What does it mean to oversee another life?
A child, a pet someone whos entirely dependent on you for nurturing and care.
And as that life grows and takes on new meaning beyond you,how do let go?
Devolver Digital; Nomada Studio
These are the key questions behind the artsy new indie gameNeva, out Oct. 15.
From the onset,Nevais a tearjerker.
Quickly, the corruption spreads, taking corporeal shape and overpowering Alba and her wolf.
In the end, the wolf is slain, leaving Alba comfort and care for Neva.
Together, theyre what remains of this family.
Nevais a game of profound beauty.
And most impressively, it does so while being almost completely devoid of speaking.
In tow is Neva, who begins the game as a pup, wholly dependent on Alba to lead.
If she falls, Alba can comfort her.
Moment-to-moment, Neva serves to assist in combat, chomping on corrupted monsters or strengthening Albas sword strikes.
Overall, the gameplay is solid, if shallow.
Missteps can be costly, but theres little penalty to dying as combat sequences will simply start over.
The real danger isnt whats actually happening but the implicit dread of seeing Neva get hurt.
As a pup, shes vulnerable and can be pinned down by fiends.
Her high-pitched yelps will instantly trigger an evolutionary response in all but the most sociopathic of players.
Neva cant even die, but itfeelslike she can.
But the storyisa hopeful one, although heavy on melancholy.
One could hope not, but its clear how these things go.
Theres a sanguine sadness to the game thats inescapably painful.
Part of it is the visuals, supported heavily by the score composed bymusical trio Berlinist.
These moments are infrequent, but well-earned, narratively and emotionally.
Critics might say thatNevais a game running entirely on vibes, and thats true to a degree.
Its gameplay is tight, but simple.
Its puzzles are inventive, but not overly complex.
InNeva, it only takes a single cry.
Nevais available now on PlayStation 4 & 5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, and PC.
