I have nothing negative to say Neva. As a story, Neva A living fairy tale played out in dreamlike scenes of natural beauty, starring two creatures bound by tragedy and driven by a desperate need to protect each other — and save the world in the process. as a game, Neva Delivers elegant swordplay and intuitive platforming action, with a collection of abilities that purposefully evolves with each new stage. As part of art, every frame Neva Breathtaking.
This is what a flawless game looks like. This is what playing something perfect looks like.
Alpha is the heroine Neva She is bad. When we meet her, she’s a seasoned warrior and nomad with silver hair, dancer’s limbs, and a red cape that hides a thin sword. Her wolf companion, Neva, is a cub at first, easily distracted, and still learning how to navigate the woods and fields. Initially, Neva needs Alpha. At the end of the game, after seasons of growth and vicious battles, Alpha also needs Neva.
None of these descriptions are spelled out in words, but the characters’ actions and some beautifully animated vignettes make their backstories clear, and the entire story unfolds in a similar fashion. The only speech in the game comes from Alpha, who says “You?” Or, “Neva!” Or, “Nevaaa,” press each contact button. Her tone and level of panic changes with Neva’s position in the environment – Alpha’s voice is strained with worry when she and the wolf are apart, and sweet or playful when they’re near each other. If you stand next to Neva and press dialogue, Alpha will pet her (yes, there are achievements for doing so). In a million little ways, the mechanics of the game create a deep emotional connection between Alpha and Neva, until eventually it feels like they’re fighting the darkness as one.
The world of Alpha and Neva is stunning. It’s made up of lush forests, sun-drenched valleys, soaring mountains, and twisting cave systems—all consumed by seeping, inky-black decay spread by swarms of blob-like monsters with stark white faces. Decay acts like cordyceps, filling the bodies of massive animals and turning them into zombie-like killing machines. In other areas, it takes the form of spiky thorns and bony vines that can cause damage if you touch them. Monsters — round bodies, screaming faces, and spidery limbs — keep appearing with a variety of ranged, melee, aerial, and dashing attacks. It is Alpha and Neva’s mission to destroy the decay and monsters and reclaim their land. For the completists among us, glowing white flowers are also hidden in the levels, and finding them all unlocks something special.
The game is divided into four seasons, and as Neva grows, so do her abilities. Meanwhile, Alpha has always been strong, and as she and Neva learned how to fight together, she became more powerful. For starters, Alpha can jump, double jump and dodge, and she has a basic sword attack and a downward thrust that can hit enemies and blast weak bases from above. In the latter half of the game, Neva is able to jump on invisible platforms and teleport to any area she wants, watching from high ridges as Alpha climbs walls of white flowers.
It differs from the earlier stages where Alpha had to encourage the cub-neva to cross small gaps, and it drives home the main theme of the play, parental love. Eventually, Alpha is able to launch Neva into battle like a homing projectile, and she will ferociously attack any enemy she hits. This ability is a little silly at times — like repeatedly throwing Neva into a wall while you’re trying to reach a hidden flower until the angle is just right — but it quickly feels like a natural, necessary extension of Alpha’s arsenal. . Besides, Neva didn’t care.
Mechanically, Neva An incredibly light and responsive platform. Playing on PlayStation 5, inputs never lag; Alpha can jump, double jump, and dodge with ease, and all three abilities reset with a light touch on the terrain. Enemy hitboxes are tight, encouraging players to get up close and personal with dangers between Alpha’s sword swings. As Alpha lands, health regenerates. The mid-air stages, where Alpha jumps between cliff sides and bounces off floating enemy bubbles, fosters a fantastic sense of precision and emboldens players to push Alpha’s maneuvers to their absolute limits. Neva The environment offers subtle and clear direction only through hints, and I never once got lost in its platforming sauce. Levels change with the seasons: complex navigational puzzles and delightfully tricky mirror levels are steadily added to the side-scrolling action, constantly testing Alpha and Neva’s ability to work together.
Alpha and Neva are linked in every scene, but their bond is solidified during battles, especially as wolf throws become a reliable part of Alpha’s attack-dodge rhythm. At some point, when the alpha has to fight on his own, it’s very frustrating. Neva’s presence brings fullness to Alpha’s abilities, especially in the last few hours of the game, when I felt like my controller was empty any time she wasn’t fighting me.
I don’t want to say too much about the final stage Neva. The game builds to an inevitable, emotionally intense conclusion, with pockets of deep nostalgia and sublime harmony sprinkled throughout the surging action. yes, Neva Makes you cry. I certainly did with big, ugly tears.
Neva Infused with magical realism, it mixes the impossible with the familiar in a form that looks like a living children’s book. An otherworldly horror creeps around the edges of every landscape, foreboding and elegant, and the game’s animations are animation-smooth. Neva It looks incredible and it plays beautifully – a rare and powerful combination. Like Alpha and Neva.
Neva Developed by Nomada Studio and published by Devolver Digital on October 15 on PC, macOS, PS5, Xbox Series X/S and Switch.
