How to Navigate Nivalis Efficiently in Cloudpunk

Last Updated on 8 August, 2025

Cloudpunk drops you into Nivalis, a neon-soaked vertical city where every delivery hides a secret. Thus, this guide unpacks Rania’s first night on the job, covering core driving mechanics, district navigation, HOVA upgrades, morality choices, hidden collectibles, and side missions. Challenges are clarified and pitfalls are pinpointed so you can complete every delivery, uncover every secret terminal, and master the skies with confidence.

• 1. Game Overview
• 2. Story & Setting
• 3. Core Mechanics & HOVA Controls
• 4. City Districts & Navigation
• 5. Delivery Missions & Side Quests
• 6. Secrets & Collectibles
• 7. Advanced Strategies & Pro Tips
• 8. Conclusion

1. Game Overview

Cloudpunk is a narrative-driven cyberpunk adventure developed by Ion Lands and published by Merge Games. Players assume the role of Rania, a rookie delivery driver for the semi-legal courier service Cloudpunk. So, set in the sky-piercing metropolis of Nivalis, the game’s core loop revolves around picking up packages, navigating dangerous routes, and exploring a sprawling vertical cityscape.

• Developer: Ion Lands
• Publisher: Merge Games
• Initial Release: April 23, 2020 (PC); October 15, 2020 (Switch, PS4, Xbox One); PS5 August 19, 2022; Xbox Series X/S October 16, 2023
• Platforms: Windows, macOS, Linux, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S
• Genre: Adventure / Narrative Exploration
• Core Loop: Accept delivery → pilot HOVA through districts → deliver package → explore on foot → upgrade HOVA/apartment

2. Story & Setting

Rania arrives in Nivalis fleeing her past debts. So, reunited with Camus’s mind installed in her HOVA, she begins her first night delivering mysterious packages for Cloudpunk’s enigmatic dispatcher, Control. Along the way, she meets hackers, androids, and disgruntled citizens, making moral choices that influence minor character fates and dialogue outcomes.

The city is governed by the omnipresent AI CORA, whose malfunctioning directives underpin the narrative’s tension. Key story beats occur during deliveries to Pashta, Evelyn, and the crime lord Lomo, leading to a climactic choice about CORA’s future consciousness. Multiple minor endings depend on side quests completed before the final mission.

3. Core Mechanics & HOVA Controls

Driving the HOVA is central to Cloudpunk. Acceleration, braking, and pitch controls let you weave through skyscraper canyons. Fuel is infinite, but speed and handling vary by model and upgrades. On-foot sections allow exploration of ground-level alleys, rooftop gardens, and hidden tunnels. Package integrity penalties occur if you collide too hard or miss a deadline.

1. Throttle & Brakes: W/S (keyboard) or triggers (controller) with smooth acceleration curves.
2. Pitch & Yaw: Mouse/controller right stick controls pitch; A/D or left stick steers yaw.
3. Landing: Align parallel to landing pad to avoid HOVA damage; repeated crashes incur integrity loss.
4. On-Foot: Sprint, jump, and crouch for stealth; some packages require manual delivery near NPCs.

4. City Districts & Navigation

Nivalis is divided into seven vertical districts, i.e. The Spire, The Heights, Midtown, The Marrow, The Docks, Oldtown, and Exiletown. Each zone has unique architecture and traffic rules. So, map markers indicate pickup and drop-off points; blue icons for story packages, yellow for timed contracts, and gray for side deliveries.

1. The Spire: Corporate towers above the clouds, high-speed corridors.
2. The Heights: Upscale residential zones with narrow passageways.
3. Midtown: Neon-lit commercial hub, heavy traffic and police checkpoints.
4. The Marrow: Below-sea-level slums, frequent weather hazards.
5. The Docks: Shipping yards with moving cranes and marine traffic.
6. Oldtown: Historic district with narrow streets, ideal for on-foot exploration.
7. Exiletown: Fringe neighborhood for black-market side quests.

5. Delivery Missions & Side Quests

Every main delivery advances the plot, but optional side jobs unlock apartment decorations, HOVA upgrades, and romanceable NPC interactions. Choose to comply or trash suspicious packages; dialogue changes slightly, but major outcomes remain consistent. Four timed-urgent deliveries require precise navigation under strict countdowns.

1. Main Deliveries: Marked by blue icons; essential for story progression.
2. Timed Urgent: Yellow icon with timer; failure incurs reputation loss but can be retried via chapter select.
3. Side Quests: Gray icons; include photo requests, data recoveries, rescue operations, and romance favors.
4. Apartment Activities: Unlock cooking minigames and personal story beats by collecting apartment keys in side jobs.

6. Secrets & Collectibles

Nivalis hides collectible data shards, secret terminals, and narrative fragments. Data shards unlock audio logs about corporate conspiracies. Photo spots grant cosmetic themes for Rania’s apartment. Memory cards scattered in alleyways complete Dr. Ochoa’s rescue subplot.

1. Data Shards: 50 total; located behind breakable vents or on rooftop antennas.
2. Photo Spots: 20 locations; taking a selfie at marked sites rewards apartment posters.
3. Memory Cards: 15 collectible items tied to the “Memory Collector” Trophy/ Achievement.
4. Hidden NPCs: Random chance encounters yield unique side quests and apartment décor.

7. Advanced Strategies & Pro Tips

Veteran drivers refine runs with precision flying and detour optimization. So, master cut-through alleyways and use wind currents near The Spire for speed boosts and utilize sprint-brake combos to weave through congested traffic. In on-foot segments, crouch-walk behind crates to avoid CorpSec detection.

1. Wind Currents: Hold pitch down near rooftop vents to gain altitude without engine power.
2. Traffic Weave: Brake-tap method through moving carriers in The Docks minimizes collision time.
3. Apartment Farming: Revisit unlocked apartments at night for hidden story beats and cosmetic rewards.
4. Replay Targeting: Use chapter select to revisit failed timed missions and missed side quests.

8. Conclusion

By mastering HOVA controls, exploring every district, and completing side quests, you can fully experience Cloudpunk’s narrative and unlock all its secrets. This article has clarified story choices, pinpointed hidden collectibles, and outlined advanced tactics. The neon skies of Nivalis await your skilled piloting and curiosity.

So, start a fresh save, tackle the four urgent deliveries in sequence, and use your chapter saves to clear timed jobs first