Neva Review: The Art of Video Games

Today I didn't feel like playing anything huge or complex and instead wanted a short and cozy experience. After a hint from my wife I picked Neva and expected a relaxing journey through a beautiful world. What I got instead was an emotional rollercoaster that I won't forget anytime soon.

A highly emotional Journey

Neva starts out with an emotional punch to the gut. After a short introduction your beautiful big wolf like companion gets killed by mystical black creators with white masks that look like they come straight out of a Studio Ghibli movie.

After a short timeskip your true adventure starts with your little companion Neva. At the beginning of your adventure Neva is still a puppy and can't fight. As the name of the game already suggests, your little companion is a center piece of the game. With the press of a button you can call and pet Neva.

Shes also beautifully animated and I lost my heart to her from the hello. During your 4 hour long adventure you will go through all 4 seasons of the year. Each time a new season starts Neva will grow and learn new skills. She will develop from a scared little puppy to your strong companion who will help you a lot during combat.

Speaking of combat, this was one of the first big surprises that Neva had in store for me. Combat itself is simple yet elegant. You only have one attack and dodge button at first. During your adventure you will get a few more options but not much. Nomada Studio manages with so few tools to develop engaging and fun combat.

Encounters have a variety of different attack patterns and the game always feels fair and never too easy. In general Neva is brilliantly designed and offers a great mix of puzzles, jump challenges and combat. None of those ever overstay its welcome and the game always comes up with new fun ideas to keep you engaged at all times.

Every Frame a beautiful Painting

One of the stand out elements of Neva is the art and creativity Nomada Studio shows off. Every single moment looks like a beautiful painting. I was constantly pressing the screenshot button and deciding which shots make it into this article was a real challenge.

Like with its gameplay ideas the variation of the environment and arts is truly impressive. From dreamy forest, to ice cold mountains, over to a haunting underworld. Neva's world feels alive and insanely creative. By the end of the game you will feel like you explored a mystical, beautiful and strange world. The art of all of this is one reason why Neva will stick with me forever and why this game feels like a grand adventure even if it only has such a short runtime.

The icing on the top of all of this is the music. The soundtracks offer beautiful melodies and to me the real start goes to environmental sound design. Every creature, animal, environment and especially Neva itself sound simply real and this helps to really pull you into this magical world.

An Unforgatable Adventure

Neva is a game that managed to make me cry more than once. You might have noticed how vague I am about the story or details of the world. That's simply because I feel like Neva is best experienced with knowing as least as possible. Neva is a true piece of Art, a game that exactly knows what it wants to be and a truly unforgettable adventure. Everyone who calls himself a gamer should have played this at least once in their lifetime, I promise you, you won't regret it.

Rating: Masterpiece