The Messenger Reviews

The Messenger is ranked in the 95th percentile of games scored on OpenCritic.
Aug 28, 2018

"One of the best looking and sounding retro-inspired games, but its difficulty curve is like a roller coaster."

Review in Finnish | Read full review

Aug 28, 2018

The gameplay, while simple, is incredibly enjoyable. It does make you think a little with what you have to conquer each boss and monster, but that’s what makes The Messenger a game of its own right.

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7 / 10.0
Sep 25, 2018

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

7 / 10.0
Sep 15, 2018

The Messenger is a fascinating exercise in genre reinvention, a showcase for two radically different approaches to homage.

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7 / 10
Apr 20, 2019

The Messenger is a unique and enjoyable 2D platformer with a strong personality and exciting gameplay, and its fine-tuned appearance on the PS4 is a welcome one. The first half of the game is worthy of unfettered praise, but the experience takes a hefty blow at the halfway point from a failed attempt at expanding the scope. This aside, it remains a lovingly conceived game and is well worth playing through on this basis, but its flaws prevent it from going down as a true classic. In light of the fact that this is the first game by Sabotage, it's fair to say that the studio's future is bright.

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Ofisil
Top Critic
7 / 10
Aug 31, 2018

Sabotage Studio proves its worth by delivering an title that pays homage to Ninja Gaiden but is actually better than its source material; one that nails both the 8-bit, and 16-bit aesthetic. The problem is that, although definitely a fun title, the way it is torn between being a "pure" action-platformer and a metroidvania really hurts what could otherwise be one of the year's best indies.

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7 / 10.0
Aug 28, 2018

Had The Messenger been two separate games, I'd have waxed lyrical about the first while eliciting a "meh" for the second. Put together, it's a package that some will adore, while others will simply grow tired of.

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7.5 / 10.0
Aug 28, 2018

The Messenger surprises by being a round game in all aspects. A platform that becomes metroidvania and that serves as a tribute to the classic Ninja Gaiden. And be careful, because we're also going to laugh a lot with him.

Review in Spanish | Read full review

79 / 100
Aug 28, 2018

Less a Gaiden successor and more a general love-letter to its look and style, The Messenger allows fans to hop gleefully between cheery gaming memories without being bound by the rigid controls and punishing precision of a prior era, while somehow managing to remain entirely accessible to newcomers as a fun, unmistakeably wholehearted 2D platformer.

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8 / 10
Mar 31, 2019

The Messenger is a nostalgic bomb and a very solid action platformer. If you love Ninja Gaiden and Mega Man, and you want a new, yet friendlier experience in the genre, this is the game you’re looking for.

Review in Portuguese | Read full review

Dec 3, 2018

The Messenger has a unique spin that sets it apart from other games and yet, ironically, it lacks an identity of its own. As a modern Ninja Gaiden game it’s excellent, but it only maintains that for half the game. The other half is a faint-hearted attempted at a Metroidvania that never quite works. I thoroughly enjoyed eight to nine hours of my twelve-hour playthrough. The other three or four were a little more tedious than I would have liked but that shouldn’t entirely negate a brilliant platformer with plenty to offer even in a year that’s been chock full of throwback retro platformers.

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Evan Norris
Top Critic
8 / 10
Sep 3, 2018

Arguably the finest 2D action-adventure of 2018, a year that has seen an influx of well-crafted Metroidvanias.

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8 / 10.0
Aug 28, 2018

For those who spent hours playing the original Ninja Gaiden or Castlevania on NES and are looking for a bit of nostalgia, The Messenger will be a near perfect fit.

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Sep 5, 2018

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.

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8 / 10.0
Sep 11, 2018

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.

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8 / 10.0
Sep 2, 2018

The Messenger is yet another quality indie title that comes to Nintendo Switch this year: if you've grown up playing Ninja Gaiden or any Castlevania game (both pre and post Symphony of the Night), this is the adventure you've been waiting for.

Review in Italian | Read full review

GameCrate
Top Critic
8 / 10.0
Sep 4, 2018

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.

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4 / 5.0
Sep 4, 2018

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.

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Aug 30, 2018

Even with a shaky back-half, The Messenger is still an adventure worth seeking out. The agility focused platforming provides a satisfying challenge, the writing is surprisingly clever, and the graphical shifting is more than just a simple gimmick.

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8 / 10
Aug 31, 2018

Even if it tends to be a bit frustrating in its second half, as it opens up a bit, The Messenger is still a magnificient and really great to play independent action platformer with some clever ideas and a lovable personnality.

Review in French | Read full review