I have nothing negative to say about Neva. As a story, Neva is a living fairy tale that unfolds in dreamlike scenes of natural beauty, two people bonded by tragedy and driven by a strong desire to protect each other and save the world in the process. The main characters are two creatures. As a game, Neva offers exquisite swordplay and intuitive platforming action, with a set of features that intentionally evolve with each new stage. As a work of art, every frame of About Neva is breathtakingly beautiful.
This is what a perfect game looks like. This is what it looks like when you play the perfect one.
Alba is the main character in About Neva and she’s terrible. When we meet her, she is a skilled warrior and nomad with silver hair, dancing limbs, and a billowing red cloak that conceals a thin sword. Her sidekick, the wolf Neva, is initially just a child, easily distracted, and still learning how to navigate the forests and fields of their world. At first, Neva needs Alba. After several seasons of growth and intense battles, by the end of the game, Alba also needs Nevaeh.
nomada studio
None of these expositions are detailed in words, but the characters’ actions and some beautifully animated scenes reveal their backstories and allow the entire story to unfold in a similar way. Masu. The only speech in the game is Alba calling out “Nevaeh?” Or say “Nevaaa” every time you press the “Neva!” interaction button. Her tone and level of panic change dynamically depending on Nevaeh’s position in the environment. When Alba and the wolf are apart, Alba’s voice is tense with worry, but when they are near each other, Alba’s voice is soothing and playful. If you stand next to Nevaeh and press dialogue, Alba can pet her (yes, you get an achievement for doing so). The game mechanics build a deep emotional connection between Alba and Nevaeh in millions of small ways, ultimately realizing that they are a single entity, fighting the darkness as one. It feels like.
The world of Alba and Neva is amazing. The region is made up of lush forests, sun-drenched valleys, towering mountains, and winding cave systems, all of which are oozing ink-black decay spread by hordes of bulbous monsters with snow-white faces. being swallowed up by. Corruption acts like cordyceps, soaking the bodies of giant animals and turning them into zombie-like killing machines. In other areas, they take the form of prickly brambles or skeletal vines that cause damage if touched. The monster, with its round body, screaming face, and spider-like limbs, appears with a variety of ranged, melee, aerial, and lunging attacks. Alba and Neva’s mission is to destroy the decay and monsters and take back their land. For perfectionists like us, there are also sparkling white flowers hidden between the levels and finding them all will unlock something special.
nomada studio
The game is divided into four seasons, and as Nevaeh grows, so do her abilities. Alba, on the other hand, has always been strong and becomes even more powerful as she learns how to fight alongside Nevaeh. First, Alba can jump, double jump, and dodge, and has a basic sword attack and a downward thrust that attacks enemies and punches them through weak floors from above. Later in the game, Neva is able to jump onto invisible platforms and basically teleport anywhere she wants, and watches from a high ridge as Alba climbs a wall of white flowers to reach her. .
This is a clear contrast to the earlier stages, when Alba had to coax Kabuneba to jump over small gaps, and sharpens the game’s core theme of parental love. Eventually, Alba is able to hurl Nevaeh into battle like a well-aimed projectile, and she ferociously attacks any enemy she hits. This ability can be a little silly at times, such as when trying to reach a hidden flower and ends up throwing Nevaeh against a wall repeatedly until she gets the right angle, but it quickly becomes a natural and necessary extension of Alba’s arsenal. It feels like. . And Nevaeh doesn’t seem to mind.
nomada studio
Mechanically, Neva is an incredibly lightweight and responsive platformer. No input lag when playing on PlayStation 5. Alba can easily jump, double jump, and dodge, and these three abilities are reset with a light touch of the terrain. Enemy hitboxes are harsh, allowing players to fight at close range and avoid danger in between swings of Alba’s sword. Alba herself regenerates health when she hits an attack without taking damage, and healing colognes are liberally sprinkled throughout the scene. Aerial levels, where Alba leaps between cliffs and bounces off floating chunks of enemies, develop bold precision as players push Alba’s control to the absolute limits. Neva provides subtle and clear direction with just environmental cues, and I never once feel lost in the source of the platform. Levels change with the seasons. Complex navigation puzzles and fun and tricky mirror levels are steadily added to the side-scrolling action, constantly testing Alba and Nevaeh’s ability to work together.
Alba and Nevah are connected in every scene, but their bond is especially evident during battle, when wolf-throwing becomes a reliable part of Alba’s rhythm of attack and dodge. This only makes Alba more painful when she has to fight alone in some stages. Nevaeh’s presence brings a sense of fulfillment to Alba’s abilities, and my controller felt distinctly empty whenever she wasn’t fighting alongside me, especially in the final hours of the game.
nomada studio
I don’t want to say too much about the ending of About Neva. The game builds toward an inevitable and emotionally intense conclusion, with deep longing and sublime reconciliation interspersed throughout the soaring action. Yes, about Neva will make you cry. I definitely did, I cried big ugly tears.
Neva is infused with magical realism, blending the mundane and the impossible in the form of a living children’s book. Otherworldly horrors creep around the edges of each landscape, foreboding and exquisite, and the game’s animations are anime-smooth. Neva looks great and plays just as beautifully, a rare and powerful combination. Like Alba and Neva.
Neva will be released on October 15th on PC, macOS, PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and Switch and is developed by Nomada Studio and published by Devolver Digital.
