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While playing Neva , I kept thinking that there were two spirits fighting to stand out in Nomada’s new work. The first is that of a more friendly game, closer to Gris , where the challenge is not the priority, but rather the contemplation of the beautiful images that the studio knows how to compose, leaving a lot of space to really internalize them. The second, on the other hand, is that of a game more focused on mechanics, which, like a son of Celeste , seeks to make you have fun with that perfect combination for a platformer: the jump + jump + dash combo and its multiple possibilities.
From this struggle, almost like in the game itself, where light and darkness face each other in an endless cycle, I think that the kinder side wins. And not because it lacks ideas. Neva knows how to reinvent itself even in its (I refuse to say scant) 5 hours of duration, making each season have its own personality, accompanied by its own puzzles and challenges. But except for a few moments where we can get optional collectibles, it never seeks to iterate on them or raise them to a new level of difficulty. It is not interested in deepening the gameplay loop or overwhelming the player.
It’s a respectable decision that has the advantage of giving the narrative more pace . Neva is played almost in one sitting, because it probably makes more sense to do so, and because Nomada’s intention with this game was probably for the mechanics to serve the story (or the theme), rather than the story serving the mechanics. The result is a game that almost goes without saying the obvious: it’s beautiful, but also fluid and very enjoyable to play.
And yet, I also think it’s more mechanical than Gris. There’s more interaction, more moments to press buttons. This is helped by combat that never wants to dominate, but also doesn’t want to seem forced by the action trends of the industry. Like everything in Neva, combat only exists while the ideas are flowing, and when they’re already explored, it’s put aside so that our journey continues. Thus, our protagonist, Alba , has a basic attack that is accompanied by a falling attack, but it’s in the combination with jumps and dashes , and in the moments when enemies harass you, where Nomada knows how to take the most advantage. Little by little, Neva, the white wolf that accompanies us, will grow and develop better in combat.
This journey, as I was saying, is a cycle that, through the four seasons of the year, allows us to observe the eternal struggle between light and darkness. Nothing particularly new, if we take into account that it also appeals to the animal affection that has been so lavished in the last decade of our media. But there is an intention behind it that the studio manages to convey without words, or at least with just one name: Neva. It is the idea of that vital cycle, almost paternal-filial, of protection and defenselessness, of dependence and independence, that surrounds the video game. And, like all silent works, it lets the narrative breathe so that we can adapt it to our own experience.
I have to admit, although it hurts, that the Switch version has fallen a little short for me. It’s nothing particularly serious, but the quality and, above all, the sharpness of the image suffer. Everything looks a little blurrier than it should, and there are also some jerks in the transitions that tarnish the smoothness that the game is known for. If you need Neva to be portable, go for it without any problem, but if this factor doesn’t matter to you, look for a version with higher definition.
I think that even if you’re not Neva’s target player, there’s nothing to criticize here. The visual design is perfect, with a unique color scheme that matches the season or the danger lurking around. The camera can be opened and closed at will, and the controls respond very well to the player’s actions. It will depend, therefore, on the experience you’re looking for. If you’re expecting its more platforming side, it might leave you wanting more. Each of its ideas is solid enough to be developed further, but it’s explored too quickly and feels like too little.
Some high points, like the Ori -like chases , don’t reach their full intensity because the game is rather forgiving of the player. But the thing is, that probably wasn’t Nomada’s intention. Instead, they’ve gone for the fluidity needed so that, in this eternal struggle against darkness, nothing holds you back for too long. And that’s fine. If Neva isn’t Celeste, it’s because they don’t want her to be.
- From the Spanish studio Nomada, creators of Gris.
- We control Alba, accompanied by Neva, a white wolf.
- The visual design remains gorgeous and unique.
- A more solid gameplay experience, with platforming, puzzle and combat mechanics.
- It is not especially difficult, nor does it dwell too deeply on its ideas.