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Spirits of Xanadu
Gosh there are too many “explore an abandoned space station” games, but I keep finding myself drawn to them, and it’s for exactly the reason that I hope they’ll offer what Spirits Of Xanadu includes. I mean, it’s not amazing, and I’ve still yet to find the Solaris of videogames that I’m desperately hoping for, but it’s nice to have something that delivers it all in a satisfying way.
Spirits of Xanadu promises lots of cool things, but never delivers. The concept is original, and the hallucinations are quite frightening, but in the end, it’s just an unfinished game with shoddy combat mechanics and a weak narrative.
4
Babutto
Don't know why I bought it. Laggy, stuttering, bland, boring. It tries to vibe on System Shock 2 (even F.E.A.R. sounds effects are used when the image flashed) but ultimately fails. Don't waste your time.
9
nanotheron
the creators of this game put a lot of heart and soul into one little spaceship. making it feel alive and atmospheric even without textures, the writing is excellent as well. this game captures exactly what it sets out to be. fun puzzles, exploration, stealth, light combat, and spookiness.
8
fartheststar
There's been a problem on a space ship far away. It was on an important mission, but communications have gone silent. You're sent to see what happened, make repairs, and have orders to bring the ship back if possible. Of course a mystery awaits when you arrive. I won't go much farther than that as it's a game best experienced without too much description. I consider Spirits of Xanadu to be an excellent game, with a good mix of first person action, exploration, stealth, mystery, and light puzzles. The story and method of exposition is excellent. There's just enough to clue you into what's happening and keep you moving forward, and the writing and performance (via audiologs) is effective in allowing you to see clearly. (I'm sometimes frustrated by games where the writing tries to trick and confuse the player w/ the unreliable narrator thing, and Xanadu does not do that - it lays out the story for you to discover without the intentional misdirection that some games use.) I got stuck at one point and had to seek out a hint, but it's probably something I should've figured out myself if I'd been more careful w/ my exploration. Another thing I like: the environments have a good degree of interactivity which helps make the world feel real and lived in. I enjoy games that reward exploring, and there are quite a few little "extras" that are not central to the game, but exist to help make the place feel real. So yes, I recommend this game. Quite an achievement for a small team - and I understand there was one developer doing the coding.

Spirits of Xanadu

Released On: 
Mar 26, 2015
Metascore
Available after 4 critic reviews
tbd
User score
Mixed or Average
6.8
My Score
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  • All Reviews
  • Positive Reviews
  • Mixed Reviews
  • Negative Reviews
Oct 25, 2020
76
Buried Treasure
Gosh there are too many “explore an abandoned space station” games, but I keep finding myself drawn to them, and it’s for exactly the reason that I hope they’ll offer what Spirits Of Xanadu includes. I mean, it’s not amazing, and I’ve still yet to find the Solaris of videogames that I’m desperately hoping for, but it’s nice to have something that delivers it all in a satisfying way.
Jul 16, 2015
54
Riot Pixels
Spirits of Xanadu promises lots of cool things, but never delivers. The concept is original, and the hallucinations are quite frightening, but in the end, it’s just an unfinished game with shoddy combat mechanics and a weak narrative.
See All 2 Critic Reviews
User score
Mixed or Average
56% Positive
5 Ratings
11% Mixed
1 Rating
33% Negative
3 Ratings
  • All Reviews
  • Positive Reviews
  • Mixed Reviews
  • Negative Reviews
Jan 11, 2021
9
nanotheron
the creators of this game put a lot of heart and soul into one little spaceship. making it feel alive and atmospheric even without textures, the writing is excellent as well. this game captures exactly what it sets out to be. fun puzzles, exploration, stealth, light combat, and spookiness.
Feb 16, 2016
8
fartheststar
There's been a problem on a space ship far away. It was on an important mission, but communications have gone silent. You're sent to see what happened, make repairs, and have orders to bring the ship back if possible. Of course a mystery awaits when you arrive. I won't go much farther than that as it's a game best experienced without too much description. I consider Spirits of Xanadu to be an excellent game, with a good mix of first person action, exploration, stealth, mystery, and light puzzles. The story and method of exposition is excellent. There's just enough to clue you into what's happening and keep you moving forward, and the writing and performance (via audiologs) is effective in allowing you to see clearly. (I'm sometimes frustrated by games where the writing tries to trick and confuse the player w/ the unreliable narrator thing, and Xanadu does not do that - it lays out the story for you to discover without the intentional misdirection that some games use.) I got stuck at one point and had to seek out a hint, but it's probably something I should've figured out myself if I'd been more careful w/ my exploration. Another thing I like: the environments have a good degree of interactivity which helps make the world feel real and lived in. I enjoy games that reward exploring, and there are quite a few little "extras" that are not central to the game, but exist to help make the place feel real. So yes, I recommend this game. Quite an achievement for a small team - and I understand there was one developer doing the coding.
Jul 10, 2025
4
Babutto
Don't know why I bought it. Laggy, stuttering, bland, boring. It tries to vibe on System Shock 2 (even F.E.A.R. sounds effects are used when the image flashed) but ultimately fails. Don't waste your time.
See All 3 User Reviews
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SummaryAt the furthest edge of the know universe, the research ship Xanadu slumbers in orbit around a mysterious planet. Her systems remain active but there has been no message from her crew for months. Now a lone operative has been sent to wake the Xanadu and bring her home to Earth.
  • PC
  • Nintendo Switch
Mar 26, 2015
  • Allen Trivette, Lee Williams
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