Gris stands as one of my all-time favourites. It transcended the typical platformer, an emotionally minimalist story coated in an unmatched visual panache. If all those big words appeal to you but you’d much prefer some combat with your puzzle platforming, then do I have some good news for you. The same team behind Gris are almost ready to release their follow-up, and I had a chance to check out its first hour of gameplay.
Neva introduces another otherworldly story, of a young woman and a wolf cub who must work together to traverse a beautiful yet tragic land. Having survived an opening sequence that left me a little teary eyed, you set out with sword in hand across lush landscapes hiding a dark, deadly force that wants to destroy everything in its path. As Nomada Studio previously established in Gris, environmental storytelling is the key and there’s plenty of that within the opening moments of Neva to set the tone.
Unsurprisingly, there’s a lot of Gris within the early moments of Neva. Quiet and calm jogging through open fields, hopping across gentle platforms with your friendly cub following you along. It’s as beautifully orchestrated as Nomada Studio’s debut title, stunning environments you just want to marvel at. But it doesn’t take long for the game’s true nature to reveal itself, black gangly arms and creatures mimicking Spirited Away’s No-Face make their presence known. It forces our heroine to unleash sword swinging vengeance, leading us across more deadly environments and a hint of puzzle solving.
Well hello there
What made Gris so successful was its sense of simplicity and accessibility, and Neva does follow a similar blueprint despite the more traditional inclusions. Traversing the dark forests takes a bit of timing, especially in dodging shadow branches to reach platforms further out, but it’s hardly a tricky prospect. Abilities are kept to a minimum, a double jump here and a dodge there, and it feels as fluid as the animation itself. The sword feels good to swing too, with the ability to dive down onto enemies below, and the dodge can be used mid-air which is an effective touch in both traversal and monster slashing.
Though there’s a lack of hit markers when fighting bigger bosses, the fights themselves are balanced and lack frustration so long as your timing is on point. I did find myself dying on occasion while attempting to understand enemy attack patterns, eventually synching in after a run or two. Your health bar is denoted by three stars along the bottom of the screen, and a couple of quick hits can regain a star if you lose one.
What this demo doesn’t include is the grander, more interesting interactions you’ll have with Neva the wolf cub later in the game. A quick peek at the most recent trailer does give some of that away, but early on the cub is a little too small and uncertain about the world around it to become an ally in combat. You do have a dedicated call button, allowing you to reach out to Neva at any time, and the barks in reply are as cute as you would expect. Hopefully it won’t take too long into the final release for Neva to come into its own, but the initial interactions show how deep the connection between the two protagonists already is – I’ve only just met them and I’m pretty sure I’d do anything for Neva.
Gris vibes abound in some of the platform designs too
Neva simply can’t come soon enough. It shot to the top of my most anticipated games when it was first announced, and now we’re one step closer to a full release and my thoughts have only strengthened. It’s a startlingly realised world full of colour and wonder even at this early stage, one that evolves Gris’ perfectly produced design into an experience that should appeal to a broader player base. Side note, I really hope they make Neva plushies.
Neva launches later this year on PC and console via publisher Devolver Digital. Stay tuned for updates on its release date announcement and our eventual review.
Previewed on PC // Preview code supplied by publisher
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