MAFATE is a cosy sim about being a postman on a lush island in the middle of the Indian Ocean… with a camera that’s possessed by the ghost of a young Creole girl called Luna from the future. Yeah, I know. Same. I read the description three times too. But it works — and it’s actually delightful.
I’ve dabbled in a few postal sims lately (Upwards Rain!, Catto’s Post Office, Letters to Arralla). Apparently delivering mail is the hot new thing. But honestly, MAFATE has been the most fun of the bunch. It’s post, photography, and possession (we’ll get there) all rolled into one. Make sure to play with a controller — it’s very important to the Blue Ramen Studios devs too!
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Through Luna the haunted camera, you have the power to possess — yes, POSSESS — animals to get them to do your bidding. Not every critter’s up for grabs, but when it works, it’s hilarious. (Case in point: here’s me becoming a duck. Quacktastic.)
You stroll through Mafate, taking photos of flora, fauna, residents, and some weird creatures hiding in the scenery. Sometimes you have to perform certain actions with items to get them to appear. I did very much enjoy these little mysteries.
READ MORE: Review | Upwards, Rain! The Post Office of Farewells (PC)
The demo wraps up after your first trip to Marla, and it’s a solid sampler platter of what’s coming. Sure, there are a couple of rough edges — some missing translations, a slightly wobbly UI — but none of it stopped me from grinning through its wacky animations and randomness. Which is more than I can say about Australia Post.
READ MORE: Preview | Letters to Arralla: ‘Going postal, turnip edition’
MAFATE’s demo is up on Steam now, and you can pop it on your wishlist if you’re so inclined. No release date yet, but here’s hoping this letter gets delivered sooner rather than later.
