it steeps right now it’s kind of a 7/10 at its peak sort of experience.

One for if you really, really are desperate to numb your brain to whatever is going on in your life.