Grisis Nomada Studio’s widely celebrated indie platformer that takes players on an emotional journey through stunning visuals and enchanting orchestral music.Gris' art and melodic soundtrack were critical in telling the story of a woman moving through the five stages of grief. Turning off the sound drastically changes the experience because its sound design contributes as much as its art style and animation. FollowingGris' successisNeva, another emotionally charged journey where players take care of a wolf named Neva.
Game Rant recently had the opportunity to speak withNeva’s lead producer Roger Mendoza to learn more about the game’s music and sound design, something that fans ofGrismay want to know more about. Mendoza also revealed more about some of the sound design processes used inNeva, including recording a real-life husky and even a baby’s heartbeat.
A Real Husky Created Neva’s Sounds
Nomada worked with Rubén Rincón, the same composer and sound designer who worked onGris. Rincón’s recording techniques helped create the intentionally subtle design found within the game, but beyond that, it was his husky who created the sounds forNeva’s titularanimal companion. Although it remains to be seen, having such a realistic portrayal ofNeva’s sounds could help players forge a deeper bond with her. As Mendoza explained:
One of the cool things for this project, and it was not intended, is that he has a husky. A lot of the sounds forNevaare his husky, which he recorded back at home, and it was a cool thing to be able to add. Usually the direction for the sound design is to make it subtle. We don’t want anything to stand out – not the music, not the art, not the animation. Everything needs to be coherent, so it’s a very subtle sound design.
Furthermore, Rincón posted on Twitter about recording his niece’s baby’s heartbeat forNeva, something that Mendoza described as “beautiful” and who praised Rincón’s unique sensitivity as perfect for the game. Althoughthere are somedifferences betweenGrisandNevawith its wolf companion, combat, and some aspects of its art style, it could potentially offer a certain level of continuity with its sensitive and emotional approach to its music and sound design.
Neva’s Seasons Have Their Own Music Themes
WhileNeva’s trailersso far give a small sneak peek of its music, Mendoza identified a couple of things that hold significance forNeva’s music in terms of its characters and progression. As Mendoza said,
In this case, we had the two characters, which plays a big role in the music, but also the seasons. There are four seasons in the game, and each season has its own music theme.
Additionally, when creatingNeva,Mendoza also mentioned working with theorchestral musictalents of the Bafta-nominated Berlinist, who also worked onGris' soundtrack. Of course, players will have to wait to experience the full depth ofNeva’s music themselves when the game releases. However, these features offer players some idea of what to expect from a thematic perspective, with the prospect of seasonal music sounding particularly beautiful.
