3.5/5 ★ – Elesh's review of Neva.

Neva is a lovely action platformer made by Nomada Studio, previously known for Gris, where you play as a nameless warrior taking care of an adorable little wolf cub named Neva. The platforming is simple yet fun and responsive. I really, genuinely loved finding the secrets and doing the moderately difficult platforming to get where you needed to go. The tools weren't super complex - double jump, dash, and attack, with some environmental components you can take advantage of as well - but they were just enough to let you do a lot of cool and fun stuff. The combat was similarly simple, but I think it left a bit to be desired. It wasn't bad, but didn't really feel like it added much. On the contrary, I have absolutely nothing but good to say about the game's visuals and soundtrack. Neva is unquestionably one of the most beautiful and colourful games ever made. It was pure spectacle with amazing use of light, colour, and reflections accompanied by an absolutely gorgeous soundtrack. It was a marvel for the eyes and ears. The game's plot was left mostly to your imagination, as you progressed through the game's stages with short cutscenes to offer small bits of context. Even by the end I still wasn't entirely sure what was happening, I was mostly driven by the desire to protect and care for Neva. That was the heart and soul of the experience for me, and my primary motivation. I don't want to spoil the specifics, but it is hard to talk about my experience with Neva without at least laying out how the game's ending impacted me. And, unfortunately, the game's ending really undermined the entire experience, leaving me feeling as though my entire journey was for nothing. It just left me feeling bitter about my entire playthrough. I hate that that's the case, but it really is. I still consider the game to be a good game, and the visuals are truly awe-inspiring... but the ending just really left me on a sour note. And I think that will likely be what I remember most, more than any of the good.