Neva
🎮 What is Neva?
Neva is an indie action‐adventure / puzzle‐platformer game, made by Nomada Studio (the same team behind Gris) and published by Devolver Digital.
It was released on 15 October 2024 on PS5 (also available on PS4, PC, Xbox Series, Switch).
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🕹️ Gameplay & Story
Story: You play as Alba, a young woman who, after a traumatic encounter with dark forces, becomes bound to a wolf cub (Neva). As the story progresses, Neva grows — emotionally and physically — from cub to adult. Their relationship is central: they lean on each other to survive, traverse a world being consumed by corruption, and try to restore beauty.
Mechanics:
Side‐scrolling platforming + environmental puzzles.
Combat is included (basic attacks, dodging, etc.). Alba has a sword, horizontal & vertical slashes, double jumps, dash etc. Neva helps in combat and traversal as it grows.
Minimal UI, strong emphasis on visual storytelling, music, animation.
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🛠️ PS5 Specific Features
Takes advantage of the DualSense controller: haptic feedback (especially in combat), light bar colors shift to match ambience of the stage, using the speaker for some voice elements like Alba calling Neva.
Performance: designed for 4K visuals, and can run up to 120 fps on PS5 where possible.
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👍 What People Like / Critiques
Positives:
Gorgeous art style & animations. The visuals and atmosphere are widely praised.
Emotional narrative. Many reviews mention it’s a moving experience — less about dialogue, more about vibe, visuals, sound, and the bond between Alba & Neva.
Improved gameplay over Gris in terms of adding combat and platforming complexity.
Critiques:
Combat is not super deep — enemy behaviours are simpler, challenges aren’t extremely tough.
The pacing may feel a bit slow in parts; some sections are more contemplative/mood‐driven than action driven.
It’s not a very long game.
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🕒 Verdict: Who It’s For
If you like:
Beautiful, artistic games with strong atmosphere
Emotional storytelling and relational themes
Puzzle‐platformers with lighter combat
Games where mood, tone, and visuals are as much part of the appeal as the mechanics
Then Neva is likely to be very compelling for you.
