Despite the writing, which is definitely an acquired taste, The Messenger is a truly excellent classic platformer and a bloody good Metroidvania. There’s enough of a twist on both genres to make it stand out in an increasingly crowded market. It looks great, in both the 8-bit and 16-bit sections, and the music sounds like it’s ripped from the best NES game never made.
Truth be told, these are but brief and minor gripes in what is a twenty hour quest (should you aim for a full 100% completion) chock full of charm, wit and some of the most mechanically-sound and cleverly-designed platforming you’re likely to find this side of 2018. While it would be unwise to call it a bait-and-switch, it goes without saying that Sabotage Studio offer enough proof in throwing up a surprise or two along the way — mixing up the gameplay and indeed narrative flow in a way that is both sensible and entertaining to see unravel, even fold in on itself at points.
When you’re fully geared up and The Messenger is hitting you with brand new stages and challenges that you haven’t seen before, The Messenger is an amazing, must-play experience. Taken as a whole, it’s brought down only by fetch quests that make The Messenger last several hours longer than it feels like it should.
While the Metroidvania approach doesn’t play into The Messenger’s strengths as much as the linear stages, it’s far from a deal breaker. Regardless of its mid-game identity crisis, tight controls, excellent platforming, and exciting combat make The Messenger a retro journey worth embarking on.
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