Neva Review — Artistic Brilliance

Discussions regarding whether video games should be considered as art have been ongoing, and while there is no doubt that the video game industry is a catalyst for artistic expression, many still believe video games are not true art forms. Neva feels like the true manifestation of video game artwork come to life. Nomada Studios has developed a video game that feels like a form of living art. Neva’s tangible world stirs emotion with its intricate combination of gorgeous visuals, powerful music, and satisfying gameplay to create something special.

Neva follows the story of a young female warrior named Alba, and her young white wolf companion Neva, as they traverse a dying world that is literally falling apart around them. Neva doesn’t pull any emotional punches, delivering a heartbreaking opening scene that is reminiscent of the introductory moments from Ori and the Blind Forest. The 5-hour adventure takes place over an extended time period, as Neva and Alba explore the world across multiple seasons. As a young pup Neva is unable to protect themselves, but as the story progresses, Neva becomes an integral part of gameplay, as Alba and Neva come to rely on one another to survive this cruel world. The bond between woman and wolf is integral to the story, representing the loving relationship between a parent and their child. This ongoing connection is the heart of the narrative, and it will drive you to sorrow, blinding rage, and fleeting moments of joy, as parent and child do whatever they can to keep the other safe.

Neva’s story would be considered interpretive. Neva does not directly explain what Alba and Neva hope to achieve from their adventure, be it revenge, heroism, or simply survival. Fans of Gris will appreciate the subtle storytelling across the adventure, as aside from Alba’s cries for her wolf companion, Neva is devoid of any other form of dialogue. Nomada Studios must be commended for its effective use of visuals and sound to help convey such powerful emotions without the spoken word. There are apparent hints as to what is causing the world to decay, but players must pay attention to the environmental storytelling and piece these aspects together themselves. The bond between Alba and Neva is what ultimately pushed me forward, and while the subtle hints to the world around them were appreciated, I never found myself compelled by that narrative thread. I believe this was intentional, as the bond between parent and child overshadows the problems of the world around them. Players will ultimately decide whether this interpretive storytelling method is for them, but as a fan of Gris, I enjoyed the narrative adventure Neva delivered.

Neva’s core gameplay has two main components: combat and platforming. On the platforming side, Neva is typically responsive, with Alba having a double jump and auto-climbing abilities. When compared to other side-scrolling platformers (e.g. Ori, Celeste), Neva does feel quite slow to control, which is noticeable during escape sequences. Even when players do make a mistake, the game is very forgiving and never sends the player back too far. Neva emphasises a disciplined platforming approach, encouraging players to focus more on figuring out ‘the how’ to get somewhere rather than punishing a player for their lack of skill or reactiveness.

Neva keeps traversal fresh by introducing a number of different platforming mechanics, such as killing an enemy to shoot further into the air or even using mirrors to create mind-bending platforming sections that encourage an intelligent and methodical approach. Neva’s puzzle platforming excels when it encourages these concepts, encouraging players to create interesting solutions to challenging obstacles. However, I felt that many of these mechanics could have been further explored. There were multiple occasions where I found myself excited to see a feature make another appearance, but instead, most are used for a few minutes before never appearing again, which felt like a missed opportunity.

Neva’s combat is incredibly satisfying and becomes even more enjoyable as the story continues. Alba herself has access to a standard strike, downward thrust and dodge roll, but as the narrative continues and Neva grows, combat opens up to new and exciting options. Alba can command Neva to interact with enemies, either holding them in place, or directly ripping them apart. Controlling Alba and directing Neva becomes a wonderful ballet of sword slashes and gnarling teeth, which must be mastered to handle the various enemy types.

Enemies come in the form of black and white human/insect-like creatures, and they are the cause of the decaying world. Alba can also regain health by stringing together combinations of attacks whilst avoiding damage, which provides a Bloodborne-esque quality to battles. Perhaps you are on the backfoot, and Alba is close to death, you could go on the defensive and pick your moment or go on the offensive to regain your health and turn the tide of battle.

Neva’s combat truly shines during the handful of boss encounters. Facing these colossal creatures is exhilarating and enhances the aforementioned combat ballet to even greater heights. There was one boss encounter that relied heavily on your ability to control Alba and command Neva, and it was incredible. This thrilling combat confrontation, with surging music that continued to build as the encounter progressed, alongside remarkable visuals, culminated to provide a crescendo that left me with goosebumps. I was completely captivated by the spectacle, and I absolutely loved it. The sensation I experienced was incredible, and almost every boss encounter delivers this level of brilliance.

Neva offers two difficulty modes that can be changed on the fly, with a standard Adventure mode and a Story mode option that removes death and provides light jumping assistance during platforming sections. There are also hidden flowers to collect across each chapter, with a post-game chapter select option available to hunt down anything you missed. If you loved Neva, you owe it to yourself to hunt down every collectible, as it provides a secret cut scene that adds context to the narrative.

Neva delivers a peaceful ambient sound during exploration, with soft piano adding a sense of serenity to a world that is slowly fading away. But that tranquillity vanishes during combat and escape sequences, replaced with a sense of urgency, as the percussion intensifies and the orchestral sounds swell, enhancing the tension of what is occurring on screen. Neva’s soundtrack is evocative, complimenting the visual experience to create a memorable experience. Neva also effectively uses the absence of sound to heighten stress levels during more unsettling sections. This soundtrack is immaculate and rivals any of the best musical offerings from 2024. Neva also uses the DualSense’s in-built speaker to amplify Alba’s calls for Neva, as well as intensify the brutality of Alba’s death within combat, with wince-inducing gurgles of pain echoing from the speaker as she falls victim to decay upon her death. Alba will even begin to hum through the controller when she doesn’t move for an extended period of time, which is another delightful audio detail.

Neva’s visual beauty is unlimited. At any stage across the adventure, I believe you could take a screenshot and hang it upon your wall. Frame by frame, moment by moment, Neva is ridiculously gorgeous. The hand-drawn art style is awe-inspiring, and the absence of textures provides an unblemished, crisp visual style. Seeing the vibrant purples, greens and blues of the world slowly fade to greys and browns effectively emphasises the dire situation. The same attention to detail can be found within the animations, especially when paying close attention to Neva. As a young pup, Neva will cower and bark at enemies, chase butterflies out of curiosity, and even choke on food when they eat too quickly. Alba can even interact with Neva, petting them and hugging them to reassure them. I’ll also never get sick of seeing Alba’s cape flutter as she walks and the way it floats during every double jump she makes. Neva is a true work of art and will go down as an embodiment of why stylistic visuals will never go out of style. In a decade from now, big-budget games may look outdated, but Neva’s visuals are timeless. Neva is a graphical masterpiece that will astound video game enthusiasts and non-gaming fans alike.