The Messenger Reviews
Packed with clever story surprises and dynamic, richly-constructed gameplay, The Messenger is both a tribute to and affectionate pastiche of 8 and 16-bit game design, storytelling and nostalgia. It belongs in every Switch owner's eShop library.
The Messenger is simple, it has near to no challenges and it's non-widespread levels make it's diverse platforming mechanics undervalued. so if you haven't experienced The Messenger yet, you didn't miss a great title.
Review in Persian | Read full review
The Messenger is more than a mere homage to games from 80s and 90s and especially, Ninja Gaiden; because through its stunning looks, clever writing, fantastic soundtrack and amazing gameplay, it has created its own identity and turned out vastly superior to all of those titles. It's a quality game that makes you want to get back to it as fast as you can and play more. The Messenger is a must-play and no one should miss it
Review in Persian | Read full review
The Messenger is a real accomplishment for the fledgling Sabotage Studio.
2018 has been a great year for retro-style exploratory platformers, as seen with Celeste and Dead Cells. The Messenger continues that trend with aplomb with smooth controls, great presentation, and plenty of challenging and exciting levels to explore. It’s much more fair than its inspirations, but you will still die a lot (my final count clocked in at well over 300 and I payed over 1000 gems). If you love classic gaming with new twists, be sure to spread the message that The Messenger is another indie keeper.
Sabotage first game not only is a love letter to the genre, but also one of the greatest games of the year. The Messenger is a tough but fair game that charms the players with the story and it's characters. Also tries to break new ground in the genre with some of the mechanics we found in the game.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
The Messenger is a fascinating exercise in genre reinvention, a showcase for two radically different approaches to homage.
The Messenger exudes charisma and is wrapped with fantastic control and a development full of surprises, with a difficulty curve that few titles match. In the second half of the game there are somewhat uglier details that do not make the set worse but they do leave a feeling that it could have been a little better.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
But even so, The Messenger features an understanding of design, from the 8-bit to the 16-bit to the modern era, that make it more than a throwback.
The Messenger goes beyond paying its respects to the games of the past, effectively using the time shifting as a homage to the 8- and 16-bit eras. It’s more than a gimmick, acting as both a game mechanic and a storytelling tool. The interesting narrative draws you in while the clever writing breaks the fourth wall to make you laugh. The tight controls keep you playing, despite the slight tedium of the Metroidvania segments. The Messenger toes the line between being a tribute to old-school games and being a modern game with a fresh feeling.
The Messenger has all the necessary elements to become the indie of the year or at least to fight it with arguments of weight. A design of outstanding levels, battles with bosses very satisfactory, plot with a lot of chicha and fun to tons. So tie your sword to your belt and jump without fear of adventure.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
The Messenger is an almost entirely well-made Genremix, which has his issues with the difficulty in the second half, but thanks to the humour, the flawless gameplay, the lovely artwork and the score the title manages to succeed in every discipline. Jump N`Run and Indiegaming Fans can`t go around this one
Review in German | Read full review
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.
Ninja games have been around since 8-bit classics like Ninja Gaiden, Strider, and Shadow of the Ninja. The Messenger fits right in with its tight gameplay, challenging degree of difficulty, and satisfying campaign.
Sabotage created a game filled with nostalgia in a very positive way. This is one of the best game of the year so far! Every gamer who's played retro classics like Ninja Gaiden or Strider, should give this one a try.
The Messenger is a game that makes no effort to hide who its intended audience is, and its clever combining of two distinct gameplay genres ensures that it casts a rather wide net. Whether you're a die-hard retro gaming fan or a genre newbie eager to dive into the deep end, Sabotage's debut title is one adventure worth embarking on.
Overall, The Messenger is a really solid game for fans of the platformer and Metroidvania genres. Had the first half of the game been a little more condensed, and the second half not been too dragged out, the game could've been near-perfect. Even so, if you have even an appreciation for retro or old-school games, you can't go wrong with The Messenger.
The Messenger is easily one of the best indie games in recent years where you can see the passion of the developer in nearly every aspect of the gameplay, complete with some unique twists along the way.
The Messenger leans on classic platformers from the 80s and 90s, but comes with plenty of its own tricks to make it feel like a wonderful twist with plenty of tongue-in-cheek humor.
How difficult it is to make all this coexist in a single product, yet The Messenger succeeds, moreover with a maniacal attention to detail and an overall harmony