Among the litany of games revealed at the showcase wasNeva, the next project from developer Nomada Studio, the team behind 2018 gemGris.That game was one of the few to come to Nintendo Switch before other home consoles, and helped to cement Nintendo’s machine as one that is perfectly suited to indie and smaller budget titles. The developer’s upcoming offering iscoming to the PlayStation 5 in 2024, and already looks to have captured the charm of the game that preceded it, as so much of that game’s quality was in the way it looked.
Gris' art style was its drawing factor, as the game looked as good—or even better—than it did to play. It’s a side-scrolling platformer that handled the topic of depression and grief in a way that wasn’t overt, nor too cryptic. Its art was a perfect vessel to show this, andGrismanaged to visually stand out in a year that includedThe Return of the Obra Dinn,Tetris Effect, andThe Messenger.While this would suggest thatNevais in the best spot to replicate its beauty, it could prove to be underwhelming if it doesn’t live up to what has come before. The standard has been set very high, andNevahas a lot to do to meet it.
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Gris Wears its Art on Its Sleeve
The gameplay ofGrisis solid, and it does well to conjure a great story, but much of what makes it special can be seen immediately, even from promotional material. The washed-out, pastel color palette is stunning and its artist, Conrad Roset, serves as the game’s director, so it’s little wonder that the art is deeply intertwined with the game’s overall quality. The reliance on color seems to be something thatNevais using to its advantage, too, which is one of the reasons it was a highlight of the May 24 presentation in which it was formally announced.
However, due to its predecessor, those lofty expectations exist, which could give the game the sales it needs to be a commercial success, but should it not be as beautiful as what came before it could be unfairly overly criticized for it.HavingGris' legacy to live up tocould be a very difficult shadow to break out of, andNevahas to do something special with its story, presentation, tone, or characters if it wants to not only achieve the standard set, but find a way to surpass it.
Neva Could Separate Itself from Gris
Nevapromises to be an evocative adventure, which is little surprise given its pedigree. However, the art presented in the cinematic trailer may bear resemblances toGris, but it seems to do enough to make it stand out on its own. It won’t likely be connected in any way outside of being a spiritual successor, so launching on aPS5 that is already dominating the marketcould put it in a good position to flourish with gamers who have yet to giveGrisa try.
People will undoubtedly be interested inNevabecause of itsconnection toGris, which could work massively in its favor. However, the latter’s art is gorgeous, but also progressive as the story becomes more enveloped in color the further it goes on, andNevawill have to find a new way to make the aesthetics more than skin deep in a way that doesn’t tread on the toes of what has come before. It’s a hard line to tread, but one that if navigated well could makeNevaone of the best games of 2024.
Nevalaunches 2024 on PC, PS5, Switch, and Xbox Series X/S.
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