If you were a fan of the game’s developing bond between Alba and Neva, the DLC should be right up your alley. This time, Neva’s mother is an absolutely adorable cub who is quite quick to jump into Alba’s arms in the trailer, although you must earn her trust before your budding friendship reaches that stage.

There are going to be plenty of opportunities to do so, however, as the pair will explore three new locations with new challenges, gameplay mechanics, new enemies, and five hidden challenge flowers for those of you looking for a test of your skills. Oh, and don’t get us started on the new boss designs that were showcased. They’re quite impressive and intimidating all at once.

The music is shaping up to be as good as the base as well. All in all, Neva: Prologue looks like it’s going to be a treat for those of you who’ve beaten the original and want new content added to a world that has stayed with us ever since we first visited it. You can check out the release trailer for yourself below. Just be prepared for a cuteness overload when you see the young wolf!

This is when she was still a pup, and in her frightened state, she’s not too keen on immediately trusting the human. What follows is their initial journey together, traveling through three new locations and facing off against new enemies. While it’s best appreciated after finishing the base game, Neva: Prologue is a standalone DLC with its own unique mechanics and bosses.

So, for those who didn’t get their challenge’s worth in the base game, it should offer a more substantial experience. It’s launching for PS4, Xbox Series X/S, PS5, PC, and Nintendo Switch, with more details to be revealed soon.

In the meantime, check out our review for the original Neva here. We gave it a nine out of ten, praising the art direction (which looks just as good as Gris, if not better in places), the environmental design and the storytelling. A few nagging criticisms include Summer feeling somewhat slow-paced and a slow Summer season, but it’s an otherwise accomplished experience.

PS4 offerings will also see expansion, with the addition of Monster Hunter Stories (PS4) and Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin (PS4) just a month before the release of Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection. Other games coming to the subscription service are racing game Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown (PS5), narrative action adventure games Neva (PS5) and Season: A Letter to the Future (PS4, PS5), indie title Venba (PS5), and sports game Rugby 25 (PS4, PS5). These games will be available for PlayStation Extra and Premium tier subscribers. The PlayStation Classics catalog will see the addition of Disney Pixar Wall-E (PS4, PS5), which was originally released on PS2 in 2008.

Along with this, Sony has also confirmed new additions to its PlayStation Plus Classics catalog for next month. The line-up, only available to Premium tier subscribers, includes PSP fighting game Tekken Dark Resurrection, and PlayStation classic rail shooter Time Crisis, as caught by Gematsu.

This announcement comes just a few days after rumors first popped up of Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 coming to the subscription service. The 2023 action-adventure title revolves around Peter Parker and Miles Morales taking on a host of new foes from Spider-Man’s rogues’ gallery. A key element of the story is the presence of the Symbiote.

While Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 coming to the service makes sense given its 2023 release date, Monster Hunter Stories and its sequel coming to PlayStation Plus is especially interesting since the third game in the turn-based RPG franchise is slated for release on March 13th.

While the Stories series has largely focused on telling their own standalone stories (no pun intended), they tend to have a throughline in the form of their combat systems that blend the traditional Monster Hunter gameplay loop with turn-based action with an emphasis on befriending monsters as well as fighting them.

For those looking to check out Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection before release, a demo was released earlier this month offering some early-game sections. Capcom has also confirmed that players will be able to carry over their progress into the full game when it finally comes out.

Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection also got a trailer earlier this week, offering an overview of the story and the history of the Riders. The trailer features narration by Elizabeth Rose Bloodblame of Hololive English, and focuses quite a bit on the bonds between Riders and their Monsties (Monster Besties). Along with the wide roster of monsters that the series is known for, Stories 3 will also feature newer ones from Monster Hunter Wilds, like Rey Dau and Arkveld. Among the returning monsters, Monster Hunters 2‘s Yama Tsukami has also been confirmed for the game.

Released in 2023, the sequel follows both Peter Parker and Miles Morales as they battle various new threats, including the Symbiote and Venom. The former eventually falls victim to its influence, resulting in new powers and a much more vicious attitude. You can also look forward to new abilities, collectibles, and activities alongside fresh locations. With over 11 million copies sold, this would be a great deal for anyone who hasn’t already dived in.

Other notable releases supposedly include Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown, an open-world racer from KT Racing. Despite facing middling reviews at launch, it’s been updated with several new features and content. Believe it or not, it’s currently in the middle of Season 5, which added several new vehicles, car resale, and taxi missions to the Contracts.

There’s also Neva from Nomada Studio (of Gris fame), which will reportedly be available for PS4 and PS5 players. Check out our review for the title, which offers a narratively rich and aesthetically gorgeous side-scrolling adventure.

Other titles are bound to be announced though, including more PlayStation Classics for Premium subscribers, so stay tuned for the official announcement.

