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When it comes to video games, I'm quite picky. I love story-driven RPGs and that's the genre I'm most attracted to. But sometimes, these RPGs with their 100+ hour playtime can feel like a lot, and I need a break from them. Recently, when I completed my ninth playthrough of Baldur's Gate 3 and was on the character creation screen once again to start another one, I stopped myself. It was time for a change.
So I did what most of us do when we don't know what to play next: I browsed the deals section of the PlayStation Store on my PS5 Slim. That's when I came across a 2D side-scrolling game called Neva, which is currently down to just $9 / £7 from $19 / £16 on the PS Store, and I pulled the trigger and bought it. It's one of the best decisions I've ever made. And at this week's State of Play, its prequel was announced (dropping on February 19), so now is the perfect time to play it!
Neva is a puzzle-platformer with barely any dialog, where the beautiful art design and stunning music do the talking for the game. It conveys a lovely story which you only understand when you reach the end, and it may drive you to tears — I sobbed like a baby. Should you play Neva? Yes, and then play it again, and again. Let me tell you why (minor spoilers alert!).
An existential game that keeps you guessing
Neva is a beautiful story told through no words. The only time your character, called Alba, speaks is when she's calling out for her wolf, Neva, and even then, all she says is the wolf's name. Alba and Neva venture through perspective-shifting and occasionally trippy landscapes that are nothing short of stunning. The music is just as gorgeous, ramping up into semi-rock ballads when enemies are upon you.
The world is plagued by darkness and formless masked creatures but you never find out how or why they came about to be — but your goal is to rid the world of them with your sword and your wolf by your side. You watch the world succumb to the darkness as you go through the four seasons, with each "act" named Summer, Fall, Winter and Spring. Birds fall from the sky, flowers bloom black, animals die and their bodies are taken over by the masked demons.
Neva revolves around parenthood and the emotional bond you can develop with animals. It's similar to existential games like Endling, another fantastic, soul-crushing game where the world has been destroyed by humankind's greed and capitalism. Through no words, Neva conveys a heart-wrenching story of loss, as the opening sequence features a very sad scene (that I won't disclose lest I spoil it for you) — and yes, I was crying within the first 10 minutes of playing the game.
All about looking after one another
Alongside being about parenthood, Neva is all about looking after one another. Your wolf, Neva, starts out as a cub, and is clumsy and easily distracted, like a little puppy. She'll grab on to leaves and follow butterflies, and you must take her to feeding spots to ensure she's getting sufficient nourishment.
When you jump a big gap and she follows you, she nearly falls off the ledge so you must grab her and soothe her. Yes, you can pet Neva — you can even have a little cuddle with her once you've progressed through the first level! While the first few levels revolve around you looking after Neva, she eventually grows up and gets attacks of her own, and she starts having your back. She can tackle enemies and objects by teleporting (she's magical), and aid you in battle by sneaking up on the demons.
Utilizing Neva and spending time with her contributes towards earning trophies on the PS5. For instance, one of them requires you to soothe her in a certain level, and another sees you calling out her name a few times. You're dependant on Neva and her survival is semi-dependant on you. I grew quite attached to Neva and I wanted to pet her as much as I could — the game does an excellent job of giving you a sense of responsibility.
Buttery smooth platforming
To traverse the ever-changing landscape where trees become blackened and break off, you must jump, double jump and dash over obstacles and to ensure you don't fall to your death. Alongside platforming, there are plenty of puzzles you must solve, and these are all well-thought out and designed. They never feel repetitive — and they can't, really, given that Neva has a completion time of just over three hours.
If you're squeamish about blood or gore, you don't have to worry about that with this game. Death scenes in Neva aren't like those in most other games. There's no blood when your character dies. Instead, you and any other creature who falls gets covered in black flowers. I also like that you can choose the Story Mode difficulty which makes it impossible for Alba to die, resulting in a more relaxed experience focussing on the narrative.
The storytelling, combined with the music, artsy graphics, and the narrative revolving around parenthood, may have you guessing the ending. I did too, and I thought I had it figured out, but as the last cutscene played, nothing could have prepared me for it. All I could do was sob into my hands.... and then revisit the chapters to Platinum it (and Platinum it, I did).
Neva: The Prologue drops on February 19, and you'd best believe that I will be getting it day one. If you want to play Neva now, and I highly recommend that you do, you can grab it for just $9 / £7 at the PlayStation Store. Neva is also available on PC, macOS, Nintendo Switch, PS4 and Xbox Series X|S.
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