Review | “Niva is a masterpiece, just like its predecessor Grace.”

In 2018, I received an email from Praga asking if I’d like to review the indie game Gris for 9lives. I started the game on my Nintendo Switch with somewhat mixed feelings. I was immediately blown away by the gameplay, graphic style, and emotions that were thrown at me. Six years later, developer Nomada Studio has finally released its successor. You can read in this review whether the Neva also managed to make such a deep impression on me.

Why okay?

Wolfpack

When you first boot up Neva and play as its predecessor Gris, you’ll instantly feel at home. The beauty of the graphics literally jumps off your screen, especially now that I can play the game on my PS5. But there are also a lot of differences.

In this game we control another character: an unnamed girl wearing a distinctive red dress. Together with her loyal companion Neva, a mythical wolf/deer-like creature, we go on an adventure. However, the story begins with a completely tragic event where Neva’s father is killed by dark forces. This immediately sets the tone for an emotional journey through a beautiful but endangered environment.

A work of art

What sets Neva apart from other games is its stunning visual style. Yes, I can’t shut up about it, you’ll see that in the rest of this review. The hand-drawn, watercolor-like graphics are a real treat for the eyes and contribute to the game’s somber atmosphere.

The cool thing is that the game is divided into four main blocks: Seasons. Each season has its own visual style and you will recognize it immediately. During the fall, brown and yellow colors dominate, while in winter white and blue mainly appear on your screen. Every environment you pass through, from dark forests to bright open spaces, has been designed with care and detail. This shows the pride and skill of the developers from Barcelona.

The music also caught my throat a few times, just like with Grace. Once again, Berlinist is in charge of the soundtrack and I can only applaud that. This fits seamlessly with the emotions evoked while playing Neva.

With a drawn sword

The big difference with its predecessor Gris is that the Neva now also features combat. However, don’t expect deep combat combos, but rather neat mechanics. Dodging attacks and hitting at the right time is the key to success against the dark creatures that threaten the world of Neva. It’s a welcome addition and provides much-needed variety to the gameplay.

Furthermore, the gameplay combines classic platforming elements with puzzles that need to be solved. So you will have to do a lot of jumping, running and fighting to get through the different seasons. Our main character gets help from Neva’s unique abilities to overcome obstacles and defeat enemies.

Why not?

The puzzles are very easy

Just like its predecessor Grace, the Niva had me in its grip from minute one. Beautiful environments and relatively relaxed gameplay create a unique atmosphere. However, this definitely won’t appeal to everyone. The game is relatively slow and of course you have to be prepared for that. Fortunately, the battles add enough challenge, and that’s putting it mildly. It can be very hot!

Unfortunately, the same can’t be said for the puzzles you’re occasionally presented with. It’s relatively simple and, in my opinion, could have been a bit more challenging. I think the biggest difficulty is finding and accessing all the hidden items. About seven hours later, the Niva credits for this review appeared on my screen. As far as I’m concerned, that might be a little longer, but it’s definitely twice as tall as Gris.

How to play