Arietta of Spirits opens with Arietta and her parents visiting the island where her grandmother once lived before her recent passing.  It’s not long before she discovers that she can speak to spirits, including her Spirit Guide Arco and her grandmother’s ghost.  During her subsequent quest to defeat the Roamers who have overrun the island, she also discovers the secrets behind the island’s abandoned silver mine along the way.

Arietta of Spirits is a pretty basic, streamlined adventure.  That’s not necessarily a bad thing, but I do wish it was a bit longer and a bit more varied.  For example, you only really help the ghosts of two people, and the main locations are just forests and caves.  You also only have two moves, a sword and an ability that temporarily shields you from enemy attacks.  Fortunately, gameplay is made just a tad more interesting with two side quests, though both basically involve seeking out certain objects, whether it be four items or 20 Spirit Cubs, none of which are hard to find.

With that said, the game’s not bad, and someone low on free time might appreciate the “no-filler” gameplay that’s advertised.  And considering the fact that I wish the game was longer, then that certainly implies that I had a good time with it.  And I did.  It’s fun for what it is, gets to the point, and has a sufficiently interesting story and simple, but fun, gameplay that kept me wanting to play more during my 4-5 hour playtime.  The game is fairly easy, but offers a decent challenge with some of the later bosses.  It also features some rather pretty pixel art, pleasant (if forgettable) music, and decent characters.  Though, again, the short length means they didn’t have time to explore these characters, including Arietta’s relationship with her parents and grandmother, as much as they could have.

To summarize, Arietta of Spirits is a pretty fun game, if a bit barebones.  It almost feels like a lengthy demo that I would have liked to see expanded upon.  Again, if you’re looking for a short, open-world game that gets to the point and doesn’t waste your time, Arietta of Spirits might be a good option for you.  And it’s easy to get your hands on, as it’s available on all major consoles and PC, though I would wait for it to go on sale before spending $14.99-19.99 on such a short game.  I got it on sale for $4.99, but I’ve also seen it sell for $3.74.