Neva Prologue review: prequel DLC enriches a beautiful game

Last week I received a text from my mom: the family dog, Sophie, who we got when I was in high school and who I still think of as ‘my’ dog, had broken her leg. She weighs maybe 15 pounds and is on the eve of her 15th birthday. It was scary news, though she’s doing fine now and should make a full recovery.

I couldn’t stop thinking about Sophie while playing Neva: Prologue, a new expansion for the 2024 action-platformer from Nomada Studio. Announced during February’s State of Play stream, Neva: Prologue tells the story of how Alba met her wolf companion when the animal was a tiny puppy.

The DLC opens in a pink-hued forest, moves into a dreary swamp where the No Face–like creatures emerge from the earth, and follows Alba as she chases, befriends and names the lonely wolf Neva. For long stretches Alba carries Neva tightly; until the pup grows into the force seen in the main game, she’s frightened and defenseless.

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