Summary
Gris set a high bar for Nomada Studio. With its next platformer,Neva, set to launch in just a few weeks' time, the main question on everyone’s minds is likely ‘is it as good as Gris?’ From my hands-on experience at a recent preview event, Neva will not only meet fan expectations, but quite possibly exceed them.
Neva opens with the human protagonist Alba, an unnamed magnificent mother wolf, and a wolf cub Neva in a beautiful forest, all presented in a simplistic yet strikingly vibrant art style. Strange enemies attack, and the mother wolf gives her life to protect that of her cub, leaving Alba and Neva alone. The unfolding story follows Alba and Neva as they journey through the world, facing enemies and working together, as Neva grows from a young cub into an adult.
“Neva is about this relationship that a parent has with their kids, and how it changes and evolves during the years,” Nomada Studio technical director Adrián Cuevas tells me.
“At the beginning, you have to take care of them. They are this small thing that you know everything could kill them, and you are just worried all the time.”
The theme of parenthood is clear from the very start, and not just in the mother’s sacrifice. Neva begins as a curious little cub who doesn’t always listen, and as Alba, you have to guide the little wolf and show it the way of the world. As Neva grows, it starts to understand how it can help you more, and eventually, the roles are reversed and Neva begins to take care of Alba instead.
I played the opening hour of Neva, opting for Normal rather than Story mode to experience the full challenge the game had to offer. Unlike Gris, Neva introduces a combat mechanic, so as well as traversing the beautiful world as a platformer, you’re also swinging your sword to fight back against the dark creatures that hound you.
You have three flower icons to represent your health, and while taking a hit or running into evil brambles (the latter of which I, unfortunately, did all too often) will knock your health down, you’re able to replenish chunks of health by chaining consecutive attacks. Sometimes I’d find myself down to one flower icon but I’d be able to quickly regain my health by smacking a bad guy around a bit - it encourages a brave approach over a conservative one, keeping the pace high. There are also little stone structures you come across that replenish your health too, but in a pinch, especially during a battle, this feature works really well.
Even in the opening hour, there were a couple of parts where I had to think about what I was doing. It wasn’t tear-your-hair-out challenging, but it wasn’t a complete breeze either. One part had me figuring out exactly where I had to jump from and realising I needed to dodge mid-air to get through the obstacles safely. Another was a section where I felt overwhelmed by enemies, but instead of going to the enemies, I let them come to me, using the top ledge as my base and the down attack to strike as they ventured to the lower ledges.
Throughout this opening section, it’s Alba saving Neva from the creepy hand growths and enemies, consoling the little wolf as it whimpers. Yet the final boss battle of this chapter culminates in a scene where Alba pulls the monster’s head back and calls for Neva, who jumps up and delivers the killing blow with its jaws, signalling the first step in Neva’s growth and transition into a capable co-op partner rather than a helpless pup.
Neva is such a stylish game with a subtle narrative that explores the theme of parenthood in a way that allows you as the player to connect with that based on your own experiences and emotions. As a platformer-puzzler with a touch of combat, it offers enough challenge without making it feel like a chore, though I imagine later chapters will prove even more difficult. I’m eager to see how Alba and Neva’s relationship evolves in the full game, but more importantly, I just want to see more of this beautiful world.
