When at least one person connected to a narrative game such asNevapromotes it by saying something like “you will cry,” it’s hard not to scoff at least a bit. Sure, developers Nomada Studio have been able to make emotionally-moving stuff before, as seen with their previous game with Devolver Digital,Gris,andNevais clearly cut from the same atmospheric 2D platformer cloth. It looks impressive and clearly gives off the vibe of an emotional game, but this writer would argue that if you tell people up front just how a piece of entertainment will make you feel, that impact will be lessened greatly. Unless, of course, it’s really effective at its job.
Long story short, I learned the hard way thatNevais, indeed, really, effective at its job. In general, the game was already telling an effective and emotionally-moving story, but then came one particular part, which without spoiling anything, acted as a massive gut punch. As in, the kind that makes you almost not want to play once you realize just how devastating things are about to get. But perhaps I’ve said too much. Also, the key word back there is “almost,” as you will want to playNevafrom beginning to end (and maybe then some), as it’s easily one of the year’s best adventures, a beautiful, moving platformer filled with impressive setpieces and action as well.
Lone Wolf and Cub
Nevais the story of…well, Neva. Or to be more accurate, the story of Alba, a young woman, and Neva, a young wolf cub befriended by Alba. Together, the two attempt to journey through a world slowly succumbing to a decaying force, hoping to eventually deal with it in the end. Throughout it all, we get a secondary journey in Neva’s development as she grows up alongside Alba over the seasons, aging from a cub to a fully-grown adult as the game progresses. You’ll have probably guessed by now that one way or another, it won’t exactly be an easy journey, and there will be hardships…
Gameplay-wise,Nevais pretty standard. Alba can double-jump, dodge/air dash and attack/perform a downward attack, and everything controls smoothly, with perfectly-executed platforming. As the mention of attacks there might suggest, though,Nevais noticeably a lot more combat-oriented compared toGris.Again, combat is mostly simple, but still challenging, swift, and most importantly, fun. Every fight against the dark forces in their various forms feels particularly fulfilling, with every encounter featuring multiple foes set up perfectly, sometimes with impressive arenas and even more impressive boss encounters.
Nevaalso boasts impressive and fun puzzles as well, typically built around manipulating platforms and scenery through various attacks, like breaking huge blocks in a correct order to create platforms to traverse before they reform or using gongs to flip around structures in order to get them into the right position. Befitting a platformer, a lot of these puzzles require timing as well, nicely testing a player’s reflexes. One particular highlight is a section built entirely around mirrored floors, walls and ceilings, showing players invisible platforms and enemies. It’s an obstacle you may have seen before in other platformers as well, but is used to terrific effect here, partially thanks to the visuals used.
The Beauty of Decay
Speaking of visuals, did we mention that they’re jaw-dropping and incredible? AsNevacomes from Nomada Studio, that should be no surprise. The animation for the characters alone is a joy to behold, especially in how fluid they are, perfectly capturing the movements of wild animals. And the scenery consists of a ton of lush, breathtaking wilderness as well, rather appropriately enough. But what’s especially stunning is how varied everything gets, varying between tone, color schemes, aesthetics and more.
Sometimes you’ll be hopping around chunks of land left floating in the air, having a rather haunting beauty to them. Other times, you’ll find ruins that are rather oddly pristine and untouched, with a simplicity to their design that almost makes them feel as though they were plucked out of another game such asFez.And then there are moments with the enemies that can go straight into body horror and soulsborne territory, especially when dealing with corrupted animals as you wonder just how many forces can fit in one body. And then you get scenes that blend imagery, like mounds of enemy corpses now overgrown with grass and flowers, creating a beautiful, macabre hill in the middle of a forest. It’s terrific stuff, backed by an impressive soundtrack to boot.
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All of this also contributes great organic storytelling and a nice mystery at hand, as it’s never truly explained just what exactly these black, twisted forces are, or what exactly drives them to do what they do, all that’s there being implications. We don’t even get any explanation for Alba’s backstory, who she is and why she seems to be the only human we ever see. The only dialogue we ever get is when the player has Alba call out for Neva using a button press (which nicely always sounds different, depending on the setting) and we never get any up-front explanations. Which is likely on purpose, as the main focus is on Alba and Neva’s relationship, which even with just one spoken name, is presented beautifully.
Our Baby’s Growing Up…
On that note, there’s one part ofNevathat combines the best parts of the gameplay, visuals and story, and that’s Neva herself. Her growth throughout different ages over time makes for applause-worthy stuff. First it starts out as Neva being cute as a cub, getting distracted by butterflies and like, struggling to make jumps, having to be rescued. After a time jump, we get to see Neva’s teenage years, being more savage and ferocious, learning more about their various skills and powers and showing off, with Alba comforting her during darker moments (and yes, you’re able to pet them at any time). Finally, we get to see a grown-up Neva at her fullest potential, becoming one with Alba in combat, but also ready to become her own self.
Not only is Neva’s growth presented in such a gorgeous fashion, but it also allows for several new gameplay tricks to be presented as things move along as well. Alba is able to sic Neva on enemies, then basically shoot Neva straight at them like a missile, and then have Neva combine with her to help light the way in dark areas. Neva can even do her own thing at times, popping out to take care of any enemies near Alba (sometimes before she even gets a chance to attack). There are even beautiful, subtle touches to their movement that not only highlight Neva’s growth, but the bond of her relationship with Alba. When Neva gets to first show off her ability to dissipate and fly through the air, sometimes she taps on the air midway through. In other words, she copies Alba’s double-jump maneuvers, the same way a child would learn from their parents. It’s amazingly heartwarming stuff and the true cherry on top of things.
Not only is Neva’s growth presented in such a gorgeous fashion, but it also allows for several new gameplay tricks to be presented as things move along as well.
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Quite the well-written yarn, indeed.
As for faults…well, there’s not a whole lot. There is one particular section that turns out to all be a dream, which kind of feels groan-worthy, especially given how long it is, and seems like a bit of a mistake in a game with an otherwise stellar narrative. The one flaw thatNevadefinitely has, though, is that it can feel too short. Assuming you don’t go for all of the hidden flower collectibles, the game is only about four hours long. And while length typically isn’t a problem for a narrative-focused game,Nevahas so many interesting gameplay concepts and mechanics that it can’t help but feel like you’re either left wanting more or that some of those moments don’t get used to their full potential (it also just help that few sprints or climbs through landscapes feel a tad like padding).
Still,Nevais a delight and shouldn’t be missed out on. Sure, you may wind up emotionally devastated at one point or another, but it’s worth it, especially with a game this good.
Closing Comments:
Nevais another winner from Nomada Studio, but it’s also much more than that. It’s a drop-dead gorgeous game with truly fun platforming action, puzzles and combat, with hauntingly-beautiful moments. But the titular character is the true highlight, easily encapsulating the biggest strengths as you see this wolf grow up alongside Alba. It’s a journey of motherhood that takes the form of one of the year’s best platformers, and just one of the year’s best games, period.
Version Reviewed: PC
Following the journey of a young woman and their wolf companion, Neva sees the two working together as they navigate a decaying world. As the cub grows over the years and matures, they’ll find new ways to navigate various obstacles and combat threats.
