The Messenger

 PC
User Score
7.9

Generally favorable reviews- based on 197 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 142 out of 197
  2. Mixed: 38 out of 197
  3. Negative: 17 out of 197

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  1. Zer0TheHer0
    Aug 1, 2023
    0
    Good at beginning, it becomes incredibly frustrating and irritating after a certain point.
  2. pianoguy13
    Jan 12, 2022
    0
    Fantastic 2d platformer/action game. It's not quite the level of polish and perfection that Celeste and Katana Zero are, but it's still an incredible game, with very satisfying gameplay and abilities. One thing with many lesser 2d platformers I see is that they tend to increase difficulty by added cheap tactics and unfair elements to the obstacles. I loved how Messenger was prettyFantastic 2d platformer/action game. It's not quite the level of polish and perfection that Celeste and Katana Zero are, but it's still an incredible game, with very satisfying gameplay and abilities. One thing with many lesser 2d platformers I see is that they tend to increase difficulty by added cheap tactics and unfair elements to the obstacles. I loved how Messenger was pretty straightforward, and you'd know what to expect with everything just by briefly observing it. Every success was earned, and every failure was my fault. If I knew how to clear something, and timed it correctly, I could do it every time without fail.… Expand
  3. willmckasson
    Sep 7, 2018
    3
    Average game controls, average retro graphics. Annoyingly challenging at times for no reason to be able to advance the story/game (lava timed jumping death room, chased by dragon for minutes on floating clouds). Traversing any part of a level your avoiding laser beams, spikes, instant death pitfalls and that dunce quarble whos just a knock off of the Whammys from press your luck. NotAverage game controls, average retro graphics. Annoyingly challenging at times for no reason to be able to advance the story/game (lava timed jumping death room, chased by dragon for minutes on floating clouds). Traversing any part of a level your avoiding laser beams, spikes, instant death pitfalls and that dunce quarble whos just a knock off of the Whammys from press your luck. Not too mention theres like a dozen enemies in the game. Very repetitive and boring seeing the same enemies every two steps. Turns into a wanna-be metroid style game but again, every other area has pitfall deaths and getting from A - B is not fun, its work. Ditch instant death. Ditch "quarble", get better item progressions or more useful items. Plant a seed, get a thistle, get a candle to light up a dark area??? So glad i fell through a hundred instant pit deaths to do a 3 item quest to find a candle to go to another poorly designed same enemies, same layout dungeon. An even better one is when you find Ruxxins staff and think its going to be something awesome maybe a new power, but you need to find the amulet first, then you get the amulet find out it just activates a warp..... they both dont do anything cool it was just an errand so you can teleport to yet another poorly designed, enemy repetitive fail zone..... Lame, whack, lazy.

    A mild saving grace was a slight plot twist that was kind of fun but they could have done more. The boss battles are fun and just challenging enough to make you want to win. It brings back some rememberberries looking like Ninja Gaiden too.

    All in all The Messenger was a promising overhyped retro 2-d metroidvania platformer that falls short really everywhere. A Jack of some trades and definitely didn't master anything.

    This game is a perfect reason of why i download before i buy. Waste of hard earned money. Check out shovel knight for examples on how to do a platforming 2-d sidescroller correct. OR check out axiom verge. A great example of what a metroidvania game should be like, and it doesn't have instant death pitfalls. Both are much better games in every way.    … Expand
  4. omerulas25
    Oct 16, 2020
    1
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This game would have been better when you killed that red monster, but when it continued it got really awful.… Expand
  5. VonSeux
    Nov 17, 2019
    4
    This is generic as it gets. It's basically Shovel Knight with Ninja Gaiden as playable character. The game is super easy so it may be fun for someone unacquainted with (real) nes games. Some backgrounds are pretty.

Awards & Rankings

40
#40 Best PC Game of 2018
54
#54 Most Discussed PC Game of 2018

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
83

Generally favorable reviews - based on 12 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 12 out of 12
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 12
  3. Negative: 0 out of 12
  1. CD-Action
    Jan 9, 2019
    80
    It’s a tribute to the original Ninja Gaiden released in 1988, so the game obviously borrows a lot from genre’s progenitors, but it also adds a lot to the mix and its platforming mechanics are superb. Even though it gets less exciting in the second half, I have to recommend it. [11/2018, p.73]
  2. GameOver.gr
    Sep 14, 2018
    75
    Creating both an 8-bit and 16-bit aesthetic is a genius idea and a very meta way for depicting the world in the past and future eras. It’s also commendable that Sabotage introduced a clever alternative to the usual double jump function we usually see in the platform genre. Though it’s filled with charm and highly competent gameplay it’s marred by exhausting backtracking (even for the genre), few enemy types and a lack of challenge.
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  3. Eurogamer Italy
    Sep 13, 2018
    80
    Devolver Digital and Sabotage Studio propose a game that could innovate its genre.
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