The Indie Informer

Neva was one of my favorite games in 2024. So, the surprise reveal of a DLC last week sparked a fire of anticipation. I wanted to revisit Nomada Studio’s transcendent world and experience the first blooms of its protagonists’ relationship. Neva: Prologue did offer a new, more somber view of the game that’s worth exploring, even if its vibrancy felt dimmed.

I sighed contentedly as the intro cutscene rolled across my screen, with all the hand-painted glory of the first. Two hours later, I watched the credits satisfied, though maybe less thrilled. The prologue centers around Alba and Neva’s first meeting — an encounter already infused with a bite, knowing how it will end.

And moments in this game recaptured the echo of my original appreciation. The developers have an unerring talent for shaping glorious settings. From mucky swamps to vast halls, the locations impress. They also deftly paint the meeting between our heroes, ensuring my immediate bond with the little pup. I wanted to protect Neva against all threats from the moment I saw it.

Fresh gameplay elements caressed me like a welcome breeze. An enemy I’ve decided to call “puffers” launched me into the air, sending me soaring towards fights and safety alike. Another self-christened addition, “the hall of light and dark,” gifted me with some of the most creative platforming and boss fights in the franchise.

That said, this prologue feels heavier in some unfortunate ways. The locations may feature scale and breadth; however, the damped tone colors them with a dim brush. Neva remains a cub throughout the DLC and so offers no advantages to offset its burden. Several sections require me to carry the creature while running from deadly threats. The timing was obviously, bespokely, crafted around my encumbered state. Still, restricting my speed and jumping didn’t feel great, even if it was well calculated.

Neva: Prologue‘s scale — with creativity and evocativeness on one side and restrictions and murkiness on the other — balances out to a solid experience.