Neva

 So.. truth be told: it's been a damn minute since I have played any of the games I am about to cover.

I would normally say something optimistic like "maybe I'll come back to this after another play-through", but I think we all know by now that I do not tend to "come back" to anything. When it's done: I release it into the wild, only to ever think back on it fondly before moving briskly onward. 

I honestly don't even know how much I'll be able to cover in the next few entries / I won't promise incredible quality / "Done is better than Perfect" / Let's go!

I will say: if there ever was a game that deserved another playthrough for refresher: it is Neva.

The sister game of Gris, Neva is another masterfully beautiful visual with the depths of emotion one would expect coming hot off the heels of Gris. 

You are a woman in the woods (relatable), you have this giant, beautiful, Mononoke-esque white wolf companion. Much like its sister game, throughout most of the levels you are running through magnificent, artful landscapes to ethereal tunes. The added effect is that you are able to focus on bonding with a super cool animal that you eventually team up with to defeat the evil in your land. 

I WILL SPOIL ALERT NOW...

If you are sensitive to animals / storylines where animals may be involved in violence / may get hurt / emotional blah blah blah... I suggest you stay away from this one, as you may find yourself inconsolable. 

For everyone who isn't a little BABY (omg I'm just kidding, I promise)... It's an equally wonderful game as the previously mentioned. It's different where it needs to be, reminiscent when it should and most importantly: is just a really solid game on its own. 

Out of the two I might lean a bit towards Gris, but that could just be because it was the first I played / I have a slightly deeper connection to it.