Review: Neva (Switch) – A Raw, Engrossing Platformer That Looks Incredible

In the first of couple years of the Switch, one of the standout indie games was an artsy little platformer called GRIS, which combined simple gameplay with incredible visuals to make for a memorable and touching experience. It feels fitting, then, that developer Nomada Studio has managed to produce and release a spiritual successor called Neva in the twilight of the Switch’s lifespan, bookending its time in the spotlight with another artistic experience that very much carries on the essence of Gris and expands upon it in some notable ways. Though it won’t last you terribly long, Neva is a memorable, emotional, and beautiful adventure that we’d suggest you pick up as soon as you can.

The game follows the story of a lone swordswoman named Alba and her titular wolf companion, Neva. Their journey begins when the wolf is just a pup with the two of them and Neva’s mother exploring a beautiful landscape, only for the group to be accosted by a furious storm of shadow demons. They bravely hold their own, but the Neva’s mother is killed in the onslaught. Mourning the loss, Alba and Neva make it out relatively unscathed, and the two then set out on a long journey to fight back against the encroaching corruption that the shadow demons bring to the land.

It’s relatively light on plot, but what it lacks in nuance and dialogue, it more than makes up for in raw emotion. The heart and soul of this story is the wholesome, trusting relationship between Alba and her companion, and this is built upon in various passive ways through their actions. Things like Alba’s panicked cries for Neva when the dog disappears in a hostile environment, or when the two share a long hug after a stressful battle really go a long way in demonstrating how much they mean to each other, and this helps you become invested in their wellbeing. You can’t help but root for this duo, and you’re sure to feel that quick sting of fear every time Neva gets violently knocked down by a shadow beast. Nomada knows how to tug on the heartstrings and makes the most of Neva’s five-or-so-hour runtime.

Gameplay in Neva follows simple action-platforming principles, but there’s just enough challenge here to make for a thoroughly compelling experience. Most of your time will be spent navigating the gorgeous environments via light platforming challenges that often task you with avoiding the evil black roots brought on by the demons. Those of you hoping for gripping platforming gameplay may be a bit disappointed by the straightforward level design here, but there are still many surprising ways the developers get mileage out of Alba’s double jump or air dash. The platforming manages to be engaging — not too easy or too hard — and just when you’d like a change of pace, a small cadre of demons will attack you to help mix things up.

These battles are where the new combat system comes in, and it’s much the same as the platforming in nailing that simplistic elegance. Alba has a few basic combos, a drop attack, and a dodge roll, giving her a well-rounded (though limited) kit for dealing with foes. As you advance the narrative, Neva grows from a cutesy pup into a much mightier beast, granting you access to new moves like a teleport dash that can keep other enemies busy while you finish one off with your sword. They make an effective team, but the margins of error are slim given that Alba can take only three hits.

There’s a slight buffer here in that you can reclaim lost health if you perform well in combat, though this can sometimes be a tall order given that refilling one health cell requires landing about six blows on an enemy without taking any further damage. Considering that you can sometimes be attacked by a fair amount of foes at once, seeing the Game Over screen won’t be uncommon, but Neva is generous with its checkpoints and doesn’t make these delays too annoying. We found that combat added a lot to the gameplay loop, as it differentiates itself from and punctuates the platforming sections well, while also providing some of the game’s most memorable moments in boss fights.

Neva’s visuals are arguably its most alluring asset, immersing you in this serene and occasionally harrowing naturalistic world. We deeply appreciated how smoothly the colour palette would change to match new scenery or to highlight an emotional plot point, and the moments where the camera pulls back to show you a wide shot of the environment are sure to have you reaching for that capture button.

It’s no exaggeration to say that virtually every still of Neva looks like it leapt from a concept artist’s sketchbook in the best way possible. And though Neva is a very gently-paced experience that takes its time to allow you to take everything in, it also knows how to do spectacle right when the time calls for it.

These outstanding visuals are matched by an equally enchanting soundtrack that captures the beauty, intensity, and occasional horror of our duo’s righteous quest. The music typically plays things pretty cool with light strings and keys to help add some texture to the verdant world, but it also builds to some mighty crescendos to highlight big set pieces and story moments. We would very much recommend you play this one with headphones, as the audiovisual combination here immerses you in a way that few other games manage to achieve.

The only stumble in the presentation is the performance, which can slightly fall behind at times. Neva is far from a game that we would call choppy or even substandard, but there were moments — particularly when there was a lot of movement on screen — when we detected some frame drops. Typically, such small-scale performance issues would hardly merit discussion, but in a game as highly focused on its audiovisual presentation, such issues tend to stand out a bit more. We wouldn’t say that these frame drops warrant skipping the Switch version, but if you’re especially sensitive to frame rate and happen to own other hardware that can run Neva, you might consider picking it up there instead.

The only other complaint we have (again relatively minor) is that some may find it to be a little too short of an experience. A playthrough should last you about five hours, and while there’s some replayability between some in-game achievements and collectible flowers scattered throughout each level, this is still what we would call a one-and-done experience. Now, runtime isn’t everything, and we’d argue that Neva is a far more memorable, well-paced, and enjoyable experience than most platformers, but those of you looking for a game that’ll last a good while won’t find it here.

Conclusion

Neva is a spectacular example of art in motion, delivering a thoroughly engrossing platforming experience that’ll stick in your mind long after you’ve rolled credits. The incredible visuals, moving soundtrack, satisfying gameplay, and surprisingly touching story all come together to make for a game that shouldn’t miss. A few frame drops aside, if you’re looking for a new addition to your library that’ll give you something to savour rather than just consume, look no further than Neva.