Game reviews / Neva
Neva
2024 · PC · Mac · Nintendo Switch · PlayStation 4 · PlayStation 5 · Xbox Series X|S · Action-adventure · Platformer · Puzzle
3 scored sources · 2 countries contributing scores
Review consensus
Neva is a compact, emotionally charged action-platformer built around the evolving bond between Alba and her wolf companion. Critics consistently praise its hand-painted visuals, expressive animation, evocative soundtrack, and largely wordless storytelling, which give the four-season journey considerable emotional force. Platforming, puzzles, combat, and boss encounters provide more variety and challenge than Nomada Studio’s previous work, while frequent checkpoints keep frustration manageable. The main reservations are its roughly five-hour runtime, occasional performance issues on Switch, and mechanics that sometimes disappear before they are fully developed. Overall, Neva is an unusually polished and affecting short-form adventure.
Limited geographic coverage. Treat this score as an early indication.
Last researched: 2026-09-19
Pros
- Beautiful, painterly art direction and animation
- Moving wordless story centered on Alba and Neva
- Excellent soundtrack and audiovisual presentation
- Satisfying mix of platforming, puzzles, combat, and boss fights
Cons
- Short campaign of approximately five hours
- Some mechanics are introduced and abandoned quickly
- Minor performance drops on Nintendo Switch
- Narrative leaves parts of its world open to interpretation
Review sources
3 sources found across 2 countries. This is not exhaustive worldwide coverage.
- CGMagazine · Canada · 95/100
- Nintendo Life · United Kingdom · 90/100
- Push Square · United Kingdom · 90/100