Neva

After the success of [i]Gris[/i], this game had a very high bar to live up to, and it inevitably gets compared to it. In that regard, I think I would have preferred playing [i]Neva[/i] before [i]Gris[/i]. Simply because, for me, the performance of the enemies and main character in [i]Gris[/i] felt emotionally stronger than in [i]Neva[/i]. However, whereas [i]Gris[/i] has more abstract spaces and a bit more freedom in its visual and level design, [i]Neva[/i] showcases more natural environments, with a strong seasonal theme that I absolutely love. I also enjoyed the introduction of [spoiler]combat[/spoiler] mechanics in this game, as it expanded the gameplay loop beyond platforming challenges. Another criticism I have is that the sound design and soundtrack in [i]Neva[/i] felt a little weaker overall. It sometimes felt inconsistent, with some moments coming together beautifully and others where the quieter spaces left by the music made the experience feel a bit repetitive. I wish there had been more sound-design touches to fill some of those empty spaces. All in all, if you enjoyed the atmosphere of [i]Gris[/i] and are looking for another similar yet distinctive experience, this game is still very much worth playing. Finished the game after 5h30m total playtime. Completed all achievements around 8h30m total playtime. Finished the DLC after 10h30 total playtime. (Played [i]Gris[/i] on another device, so I do not have stats of a steam playthrough of Gris at the time I wrote this review.)