Though Neva is a capable wolf companion, she starts as a pup when your adventure begins in Summer and requires protection. From the outset, Alba has a sword and can double-jump, air dash and dodge roll. As the seasons pass and Neva gains power, you can augment attacks with her energy and even command her to attack other enemies.

Neva offers more action and precision platforming than Gris, but you can adjust the difficulty by opting for Story Mode. There are also various accessibility features for a more seamless experience. It’s also not a very long game, requiring four to five hours, though there are some optional collectibles to discover. For more of our thoughts, check out our review.

Neva is about the titular wolf pup, who travels alongside Alba as a mysterious corruption engulfs the land, ruining its plants and wildlife. Players control Alba, initially protecting Neva from the corruption’s festering creatures. As the seasons pass and the wolf matures, the duo works together to navigate the shifting terrain, becoming closer and facing the darkness head-on.

Like the studio’s previous title, Gris, Neva utilizes a hand-drawn art style, with each season represented in startling visual detail. Its platforming is more challenging, and there’s more extensive combat, with Alba using a sword to fight and eventually commanding Neva to tackle foes. Check out our review (we gave it a nine out of 10) for more details.

Nomada may have found the answer with Neva, a story about a woman named Alba and the titular wolf, Neva, as they venture through the seasons and fight back against a mysterious force. It encompasses many of Gris’s moods – grief, acceptance, and ultimately moving on – but also focuses on family and nature. The results are stunning to behold, and even if it doesn’t venture too far outside of the action platforming box, Neva delivers an emotional tale with stunning aesthetics.

"Nomada Studio describes the game as a “love song dedicated to our children, our parents, and our planet,” yet the circle of life – and the meaning that you ascribe to it – is also a strong recurring theme."

The story begins with Alba walking with Neva’s mother in the Summer when a strange corruption suddenly falls across the land. Birds fall out of the sky, afflicted with rotting flowers, and a flood of darkness assails them. Alba is knocked unconscious and ultimately survives – unfortunately, the mother isn’t so lucky. As she grieves for her friend, it’s revealed that Neva still lives, and thus, the two begin their journey through the seasons.

Like with Gris, questions emerge, including the nature of the darkness. I won’t posit too many theories in favor of avoiding spoilers, but suffice it to say that Nomada Studio’s narrative takes a slightly different route than expected. It describes the game as a “love song dedicated to our children, our parents, and our planet,” yet the circle of life – and the meaning that you ascribe to it – is also a strong recurring theme.

Neva’s story runs through Summer, Fall, Winter, and Spring, divided further into parts. Initially, the wolf pup follows Alba and requires protection as the darkness attempts to take her at nearly every turn. However, she slowly grows into a powerful companion, capable of attacking enemies and even acting as a seeking projectile to hold them in place or destroy crumbling objects. It’s also interesting to see the shift in her demeanor from a pup frightened and seeking shelter away from Alba to ultimately standing tall alongside her, ready to face battle.

As the darkness spreads, the world changes. Summer is straightforward enough and serves to build the bond between Alba and Neva, but Fall – ironically focused more on climbing and ascending – is where things get serious. The game’s platforming slowly increases in difficulty as you start timing dashes and double jumps, hanging and climbing from white vines on cliff sides and dealing with shattering rocks to venture forth.

"Combat is perhaps the biggest evolution compared to Gris. Wielding a sword, players can execute three-hit combos, dodge-rolling, air-dashing, and plunging attacks from on high."

While Gris felt decidedly more adventure-focused, Neva dabbles slightly with precision platforming to excellent results. You will venture through portals, reacting quickly from falling to dashing and resetting dashes into jumps. One section even plays with mirrors, requiring you to watch the reflections for areas to land and even combat enemies since they’re invisible on your side. Some puzzle-solving is involved, especially as you manipulate mysterious Totems to create new pathways. While not overtly challenging, they seamlessly integrate into the experience.

Another section involves lighting up hallways to avoid hazards (which Neva may signal by growling) and to ascertain the way forward. You also encounter optional platforming challenges for hidden flowers, offering clever diversions.

Summer initially may seem more deliberate and drawn out. However, Neva’s pacing quickly picks up from there, as the environmental design feels intuitive and natural, even as it warps and twists before your eyes in stunning detail. Neva’s abilities evolve based on the situations that she and Alba find themselves in, but it’s a testament to Nomada’s craft that their introduction feels natural. Over time, Neva will also integrate herself more closely with Alba’s melee attacks, indicative of their growing bond and dependence on each other.

Combat is perhaps the biggest evolution compared to Gris. Wielding a sword, players can execute three-hit combos, dodge-rolling, air-dashing, and plunging attacks from on high. It’s basic but works incredibly well, especially at the outset, since Alba is a human lacking any special powers. Once again, things pick up as Neva’s abilities manifest, which you’ll seamlessly wield into your set-up to turn the tables.

