Neva

Neva is a visually stunning masterpiece with an emotionally powerful story and a brilliant soundtrack that elevates every moment.

Introduction

Neva is a breathtaking game. Every frame is an art piece. The game instantly captivates you and plants its emotional hooks deep, making you fall in love with the characters and world despite there being no dialogue. The story is emotionally charged from the get go, following a woman named Alba and her wolf companion Neva as they try to cleanse their forest from an ever-growing corruption.

Visual and Audio Excellence

The game has masterful camera control and brilliantly directed cutscenes. I think everyone has praised the game for its visual brilliance, and I can't think of a more artistically breathtaking game. Nomada Studio has set the bar incredibly high. But I don't want the visual aspect to take away from how good the soundtrack is and how it perfectly ties this game together. From the emotionally charged music to the blood-pumping battle and boss tracks, I think this is one of the best music-to-emotional-moments pairings I've played in a while. I hope this masterpiece of a score doesn't get overshadowed by the visual presentation.

A Year of Growth

The game takes place over a year in the life of Alba and Neva, split into four seasons. You see Neva grow from a cub into a majestic beast over time, and this progression is cleverly tied into gameplay abilities. As Neva grows, she becomes more capable and gets abilities that directly affect gameplay in both platforming and combat. The relationship between Alba and Neva is deep, exploring what I would describe as a co-dependency that feels genuine and earned.

Combat That Works

Combat in Neva isn't the deepest system, but it works. Alba has a simple combo she can use, some dodging, a dropdown attack, plus the ability to regain health after landing a certain amount of attacks without taking damage. Neva is a puzzle platformer, but in my opinion the combat, while simple, really helps balance the game out. It's sufficiently sprinkled in to give you a break from long platforming sections while still not overstaying its welcome, so it stays enjoyable even though it lacks depth.

Many enemy encounters are quite enjoyable with very clever designs and attacks. My favorite is the stone block enemy, which has really creative design and a brilliant set of attacks. At a later stage, this enemy is even used as a platforming puzzle while keeping the same attack patterns. It's just chef's kiss.

Boss Battles

I can't talk about combat without mentioning the boss battles, which were a highlight for me. Each boss was very well designed with attack patterns you had to learn and adapt to. These moments elevated the combat beyond its simple mechanics.

Platforming and Puzzles

The platforming was very solid but maybe lacked challenge outside the few optional collectible buds. These weren't necessarily hidden, but they were outside the main path. In my opinion, those offered the most platforming fun in the game. I think the developer made the right decision by making them optional to keep the game accessible while having them for those interested in a platforming challenge.

I enjoyed the puzzles in the game. None were challenging, but they were still a delight. Similar to the platforming, I respect the developer's choice to keep things accessible, as this game will be many people's first ever game. Overall, I think it was balanced well where it's accessible but still engaging. The ice and reflection sections were a highlight. Using reflection to make traversal and combat itself into a puzzle you have to navigate teaches your brain to play in a different way. It's very creative design that shows what the game can do when it leans into clever mechanics.

Neva: Prologue DLC

The Neva Prologue DLC was a nice dessert and served as a prequel to show how Alba and Neva's relationship started. While it was on the shorter side, around an hour to complete, I think it's still well worth its price. I really enjoyed the story beats and character moments, and I felt that the combat and traversal was more challenging than the base game, which was very welcome. I did feel like the final boss battle was a step below other boss fights from the main game, but I found it to be quite enjoyable regardless, especially given the emotional stakes and the wonderful music giving it even more intensity.

Verdict

Neva is a masterpiece of visual and audio design that proves games can be emotionally powerful without a single word of dialogue. Nomada Studio has created something truly special here, where every element works in harmony to tell a story about connection, growth, and loss. The soundtrack deserves as much praise as the stunning visuals, and the way Neva's growth is tied to gameplay progression is brilliant design. Yes, the combat is simple and the platforming lacks challenge in the main path, but these feel like intentional choices to keep the game accessible while still offering optional depth for those who want it. The ice reflection sections and boss battles show what the game can do when it leans into challenge. The story captivated me from start to finish, and the ending landed perfectly. This is the kind of game that will stay with you long after the credits roll, and it's absolutely essential for anyone who appreciates games as an art form.