There’s a lot of love for the 2018 puzzle-platformer Gris. Developed by Spanish studio Nomada, the indie game has sold over a million copies and received critical acclaim. Players have praised the games visuals and emotional journey. And now, it looks like Nomada may one-up their debut hit. Published by Devolver Digital, Neva appeared this month at the Summer Games Fest and most recently—playable to the public—at NYC’s Tribeca Games Gallery.
The Colorful World of Neva
At its core, Neva is a similar platformer to Gris with luscious art and audio design. But this time around, there’s a bit more gameplay. In Gris, players couldn’t encounter a fail state—a deliberate choice for the game. With Neva, players can absolutely fail. But also succeed in glorious ways.
Neva focuses on the bond between a young woman named Alba and a wolf cub. While Gris did not feature combat, Neva does. In the demo at Tribeca, vines, hands, and eventually monsters would sprout from the earth. Slashing these soil-soaked souls with Alba’s sword would put them to rest.
During this, Alba journeys through a dying world with her potentially-trusty white wolf companion. The wolf follows you through immaculate forests, plains, and swamps, each with their own color palette. Who knew a dying world could look this gorgeous? Neva didn’t seem to do much in the demo at Tribeca (hence potentially-trusty) but I imagine the wolf has some use down the road.
Still, there’s a lot of gameplay as is, at least that I saw in the demo. A boss battle involved platforming through a forest while a giant No-Face-like beast chased Alba and shot vines out at the running warrior. After Alba escaped its clutches, it returned later for round two: a riveting hack and slash battle.
And did I mention this game looks great? Okay I did. But still, I highly recommend checking out the trailer from Summer Games Fest. Neva will show off its sumptuous visuals later this year when it releases for PlayStation 4 and 5, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch, and PC.
