Arietta of Spirits

Ultimately, this compact, contained adventure does its job. In the end, the right, satisfying, speculative questions come to mind, not from plot holes, but by leaving players wanting to see more of this world so like our own, yet different. While it feels like Third Spirit Games may have played it a little safe with their first foray into the industry, Arietta of Spirits has put the developer on solid ground. We can only hope that there are more untold tales to share of the Bound, their Spirit Guides, and of the souls they save along the way.

Arietta of Spirits just isn’t enough game. I’d say it’d be perfect for very young adventure game enthusiasts, lacking any cryptic puzzle-solving, or difficult combat, but the hitboxes are just too unfair. Fans of old-school 2D adventure games might find some enjoyment here, but only a few hours’ worth. Just expect something a little less Link To The Past, and a little more Twisted Tales of Spike McFang, and players should be fine. If you are looking for an excellent 2D top-down adventure game, and all you’ve played all the Legend of Zelda titles, check out the modern classics Blossom Tales or CrossCode, or the PS1 gem Alundra.

Arietta of Spirits is one seriously charming journey. It exudes the kind of warmth and casual sense of adventure that you can only seem to find in these indie gems. From its stellar spritework to the way the music and ambient sounds wind their way gently through the deep forests, everything comes together to deliver a game that’s easy on the eyes and memorable.

Arietta of Spirits is a safe but enjoyable top-down action adventure game. It has fun if simplistic gameplay and a solid story that provides a strong emotional core to keep the player involved. It's not a must-play, but certainly ticks all the right boxes for those hunting for a nostalgia fix that even the top franchises of the genre have abandoned.

It has a protagonist who is easy to root for and the framework for development into a larger scope story, broader cast of characters, and a larger variety of combat tools that this game currently lacks. Arietta of Spirits keeps those issues from becoming more glaring thanks to a brisk game length, but I hope her next adventure is a tad more, well, adventurous.

The story is filled with emotional and meaningful moments, even if they interrupt the pace a fair bit. While the combat and world design can get repetitive, there are plenty of cool moments in terms of boss encounters and learning new abilities.