Not too long ago, The Messenger, brought to us by Sabotage Studios, dropped. As gamers start to look for something challenging, retro and full of good plot points, the search has finally stopped. The messenger might just be one of the best indie games of 2018.
On the surface, The Messenger may look like another 8-bit platformer that is another fad passing through. This judgement however is not true. Although the game has 8-bit and 16-bit style, it’s the characters, story and other details that make it so much different.
Here’s the overall story. You, a ninja are tasked with delivering a very special scroll across a cursed world. This scroll is the item needed to save your clan after evil creatures have started to destroy your home. As the periless journey continues through this platforming adventure, time will start to shift and things will change. You will meet many characters that aren’t typical of a retro game, and some that seem misplaced. Prepare for level after level, and some humor too along the way.
The Messenger is available on just a few platforms, which fits the game perfectly. With at least 4 awards in total for visuals and overall gameplay, this begged me to play. Right off the bat the aesthetic of the game really left an impression. Colorful and well balanced like original retro games it was hard to not look at everything in a level. All of the details are actually very clear and when screens change, the transitions work very well without jolting gamers out of the vibe.
Since the game is primarily a platformer, the controls were a big deal. Getting in to the game was reminiscent of Cuphead in a way, especially for the first couple of levels. The tutorial of the game is straightforward and then starts to get harder. Your character ( the ninja) will need to wall jump, climb, dash and more to get around the obstacles in each level. Not every level is as easy as it appears. Most times, death will result from becoming too frustrated and moving too fast. The key is to pace yourself and slow down when necessary.
Hard to put in to words, The Messenger has a retro style with a forward thinking plot. This is the special skill that the developers have being from two different parts of the gaming world. With its fast paced style, challenging levels, ever changing obstacles and more, The Messenger is easy to fall in to. Plus on top of all of this, the challenge will keep you coming back many times just to pass whatever level you are on until you can finally complete the story.
8/10
Available on PC and Switch
