Review #014 – Neva

Although I instantly fell in love with the game’s watercolour aesthetic — seriously, this game is absolutely stunning — I was a little unsure about it after the first half-hour. It gets so much better and more engaging once it starts introducing more platforming and combat scenarios though, and I ended up really enjoying it.

The narrative follows a young woman and her wolf-companion as their serene world is slowly being taken over by an ugly, black, parasitic plague. Throughout the adventure their companionship will grow which not only serves as good plot exposition, but affects both combat and traversal as well.

It’s not an overly difficult game but it’s a satisfying and beautiful 4-hour campaign. I really like how its colour pallet changes throughout the seasons, going from summertime greens/purples to the orange hues of autumn. It’s almost worth seeing just for the art alone but luckily the gameplay keeps its end of the bargain too.