Developer Nomada Studio is releasing its newest game about love and loss, Neva, on Oct. 15, 2024, as a follow-up to its highly popular Gris narrative.
Gris was a beautiful title that explored grief and was launched on Dec. 13, 2018. Following that release, Nomada Studio took a long break from developing any new game. Director Conrad Roset eventually thought of an idea for a new title during that time.
Neva's Take on Love and Loss
He suggested that the team could create a new game with a similar kind of experience to Gris but would introduce a new companion. This would allow players to connect with and also care for another character other than their own.
Lead producer Roger Mendoza was on board with the idea but warned that the companion should not be a four-legged animal. He noted that it was difficult to animate creatures that have a lot of legs, according to The Verge.
However, the director was actually able to make a case for Neva that featured a young woman going on an emotional journey accompanied by a magical fox creature. Mendoza said that the end result was worth the effort.
The new game is launching this week and will be available on PC, Nintendo Switch, Xbox, and PlayStation 5. Similar to Gris, Neva is a beautifully animated 2D adventure. The protagonist is a young woman, Alba, who cares for a young fox pup named Neva.
While the main characters are consumed with grief, life does not stop for them whatsoever. They can still feel the darkness itching at their backs and threaten to consume Neva's lush world, Polygon said.
Players will take control of Alba for the majority of the time that they play Neva. The young fox pup mostly follows your character around. You can simply push a button to have Alba call Neva out.
A Stunning and Immersive World
Neva showcases a traditional platforming adventure with simple combat mechanics that become much more complex as you progress through the story. The young pup acts like a puppy through and through and will run off into trouble given the chance.
The game will make full use of the PlayStation 5's unique features, such as taking advantage of the DualSense controller.
This would draw players into the game's visually stunning world. The developers want people to be as immersed as they can be in Neva's story along with its characters.
Whenever you engage in combat, Alba will command her wolf companion to attack enemies that she will not be able to handle alone. He is able to unleash a fury of teeth and claw-based attacks, according to the PlayStation Blog.