"Speaking of expectations, gorgeous visuals and aesthetics from Nomada are a given, but what you’ve seen in trailers is only a taste of what Neva has to offer."

The enemy variety aids in this regard – even the simplest of grunts can be threatening when they suddenly have blocks to push around (bizarre as it sounds). Of course, you also have the heavies and flying enemies – Neva can grapple and distract the former, inflicting significant damage and knockback the latter. At times, there are corrupted animals to battle, each with their own intriguing mechanics and patterns.

Adventure Mode feels right in its challenge, though Story Mode is available for those who want to focus more on the narrative. However, this isn’t a difficult game – some boss fights and encounters may require a couple of retries, but I could deal with others in a single shot. Not that this takes away from the game, but it’s something to remember for those seeking a more action-heavy experience.

Speaking of expectations, gorgeous visuals and aesthetics from Nomada are a given, but what you’ve seen in trailers is only a taste of what Neva has to offer. Each season plays with color tones in creative ways – the heat and vibrancy of Summer dotted with shadowy forests and the horrors that lurk around every corner; the more subdued yet darker shades of Fall, with the crumbling environments acting as an analogy for the dying leaves; and the starkness of Winter, with its haze and desiccated vegetation creating a feeling of isolation while also drawing attention to a central figure. Neva’s visuals simply sing with life, even in its most disparate tones, enveloping you in a world equal parts hostile and inviting.

The music, composed by Berlinist, who also worked on Gris, is equally enthralling. The piano and violin are once again dominant but percussion comes into play during some of the more action-packed moments, which lends well to triumph and tension alike.

"Neva may not be on everyone’s radar due to the busy quarter. However, if you enjoyed Gris, it’s an essential journey."

What’s especially interesting is how restrained it can feel at times, with the ambient sounds of the world taking precedence. Everything works in concert with the camera system, which zooms out accordingly depending on the scene. It can work in subtle, terrifying ways, such as Alba waking up to strange creaking sounds and quietly waking Neva while the camera slightly zooms out to show the corrupted beings crawling above them.

It’s difficult to find any real knocks against Neva, except for a few hitboxes during certain boss battles. Some may feel dissuaded by its short playtime (which clocked in at about 4.2 hours for me on Adventure mode). However, Nomada’s story is perfectly conveyed in that window with no fluff or filler, much as I would have liked a few more non-combative sections with some more bonding.

Neva may not be on everyone’s radar due to the busy quarter. However, if you enjoyed Gris, it’s an essential journey. The beautiful visuals and art style, the evolving bond between Alba and Neva, the tight combat and the incredible environmental design – it’s all meticulously crafted yet seamlessly and naturally integrated. It’s a stunning meditation that’s confident yet compassionate and worth your time.

This game was reviewed on PC.

Taking to Twitter, Nomada Studio announced that upon its release next week, Neva will also be available on PS4 and Mac. Previously, the title hadn’t been announced for Sony or Microsoft’s last-gen consoles, though it remains to be seen whether there are any plans in place to eventually also bring the game to Xbox One. 

Neva will see players stepping into the shoes of a young woman named Alba, who, in the company of her lifelong wolf companion, will embark on a riveting adventure. Similar to Nomada Studio’s previous title Gris, in addition to puzzles and platforming, the game will tout gorgeous visuals and an emphasis on storytelling. 

Neva will launch on October 15 for PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, Nintendo Switch, PC, and Mac. 

Set in a “dying world,” Neva concerns Alba and her wolf, who traverse the world. Terrible things seemingly tear them apart, but in the midst of this, the former finds herself caring for a wolf cub. The pair will platform, solve puzzles, and explore extensively dangerous locales.

As the story progresses, the wolf goes from rebellion to an adult who wants to “forge her own identity.” Amid a potential showdown against the same dark forces that ruined Alba’s life, the duo must rely on each other to survive.

The story is a “love song dedicated to our children, our parents, and our planet”, per Nomada studio co-founder Adrian Cuevas. However, it’s also inspired by global issues like climate change, social unrest, and the COVID-19 pandemic inspired it. Stay tuned for more details and gameplay in the coming weeks.

Neva is a follow-up of sorts to the studio’s previous critically-acclaimed title Gris. The game puts players in the shoes of a young woman named Alba, who is bound to a wolf cub following a traumatic encounter with dark forces.

As players make their way through the beautiful vistas of Neva, the bond between the cub and Alba will grow, with the duo helping each other take on various challenges, from platforming to combat.

Neva was announced back in May last year during a PlayStation showcase. According to Nomada Studio co-founder Adrian Cuevas, development of the game was influenced by global events like the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as other issues facing modern society.

Neva is coming to PC, PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and Nintendo Switch later this year.