From the first trailer, I knew Neva was going to be a moving experience. Nomada Studio’s previous game, Gris, was a poignant exploration of grief and the impact it can have on a person, told through the perspective of a young girl who had just lost her mother. Neva explores the bonds between families through a different but emotional lens: parenthood.
Alba and Neva’s relationship mirrors the mother/child relationship for most of the game. Wolves start out as small cubs curious about the world and ready to explore, and eventually grow into powerful protectors whose abilities are equal to those of their mothers. From there, the two battle the plague affecting the world, with Neva learning new abilities each season.
This journey of growth includes some of the strongest voice acting seen in a video game this year. But unlike dialogue-filled games like Final Fantasy VII Rebirth and Metaphor: ReFantazio, Neva achieves this feat with a much smaller script. Only one word was spoken throughout the five hour adventure.
Neva’s control scheme is standard fare for action platformers. One button to attack, one button to jump, one button to dodge, etc. However, the control scheme includes a button specifically designated for calling the Neva. No matter what you’re doing or where you are, just press and Alba will say “Neva” and call you the good wolf girl.
The mechanics have their uses – you can call Neva to the side if she’s far away or tell her to jump onto a ledge – but they mostly exist for the player’s enjoyment. Calling Neva usually results in Alba scratching her companion slightly behind the ears. That is, on the Neva you can pet a dog.
The biggest contribution to the story, and what sends Neva into the upper tier of voice actors in 2024, is the emotion Alba conveys with each button press. When there is little danger around and Neva is sniffing or just standing still, Alba’s voice is calm, loving and light. The character’s love for his companion is especially conveyed when an adorable head scratch is followed by sounds of joy from both characters.
However, if you press the button at a more urgent moment, Alba’s voice many It’s heavier. There was a sense of urgency and panic in her phone call. Her anxieties and fears come to the surface, and all it takes is a change of pace. It’s a powerful feature, and even in busy situations it’s more valuable than using the call button.
There are moments in particular that highlight just how effective this voice acting is. Alba and Neva are separated, and the player must become Alba and go through a dangerous maze to reunite with the wolf. Throughout this endeavor, pressing the call button causes Alba to let out a cry of pure terror, screaming helplessly into the void to find her lost companion. The fear of the unknown is palpable, and I begin to feel Alba’s anxiety as I hear her call the wolf’s name.
Now putting Alba’s function to call the Neva on a button is not without its pitfalls. By doing this, Nomada took the risk that some players would not be able to hear the excellent voice work because they would be too focused on the on-screen action to attack and dodge to press the call button.
But Nomada has done a great job of training us to keep that in mind through the aforementioned mechanism, where Alba uses her invocation to summon Neva to her side. Players now know that they can summon Neva by calling on her, so once the two are separated, it’s natural to press the button to see if it works, and if it doesn’t, keep trying in the hope that it might work. at last.
Anyone who has been caring for a child at a store, a theme park, or even in their own home and has not seen that child can relate to this paralyzing fear, uncertainty, and doubt. Alba felt pure relief when she found Neva sitting happily on the platform without a care in the world, as if nothing had happened. Kids these days!
Neva is a profound analysis of parenthood and all the twists and turns that come with it. The vivid emotions are best conveyed through Cristina Peña’s voice acting, and having Alba’s voice under the player’s control is even more effective. Nomada Studio deserves a lot of credit for finding a way to convey the complexities of being a caregiver, and even more credit for doing it in one word.
Best results for 2024:
