Howl’s moving battle.
Forgive me reader, but I’m going to reference a tweet.
- but which is kind of beside the point anyway).
Neva review
But it’s an interesting thought at least: what counts as legitimate influence?
Where’s the line between being inspired by something and just plain aping it?
But more specifically, and more interestingly, it’s the cycle of parenthood as life moves on.
“I have my children, and I have my parents.
You begin at first as a protector.
In the opening sequence an adult, wolf-stag guardian creature is slain by this rising threat.
Even from such a simple, frequently distant side-on vantagepoint, Neva (the creature) is wonderfully realised.
Cub-Neva is paradoxically timid and bold, in that way our human cubs can be.
As things progress, however, Nomada walks things back a bit.
Still, that’s effective enough.
Neva is just five hours long, plus a bit extra for completionists.
It’s light-touch and quick to move, sailing forward unburdened and with ample narrative momentum.
Staircases shift; obelisks rise and fall; floating, circular walkways rotate.
It’s also precise, mercifully, as the challenges can be exacting at times.
The frequent position you’ll find yourself in is simply: huh, how do I get aroundthat?
(Sometimes the puzzle-platforming is a bit more elaborate, but the frequent solution is just: skill).
But then it comes to something of an abrupt halt.
It’s worth emphasising that all of this is just exquisitely, relentlessly pretty.
Those darkest moments are naturally where the combat becomes its most intense.
The result is something straddling the line between tightly focused and just a tad repetitive.
I feel obliged to decide which it is, but really it’s simply both.
I have some quibbles, mind.
Hitboxes on some enemies are frustratingly vague.
My other quibble comes back to that very first point.
What are Neva’s inspirations?
It’s certainly inspired by Ghibli’s green fields and oily, corruptive demons.
Thankfully, Neva’s winter act is its saviour.
Clusters of basic enemies are more menacing, without adult Neva’s health-restoring howls between fights.
It’s a simple trick, but an effective one.
It’s also only a relatively brief sequence, compared to the game’s other seasons.
But I think it’s just about enough.
Neva could do more.
But it still brings inspiration of its own.
In other words, that original Cronenburg question maybe just slightly misses the point.
Everyone has contemporary reference points, after all.
A copy of Neva was provided for review by Devolver.
