Neva Reviews
Nomada Studios' sophomore release shows that lightning can indeed strike twice, as it's every bit as breathtaking as 2018's Gris.
Neva is one of the most beautiful games I’ve ever played, from the watercolour art style to the clever direction.
Neva is a beautiful platformer about nature and decay that takes Nomada Studio to the next level. The platforming and combat are imprecise enough to distract from a world of dangerous beauty - but not so much that you won't enjoy the journey.
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.
Like the previous game, Neva is a delight to the eye and a real hug to the soul. Nomada Studio bets this time on a story with small doses of action, and it's as touching as Gris, but it never leaves its own path. Everything, from the sounds of the forest to Alba's swords, feels delicate. It's a rich world you'll never want to leave.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
NEVA is pure emotion, an audiovisual delight that conquers the playable plane with the blow of a sword to offer an adventure more archetypal and standardized than GRIS, but equally loaded with beauty, meaning and feeling.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Neva may not be the most complex 2D platformer, but it still might make you cry.
Neva offers a unique, spiritual journey through life’s complexities. While the narrative leaves some elements open to interpretation, its grounded aspects make the characters relatable. Though brief, the adventure is full of memorable moments that will captivate you with each step toward its wonderful conclusion. The emotional and thought-provoking journey blends captivating storytelling with immersive gameplay to deliver a truly special experience.
It's an evocative story that is beautifully told and has plenty of heart, and one that feels increasingly relevant in the context of the world that we live in.
Neva is a Ghibli-esque adventure of torture, triumph, and friendship that won’t fail to tug on your heart strings. Combining beautiful visuals, with precise platforming and combat that coats every action you make with endless heart, it’s easily one of the best games of the year and by far my favourite indie of 2024. I’ve never felt so emotionally attached to an animal companion – which is thanks to the carefully crafted bond Nomada Studios built between the wolf and the girl, and by extension, the player; none of them made me want to take as big a leap as the ones I took to protect her. My only criticism of Neva is that I won’t be able to play it for the first time again; but the memory will stay with me forever.
These gameplay moments and the parts where every aspect of the experience comes together to work in harmony aren't quite common enough. We wish some mechanics stuck around for longer, but it does keep the experience fresh and consistently exciting, making Neva another hit from the small Barcelona-based studio.
Some works leave a deep impression on you. After the excellent Gris, Nomada has succeeded for a second time in making a condensed game that will nevertheless leave a lasting impression on those who venture into it. It's hard not to compare it with the studio's previous title, so similar are they in some ways. But Neva has a personality of its own. It tackles other themes, just as universal and with an evocative force that goes straight to the heart. We want more, just a little bit more, to close this never-ending story with the feeling that we've really reached the end of what the game can tell us. This doesn't detract from the pleasure of traversing the sublime scenery of this dreamlike world, in the company of this little she-wolf whom we quickly fall in love with. Neva will definitely find its place in the hearts of all gamers.
Review in French | Read full review
Neva is an adventure game that is both beautiful and entertaining, but on an emotional level it doesn't quite come close to Gris.
Review in German | Read full review
Neva is a visually brilliant, emotionally rich experience that celebrates life, nature, and the strong bonds of parenthood. A wonderful one-of-a-kind experience.
Nomada Studios has truly cemented their place in the indie landscape as a representative of how video games are a strong narrative medium. They do this through beautifully crafted animation, vibrant backgrounds, and a whimsical yet powerful soundtrack. Every element of Neva perfectly encapsulates the immersive experience of the player, from story to gameplay, resulting in Neva standing tall in the face of its predecessor, Gris, as its own masterpiece.
Neva is a profoundly moving, interactive work of art. It's as pleasing to the eye as it is the ear, and the effort this still young studio has gone to in developing upon ideas cemented in their first game, Gris, is commendable. Without eclipsing it, Neva matches the stirring catharsis of Gris with another flash of brilliance.
Beneath a simple gameplay concept and a stunning watercolour facade, Neva is a finely-tuned example of design and emotional storytelling.
Neva is beautifully crafted and deeply emotional, making for one of the most touching and exquisite games of the year. I loved the growing companionship between Alba and her cute wolf pal, as they evolved from hesitant adventurers into confident allies. The visuals are simply breathtaking, with a stunning watercolour aesthetic and lovely little details in its animations. On top of that, combat is satisfying and just varied enough as new abilities get added into the mix. Though it may be a relatively short adventure, Neva leaves a lasting impression that will stay with you long after the credits roll.
Neva is Nomada studio's new gem that chronicles the stages of life as the world decays around you. It does not reach the heights of drama of GRIS, but it surpasses it in complexity of game systems, setting itself as a step forward for the Spanish studio, which has found its way and knows how to stamp its trademark.
Review in Italian | Read full review
After Gris, Nomada Studio tries again with Neva, another short video game experience that reminds us why video games are, in all respects, a form of art. A true pearl as regards the artistic direction, between oriental landscapes and a highly refined audio section, but also a title with simple and solid gameplay, suitable for all ages and all gamers. It's difficult not to be moved and not to be carried away. A handful of hours of pure poetry.
Review in Italian | Read full review