Game Review: The Messenger

I’m no stranger to traditional 2-D platformers in my life. I’ve grown up with many fond memories of playing Super Mario and Sonic on my SNES and SEGA. I always recall the charming level design accompanied with the ever-developing layer of difficulty as you progress being the core concept behind my time with those games.  As time has gone by though and I’ve grown older, my time with traditional 2-D platformers has dwindled. This isn’t down to any one thing really, I think the genre has some real quality titles that I would love to sit down and try out, I just think when deciding what game to pick up next, I’ve always found myself leaning towards other genres. I feel however I’m treading new ground this year though after just recently doing my first roguelike game not too long back, I was happy to pick up something outside of my conventional catalogue yet again. It just worked out that I was recommended one of the best traditional platformers to get me back into the genre; and that game is The Messenger. 

Before I go talking about the game itself, I feel a bit of time needs to be given to the title’s developer; Sabotage Studios. Founded in 2016 by Thierry Boulanger and Martin Brouard, the Quebec based studio based its entire identity about blending retro video game aesthetics with modern day design principles. The Messenger was their passion project and a lot of time and effort went into lifting the game from a conceptual stage into a solid deliverable product.  The journey the studio went on to make that dream come true is all documented on their main website and is well worth a read if you’re interested. That core belief in blending retro and modern concepts together is displayed in clear motion within The Messenger and it’s done so in a really effective light that deserves all the recognition I can possibly give.

The story of the Messenger follows a ninja in training who after his village gets attacked by a nightmarish creature known as the Demon King, is bestowed a scroll of great importance by a prophesised warrior known as the Western Hero.  The ninja is then given the title of “The Messenger” and is instructed by the Western Hero to venture forth and deliver the scroll to those that await him on atop the local mountain in order to defeat the Demon King and his army. This initial set up has you venturing across several different locations as you intend to reach the mountain, along the way meeting a bunch of quirky and mysterious characters who seek to both aide and deter you on your mission. That description only shines a small glimpse onto what the story holds in store for you, but to give you any more context ruins the clever and surprisingly deep story that waits in store for you. 

For me, the story does an incredibly strong effort in keeping itself level with the gameplay. Often at times the story of a 2-D platformer is lost in the background to the game’s technical offerings. That’s no fault of the developer, as I realise when navigation and combat are the only way to progress in the game; there’s only so much you can do to display the narrative element within the confines of a 2-D platformer. The Messenger’s writing quality never wavered all throughout my time with it however. This is a game which is out to constantly surprise you with a clever and unpredictable plot. It lures you in with a rather generic “save the world, beat the big bad” concept but as you progress further you realise there’s so much more to this game. Its characters are all so smartly realised too, with some really funny and often at times insightful dialogue which makes them more than just a bunch of pixels on the screen. The key character of note for me was the Shopkeeper, who you will be interacting with a lot throughout your journey. They are more than just a conduit to upgrade your gear and give you hints and tips. They are written in a way that constantly breaks the fourth wall with witty dialogue. It’s through the exchanges with them I realised this wasn’t going to be some ordinary experience, they are a example of  the vision and scale this game has ready to deliver. 

It’s not just clever writing that gives this game a real sense of value either. The overall gameplay behind this game is teeming with creativity. That concept we spoke about earlier, about how Sabotage seeks to infuse retro styles with modern-day design principles is the core blueprint behind the game’s technical offerings. The game has you start out in some traditional 8-bit environments in which it gets you acquainted with the mechanics of the cloud step. Cloud stepping is one of the game’s main features and its precise mechanics will make you eager to master it. Essentially you will be able to attack certain objects, enemies or projectiles and use that attack to give yourself an extra jump. It may not sound like much in written format, but the game’s design is based around this mechanic and you see how embedded it is when you are cloud stepping across some of the game’s more difficult challenges.   Cloud stepping along with the multitude of other mechanics the game drops over the initial run give you as a player everything you need to practise and master the platforming element the game is eager to challenge you on. When you master it there’s a truly euphoric feeling that comes with it.  One thing I will note with the game is to never believe you’ve got an understanding on what its intention is. The pure beauty of the Messenger is while being a homage to the traditional Ninja Gaiden games of old, it’s way more interested in defining its own path. I won’t spoil anything but when you reach a certain point in this game, the design and function of this game get’s overhauled completely. I admittingly wasn’t ready for this change, and I hat a bit of time getting used to this shift, but I can’t express enough how worthwhile it is to persevere if you had that initial kick back like me. What this game evolves into is a gift basket of consistent surprises that seeks to keep you engaged even further than you intended to be.  

The design of the game is also worth recognising. It mixes a blend of 8-bit and 16-bit aesthetics both visually and audibly. Every level in this game is creatively designed in its own sense and it’s packed with fun little references and secrets you will be encouraged to seek out. This is far more than just a generic level-based world. There’s a real sense of identity to this map and it’s vast levels. That mix of 8-bit and 16-bit graphic styles helps make the worlds feel way more distinct in both styles too. There’s a real effort to individualise both styles within one level and a lot of that for me comes out in the soundtrack. Rainbowdragoneyes composed a multitude of themes for this game and its levels. The incredible thing to note he composed two separate tracks for most locations in this game depending on whether you’re in the 8-bit of 16-bit variation of them. The fact he was able to compose some killer music is one thing, but the fact he was able to create two distinct variations of it to emulate the audio capability of the period they were emulating? That’s beyond impressive and deserves so much recognition.

I think that’s the captivating beauty behind The Messenger. On the surface you will go into it thinking you’re getting a nice, retro-style indie game. You will get that, but you will get so much more than that. It’s a game packed to the brim with charm and you easily see that this game was a passion project for these developers. There isn’t a single opportunity this game doesn’t make the most of to the utmost degree. You will come for the platforming but I can assure you that you will get so much more. It’s so rare to see a game realise its potential so easily at every opportunity but that’s what The Messenger is, it’s a phenomenal game which I implore anyone to pick up and play