On March 20th, 2026, CGM’s Dayna Eileen sent me the trailer for Neverway with the caption “this seems very you.” I’m not totally sure how this one slipped by me during the August 8th, 2025, Nintendo Indie World Showcase, but it’s probably because it was a week away from my wedding, and my mind was on 19 other things
But something that’s been consistent about the five years she’s been at CGM is her ability to send things that are simultaneously adorable and profoundly interesting. While Neverway would’ve piqued my interest on aesthetic alone, getting an opportunity to go hands-on with the game absolutely sealed the deal. I’ve said it before, the only thing I like more than a Farming Sim is one with interesting ideas—and this game certainly has them.
The hands-on preview for Neverway was brief, essentially acting as an intro tutorial, to give players a general understanding of its gameplay and style. But even in the minuscule time I was given with it, an absolute avalanche of style, themes and promise was dumped on top of me. The game puts players in the role of Fiona—a young woman who is grappling with depression, and an encroaching feeling of disassociation—who decides to try her hand at a new life in a rural community.
And while it sounds like your typical Farming Sim setup, Neverway takes it a step further by attaching a darker and much more resonant tone to its initial proceedings. The game begins by highlighting the “society” that Fiona is escaping—one of a seemingly cyberpunk dystopia. She lives in an overbearing mega apartment, where there are wires and pipes all around, and a feeling of melancholic emptiness runs throughout.
If players check her computer, they’ll find an inbox filled with unread emails, several of which are from her former office job, displaying a cold indifference towards her absence from work and a constant reminder that attendance is MANDATORY. But there’s a lot more going on under the surface as a bizarre subway ride quickly turns towards the cerebral, and it becomes clear that Finoa may have more skeletons in her closet than she’s letting on.
“I wish Neverway wasn’t keeping its cards so close to its chest, because what little I did get to experience of it genuinely left me wanting more.”
It was at this point in the preview that the more narratively focused portion of Neverway ended, and players were given a brief glimpse at the gameplay. In a lot of ways, Neverway reminded me of Garden Story—where the gameplay is reminiscent of a Farming/Life Sim but borrows a lot more elements from an action RPG or Legend of Zelda type game. Players will scavenge, craft tools and live off the land, make friends with the locals, all while also fighting creatures both real and ephemeral.
Most of this was delivered during a quest through a simulation program on Finoa’s computer, though whether this is accessible in-game or just for the hands-on tutorial remains to be seen. This simulation took on a more literal RPG appearance. However, it was explained to be based on the memories and “soul” of the person uploaded to the simulation. As such, certain characters may appear and request different things from Fiona. Completing these requests can grant “Soulbond” abilities that have a variety of different effects.
But what really caught my attention during my brief time with Neverway was how it approached more serious topics and applied them in an effective manner to the gameplay. It becomes quite clear from the start that Fiona is struggling with depression and anxiety, and the game highlights how these things take a physical as well as psychological toll on a person. It’s an incredibly clever way to utilize storytelling through gameplay by having these things be tangible debuffs in an RPG/Life Sim.
The way this was exemplified best was at the end of the day, when I had used all of Fiona’s energy before bed. Getting a good night’s sleep required changing into her pyjamas, but since she didn’t have the energy to do that, the only option was for her to “crash out” in bed, fully dressed—doing so would apply a random debuff at the start of the next day. As someone who has struggled with depression, seeing this prompted a sober, “yeeeeup..” from me—suffice to say, I felt very seen.
I wish Neverway wasn’t keeping its cards so close to its chest, because what little I did get to experience of it genuinely left me wanting more. Its interesting art style that blends a chibi aesthetic with a discomforting colour palette and unnerving detailing. Its soundtrack is sombre and quiet. Its story seems like it’s mixing Stardew Valley with Akira, and it’s all tied together with gameplay that looks to be both challenging and methodical. The stage is set for something TRULY remarkable, and I can’t wait to see more.
Neverway is set to release for PC and Nintendo Switch, with a tentative release date of 2026.
