A dazzling dreamy adventure and one of the best indie games of 2024

Neva Has some massive shoes to fill, it’s true. Nomada Studio’s second release returns to the same hand-animated and wordless 2D platformer territory that saw its debut Gris Become a mega-hit with critics and fans, but it never seems like a certain retreat. Anchoring an eco-themed fairy tale with simple but satisfying combat, movement and puzzling, the latest from publisher Devolver Digital is an easy recommendationA crowd-pleasing platformer several shades simpler than GrisBut no less elegant or engrossing. NevaThe Sweet Melancholy Adventure is quite short and can be completed in an afternoon, but it will be an amazing afternoon.

Gris Explore the theme of grief with environmental puzzle-solving powers and a painterly style, admittedly in an era when acclaimed “sad platformers” have formed a recognizable trend. Nevertheless, Barcelona’s Nomada Studio – originally founded by two Ubisoft alumni and artist Adrián Cuevas – delivered a fresh and appealing addition to the niche that cuts through the noise, a trend that Neva Confidently continues, along with another immersive soundtrack by returning composer Berlinist.

like GrisThe game’s lack of dialogue never feels like a hindrance, nor do its admittedly simplified mechanics. This is largely thanks to a visual style that, while very different to its predecessor, takes comparable care with color usage, character movement and seasonal themes to support its emotional narrative, revealing its own vibrant personality. Simpler in scope but sharper overall than Gris, Neva Provides a visual high-water mark for this style of play, with a fluid pace that flows quickly through each new idea.

Wolves in the Black Forest

Neva’s gorgeous forest is an immersive backdrop for his environmental tale

Alba lives with a pair of magical wolves in a dark green wood. Alba keeps a swift blade hidden in her cloak against any perceived threats, while the young wolf Neva has Alba for protection, as well as a massive wolf parent with spidery elk horns protruding from their foreheads. The trio lives in apparent harmony with nature, until the day a dead bird plumes from the sky before bursting with black flowers in the meadow below.. A parade of ink-masked creatures soon roams the valley in darkness en route to the forest, but Alba and the wolves react as if the great conflict has played out before.

one of NevaIts strongest quality is its legibility, with every busy screen instantly readable and every short puzzle clearly spelled out at a glance.. The first challenging enemy you encounter is a perfect example; When the mask-covered abomination readied its slam attack, I instinctively dodged it perfectly, understanding its rhythms instantly. There was something about the agility of his arm, the way it moved back and forth, as if his movements were entirely sensible and natural. This speaks to the game’s sharp audio-visual design, from the extent of Alba’s perceived jump distance and timing to the gentle crunch sound when you take a step on a breakable floor.

The standard also ties in with the story and how it is told. A lesser game would stutter the tale with constant hands-off cinematic interludes, however Neva Threads the bulk of its plot and character development directly into gameplay and traversal. Admittedly, the game’s imagery and themes borrow from Hungry Miyazaki films in ways that will be immediately obvious to most, But these references never obstruct the game’s sense of character and inner life.

Fighting the corrupt hordes

Neva’s constant but simplified combat hides a few cool surprises

It should be stated that Alba’s combat abilities are few, and her jump/double-jump/slash/dash basics are nothing we haven’t seen before. Some new mechanics develop throughout Nevas 15 or so levels, but the basics remain a bit minimalist throughout, and the frequent combat rarely drags out or demands constant retries. Enemies are mostly composed of globe-like black phantoms with no-phase masks from the Intro, sickly amorphous parasites that pervert the flora and fauna of the forest into new enemies.

Alba can directly interact with Neva in several different ways, whether it is calling to the wolf from afar, directing pets and hugs as you wish, joining her to renew corrupted wildlife and incorporating them more directly into combat later. I am careful here to avoid explaining how their relationship and abilities develop over time because this is one of the game’s most wonderful and affecting features, and the way of discovering it is worth keeping secret. suffice to say, Anyone who loved Fumito Ueda’s trinity of PlayStation classics will adore what the game is trying to convey about man and nature surviving in tandem.

An early encounter saw Neva temporarily pinned to the ground by black hands as I sliced ​​through the vile creatures around us, and I admit I never wanted her to stray too far from my side ever again. The bond between the characters is mastered so quickly and masterfully, but in a way that never comes off as downright cheap or saccharine.. It’s a tightrope to walk, but I’ve never felt like it Neva‘s character development takes the easy way out, although sacrifice and renewal are key themes throughout the game.

One of the best indies of the year

Each screen is a painting in Neva

NevaIts visual design is spectacularFrom the grotesque animations of its monsters to the careful camera work that freely pans, tilts and zooms around, often expanding the landscape and shrinking Alba to a miniscule sprite on the screen. There are cues and scenes here that could really form the basis for an entire game’s visual identity, and Neva Will simply plug the ideas for a few minutes of gameplay before hustling to the next beautiful set piece.

This is exemplified in vi NevaThe use of color communicates the terror and splendor of the duo’s journey in a manner almost unmatched in recent games. Finer details are available everywhere you look, like the thousands of creature husks mutated into hostile architecture, the multilayered parallax backgrounds filled with woodland animals and subtle narrative hints, and Neva’s adorably drawn-out dogo yawns. With a runtime of roughly four hours, a replay could easily be encouraged, if not just to look at the world more closely once you know what to expect..

It is no exaggeration to say that almost any screenshot is worthy of framingAnd it’s inspiring to see how far Nomada Studio has come GrisWhich was its own visual wonder at the time. The screen detail in Neva is exponentially greater, however Players should be aware that the interactive complexity has also been scaled downAlthough the simpler mechanics make a good fit for the new world and its cast.

Final Thoughts & Review Score

A must-play adventure

Both “Story” and “Adventure” modes are available as options at the beginning of the game, with the former intended as a more accessible and gentle experience. I’ve played many games of this kind, but rarely seen a challenge here that prompted repeated attempts at the adventure setting. There are also some optional flowers to track down for 100%-ers, and I will surely play through Neva Again to clear these and unlock whatever secret they reveal. Some flowers are well hidden and others lie in plain sight, but the exact method of reaching a few of them eluded me.

Overall, the game’s challenge felt pitch-perfect, with only a spongy boss or unfair battle to be found.Even while Alba’s base health remained only three pips from start to finish. Checkpoints and healing options are generous, however, and there’s a comfortable flow between fighting, puzzling, and just taking in the landscape during long jogs between obstacles.

It must be a challenge to thread inspiration’s needle in a game like this. Critics and players may point out NevaThe most obvious references as thematic shortcuts, but the personality of the game and the careful sense of craft always shone through. I am tempted to compare Neva to Playdead’s influential duology of Limbo And InsideAlthough the tonal qualities remain quite different, primarily for the impeccable quality of its design and richness of its world, dialogue-free as it may be. It’s a short experience overall, but most players should feel compelled to happily join Alba and Neva to start the seasonal cycle again, their screenshot key on a hair trigger.