timestamps: 1:03 - gamer group cancellation; 7:00 - little mermaid review; 18:15 - cobblestoning your healing path; 23:07 - my sims 4 story; 33:40 - short kink talk
TW/disclaimers: potential little mermaid spoilers: SKIP 7:00 - 16:45
notes: the “static” in the beginning is the fan from my laptop 😆 it goes away after the first minute.
I had the pleasure of interviewing a fellow Spiritfarer lover, Mads (she/they), who is taking on the task of making all 105 dishes in the heartwarming cozy game. On their Instagram profile, @spiritfarerfood, Mads is archiving their journey as they go, so far creating wonton soup, laksa, crab cakes, pear tartlet, focaccia bread, and many more mouthwatering dishes. Check out our interview below and follow Mads on their foodie adventures on Instagram.
When did you start playing Spiritfarer and how did you feel when you finished?
I started playing Spiritfarer in summer 2021 and I finished it that same summer. I logged back on in January 2022 to play with the update. I’m also currently replaying the game. I knew I’d revisit the game when someone close to me passed away, and that’s what happened to me recently. I don’t know if I’ve ever cried as much for a game as when I finished Spiritfarer. I don’t want to spoil anything, but the ending just came together so beautifully. I didn't want the game to end, but I knew it had to. The big thing I felt at the end of the game was a comforting way to experience grief — a safe way. I’m not sure if I had ever experienced something like that before. It was magic. I knew this game would be there for me when I would need it again.
Which of the game’s themes do you feel most connected to?
In 2017, I had just finished my Master’s degree, where I had some of the worst anxiety and depression I had ever experienced. I had decided to take the next semester off to think about continuing my PhD. During that period of rest, someone incredibly important to me was diagnosed with cancer, and died the following month. She handled her situation with so much grace. I hadn’t ever been so close to death, not really. That was my first strong experience with grief.
After she died, I was incredibly heart broken, but her determined attitude stuck with me. It pushed me to continue in my PhD and to take more time to be grateful for what I have. Her attitude and impact reminded me so much of Summer from the game. The moment where you meditate with Summer on the mountain — I need these reminders in my life.
After that experience, I thought of death a lot, but I think in a healthy and grounding way. It reminded me to enjoy the simple pleasures of life, and the big ones too. Something Gwen says when you bring her to the Everdoor: “...In the good times, in the bad times, they exist together, intertwined.” I’m about to finish my PhD, so the good and the bad are intertwined like a big ball of string that exists curled up in my chest, but the healthy relationship with death was something I think I really connected to in the game. Approaching death as a thing that is a part of life, even a beautiful one, is incredibly important to me. The fact that it is shown in the game in so many different ways, too — there's silly moments, painful moments, quiet moments, and everything in between.
Stella being such a caretaker too — this is something I relate to a lot. I love taking care of my loved ones. It's a role I fall into naturally. The fact that I can do it in a game to relax? It makes me feel good.
What made you begin the cooking journey?
I’ve been cooking as long as I've been gaming. So whenever your passions or interests intersect, it's exciting. Spiritfarer had some of the more interesting foods I’d seen in a game too; it wasn't all cake and pizza. They had fish curry, bouillabaisse, lobster rolls, laksa, aloo gobi, and surströmming. They included foods and dishes from other cultures other than what was simply popular in the Western world. It felt like the people who made the recipes also cared about food more than some other developers I’d seen.
I actually started with a Stardew Valley food account, but quickly felt more drawn into the Spiritfarer food. I’ll finish both one day, but the Spiritfarer foods are a little more tangible and I love the little community we’ve made on the page. Everyone I talk to and connect with on there is absolutely lovely.
I also want to give a little shout out to Tunder Lotus. I contacted with them on Twitter about the font they use for the game (so I could make a recipe book with the same fonts) and they told me right away and gave my project their blessing.
What’s been your favorite dish to create so far?
Laksa. This is a dish that reminds me of someone very important to me, who set me on a path of a bunch of new and exciting food adventures and taught me a lot about the intertwined nature of food and culture. It's my favorite cuisine, and Malay culture is pretty underrepresented in the Western world. It’s really important to learn where the food you eat comes from — from the ingredients to the culture that cooks and eats it. When you’re looking for recipes to make something new, always find recipes created by people who belong to that culture.
What are you most looking forward to making?
Dakgangjeong is the one I’m the most intimidated by because I’ve never cooked it before. There’s also a restaurant close to my place that makes it and it’s my favorite, so how will I live up to that? But, I’m excited for the challenge. I also have been craving lobster rolls like crazy, so that’s going to be fun.
How has gaming, specifically cozy gaming, improved your mental health?
There’s something so special about it. I loved video games, even if they were traditionally for “boys,” but with the expansion of video games now to cover more demographics and give more groups visibility, it’s changed a lot for the better. I think cozy gaming is a big part of that shift. Diversity inspires creativity, which moves things forward. A lot of the more traditional games I played were fast paced and action packed (which I still adore), but I didn’t always have energy for them. Cozy gaming has made it so much easier to unwind from my anxieties and racing thoughts.
I have a rather recent memory about Spiritfarer. I’d had a really awful day, and my incredible graduate school supervisor who’d been living with ALS for the past five years had just passed away. I had also just come back from an amazing conference, and a road trip across the US with a close friend of mine (“...In the good times, in the bad times, they exist together, intertwined”). I was so exhausted, worn out, upset. Panic attacks all day. I decided to start replaying Spiritfarer bundled up on my couch. I took deep breaths again. I actually felt a tingling sensation in my entire body the entire time I played that night. It was incredible. Who knew a game could have such an impact? But here we are. Games are art.
Who’s your favorite character in Spiritfarer?
Summer. She’s queer! And, because of who she reminds me of, I just got a tattoo of her two days ago. (Tattoo designer: @taylorrainbrodbeck)
Positive words you think everyone deserves to hear:
🤍 You’re always exactly where you need to be.
🤍 Find the time to sit with yourself and fall in love with yourself.
🤍 Remember the times when you wished for what you currently have.
🤍 There is always someone else out there, in the universe, who is going through something like you are, and they’re rooting for you, even when you think you’re alone.
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Follow Mads on Instagram @spiritfarerfood
this interview has been edited for length and readability.
writing prompt: what are the cobblestones you’re laying down on your path of healing and growth?
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