Fiona isn’t happy. Stuck in a dead end job, she’s quite obviously depressed and in need of something new in her life to get her out of a rut. What better then, than to shake off the shackles of her mundane existence, quit the rat race and move to some place fresh and exciting, meet new people, maybe develop a smallholding and start all over again? Well, maybe that sounds great in theory but when you’ve also become the herald of a long dead god, it might not be the calm and comfy life that you were looking forward to.
The debut game from Coldblood Inc, Neverway takes the life sim elements of games such as Stardew Valley or Roots of Pacha then adds more than a dash of horror to the mix, to produce a game that is a little less “cozy” and more “co–oh god, what is that thing?!”. Most will be familiar with the more routine elements shown, a spot of fishing, a mortgage to pay off (to friendly Mortgage Moth Morty) or trees to hack down and a garden to tend but it’s the psychological horror that really throws you off-guard.
Combining (un)natural countryside landscapes and a glitchy, electronic aesthetic, Neverway has a unique style all of its own, a stunning monochromatic look that at first glance will remind you of what you think a Gameboy game looked like. But it’s not. This is so much more alive, with fantastic animation far beyond the ability of everyone’s favourite 8-bit handheld.
Whilst more than a few games in the genre feature some element of combat, the preview build of Neverway had me hacking and slashing with the best of them, feeling more in line with a classic Zelda title, even down to the hook that you shoot. You might even go so far as to call it a Hookshot. You’ll be dashing around, dodging swarms of enemies, the action reliant on quick reflexes, satisfying in a way that is often beyond its contemporaries.
The hour-long prologue offered a mix of narrative from the start of the game and the opportunity to explore Fiona’s PC, where you go through a tutorial with Fang, just one of the characters you’ll be interacting with during your time on the remote island that you now call home, teaching you the basics of combat and traversal. Featuring plenty of dialogue to get your teeth into, there’s the promise of mystery and madness as you attempt to uncover the secrets of the Neverway, the nightmare reality that is slowly encroaching on your idyllic world.
With a gorgeous pixel-art style developed by Pedro Medeiros, an artist who previously worked on Celeste, and a soundtrack by Disasterpeace, of Fez and Hyper Light Drifter fame, you’ve got a potent concoction that is sure to delight and horrify in equal measure. A fresh take on a traditionally cozy genre, Coldblood Inc. have found a fascinating new angle to approach the life sim. With a release planned for later this year, Neverway is certainly one to keep an eye on, even if it is through your fingers.
Neverway is being developed by Cold Blood Inc., and is due for release on Steam in October.