prequel DLC enriches an exquisite sport

Final week, I acquired a textual content from my mother that the household canine, Sophie, who we acquired once I was in highschool and who I actually nonetheless consider as “my” canine, had damaged her leg. It was scary information to obtain a couple of canine who weighs possibly 15 kilos and is on the eve of her fifteenth birthday. I needed to put it out of my thoughts for the second as I used to be only a couple minutes away from becoming a member of an interview. When our chat completed, I shortly known as my mother to listen to what occurred. Briefly, Sophie fell whereas on the vet, breaking her leg, however she’s doing high-quality now and will make a full restoration.

I couldn’t cease serious about Sophie whereas enjoying Neva: Prologue, a brand new enlargement for the 2024 action-platformer from developer Nomada Studio. The DLC was introduced throughout February’s State of Play Stream and tells the story of how participant character Alba met her wolf companion, Neva, when she was only a tiny pet. Similar to the primary sport, the Prologue DLC is harrowing and heart-breaking; I loudly gasped when Neva fell by means of a brittle walkway and yelped “Give me again my canine!” at my TV when she was taken by the sport’s antagonist. The builders at Nomada Studio, additionally the makers of 2018’s Gris, are masters at imbuing their video video games with sturdy emotion, and Neva: Prologue simply additional flexes that energy.

Neva: Prologue opens with Alba alone in a forest, the bushes, flowers, and sky all numerous shades of pink. She gleefully chases after butterflies earlier than discovering herself in a dreary swamp. Enemies, the No Face-like creatures from the bottom sport, come out from the earth to assault her. Ultimately, she finds and chases after a lonely wolf pup. After catching as much as the wolf and keeping off extra goopy unhealthy buys, Alba befriends the pup, whom she ultimately names Neva. For stretches of Prologue, Alba carries Neva tight to her chest, identical to how I used to hold Sophie round; I’d cradle her identical to a child, her head bobbing as she watched no matter was at my again.

Within the DLC, Neva isn’t but the drive of nature that she turns into throughout the primary sport. She’s only a pet, frightened and defenseless. Throughout these sections collectively, Alba’s restricted in what she will be able to do. Hugging Neva firmly to her physique, Alba can’t double soar, sprint, or assault, however has to persevere by means of hazard regardless.

In probably the most memorable part of Prologue, a large, virtually slug-like, boss chases after the pair in opposition to an inky black background. It’s adopted by a sequence the place Alba, having set Neva down so the pup can escape by means of cracks within the structure, has to sneakily platform out of the monster’s sight. It’s a basic “transfer throughout darkness and conceal when lightning illuminates the sky” online game sequence, and this time you’re making an attempt to make it again to your newly adopted pup in a single piece.

Ultimately separated, Alba should journey by means of numerous platforming challenges and fight encounters to rescue Neva. Her child’s been taken, and she or he gained’t relaxation till that little white wolf is again in her arms. Anybody who’s beloved a pet can relate; it doesn’t matter in the event you’ve had your canine or cat, lizard or hen, for 20 minutes or 20 years — you’re bonded for all times.

Sophie was ever-present on my thoughts throughout this closing stretch. Regardless of nonetheless calling her “my canine,” between faculty and transferring states post-graduation, I’ve spent rather more time away from her than along with her. Each time I’ve visited my dad and mom lately and seen her, I’ve needed to settle for it may be the final time, and the damaged leg in her twilight years doesn’t assist with that actuality. Fifteen years is a very long time for a canine; our different canine Casper, the sweetest bichon you’d ever have met, handed away at 14 years previous in 2018.

It doesn’t matter what occurs, to cite Nicole Carpenter’s 2024 assessment of Neva for Polygon, “One thing stunning will develop. We’ll simply transfer ahead. Alba and Neva do, too.” With Neva: Prologue, Nomada Studio has finished it once more, finessing the facility that video video games have as an outlet for our grief and different advanced feelings. It additionally serves as a reminder to carry your pets tight for so long as you possibly can.

Neva: Prologue is out now on Nintendo Change, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Sequence X. The sport was reviewed on PS5. You’ll find further details about Polygon’s ethics coverage right here.