Neva was provided by Devolver Digital for review. Thank you!
It was pretty coincidental that right after Europa, a breathtakingly gorgeous 3D game, I would then be reviewing another stunningly beautiful one right afterward, but that's what happened! Neva is another example of artistry at its finest, both in its presentation and in its story. Developer Nomada Studio has shown they can create worthy experiences with their first game, GRIS, and they have shown they can do it again! It isn't a perfect experience, and I did have a couple of issues here and there, but none of them were enough to stop me from loving the game.
Neva is truly a beauty, and I found myself not being able to take my eyes away from it. The popping, vibrant color of each tree and grassy plain, as well as how the lighting interacts with each element to create a captivating image that could be hung up on walls and look like modern art, is tantalizing. Nothing felt out of place when creating a scene here, and mixing in the music just kept the atmosphere step in step with the visuals.
It didn't feel like any environment was untouched, and they all had some charm that was specific to the area. From the golden lighting of the fall to the bright sunny fields of the summer and even the darker, damp caves when fighting enemies, each area was so appealing to look at, and I found myself spending extra time just to take a nice photo.
However, while the game never stops looking drop dead gorgeous, there are some areas that are hard to figure out where to go next. The most prominent area for me is when climbing some mountains and then splintering and splitting off, so I not only had to climb the tops of some platforms but also walls. I was a bit lost at first since I couldn't see the indicators of a wall being climbable, but I ended up just trying it out, and I was able to climb. There are other areas with this kind of confusing message about where to go, but it was only enough to stump me for a moment.
Neva's story is also extremely emotional, and the way they tell it is even more powerful. You are Alba, a lone swordswoman who is traveling the land with her wolf companion, Neva. The game starts off with you both traveling with Neva's mother, but when you are all attacked by these weird shadow-like enemies, Neva's mother gets killed. While the other two survive, they mourn her loss and have to continue and carry on. The game shows Alba and Neva growing up and relying on each other to survive, demonstrating the deep relationship they share and how they overcome these enemies together.
While it is easy to show the relationship with text, Nomada Studio decided to show us with action. Hearing Neva's cries for Alba when they are apart, how Alba can panic when Neva is in trouble or too far away, how the two embrace after a stressful encounter, they all pour pure raw emotion into this more wholesome story about these two living and surviving together. It's a touching story that feels so much more powerful thanks to the way it is told, and it's awesome.
Neva's gameplay is rooted within 2D platforming and combat, which I felt it handles well. When you aren't running through the gorgeous environments, you will be jumping from platform to platform and climbing mountains. You can utilize double jumps and air dashes to get through, and the level design is pretty straightforward. It is satisfying, finding a nice balance to not make it too obnoxious or difficult to jump to.
Combat is also a bit on the simple side, but it breaks up the platforming really nicely. You have a basic attack, along with a down attack and dodge roll. As the game progresses, Neva will grow up and become more active in combat scenarios, attacking enemies in tandem with Alba. The way they will attack together is awesome to watch, and it feels great to fight and move around.
Alba can only take three hits before we hit the game over screen, and this does happen decently often. Especially in boss fights, which are great, it is easy to get hit three times and die. You can get health back by hitting enemies six times, but it is easy to get hit again and have to start all over. Neva is generous with checkpoints, and when I died, I wasn't too far away, and it wasn't a chore to get right back into the action.
Luckily, playing on the Steam Deck is just a treat.
Neva is flawless on the Steam Deck, and playing it on the OLED screen felt like a dream. The visuals are truly popping like this, and with a solid 90 FPS without changing any settings, we can experience the game in all of its glory. Playing it this way felt like a dream come true, and I can't see myself wanting to experience it any other way. Battery life is generally kept to around 8.5W - 9W, giving it over 7 hours of battery life on the OLED and over 5 hours on the LCD. I did encounter a few small stutters here and there, but nothing extreme that it really impacted my game time:
There isn't really any accessibility options. You can change rumble, audio sliders, and key rebindings, but that's it.
There is no 16:10 resolution support, but there are cloud saves and controller support! There are no HDR settings.
Neva is an outstanding short experience that wows on so many fronts. The visuals are extremely appealing and vibrant, while the story tells an emotional, wholesome tale that feels elevated thanks to telling it in a more unique way through actions versus dialogue. The gameplay is a bit simple, but it does the job for the scope of the game. And while I had some stopping points with the environment, it was ultimately worthwhile and didn't take too long to figure out.
It is also perfect to play on the Steam Deck, and I can't say that enough! This is an essential for your portable library, especially if you have an OLED screen.
Our review is based on the PC version of this game.
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Neva is a fantastic 2D platformer with breathtaking visuals, an emotional story, and near perfect performance on the Steam Deck.
