The Messenger Reviews

The Messenger is ranked in the 95th percentile of games scored on OpenCritic.
9 / 10
Nov 26, 2018

The Messenger is a marvel of a game in the form of tributes to classical 8 and 16-bit series, with accompanying styles to match. With its surprisingly involving and hilarious plot, The Messenger manages to feature both plenty of action and exploration in a retro style and to grab the player's attention to its events in a way that few games of a similar style do.

Review in Portuguese | 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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Atomix
Top Critic
88 / 100
Sep 3, 2018

The Messenger is an essential for lovers of the design of the classics of the NES and SNES, with a high level of difficulty and a story full of irony, sarcasm and above all memorable characters.

Review in Spanish | Read full review

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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Aug 29, 2018

Despite the writing, which is definitely an acquired taste, The Messenger is a truly excellent classic platformer and a bloody good Metroidvania. There's enough of a twist on both genres to make it stand out in an increasingly crowded market. It looks great, in both the 8-bit and 16-bit sections, and the music sounds like it's ripped from the best NES game never made.

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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

9 / 10
Aug 28, 2018

2D side-scrolling action games like The Messenger may be a dime a dozen these days, but you'd be missing out on something special by passing this one up. Featuring a surprisingly long campaign, an incredible soundtrack and tight, challenging level designs, The Messenger stands as a shining example of great game design. We'd highly recommend you pick this one up; it's the very definition of a modern classic.

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10 / 10.0
Aug 27, 2018

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Evan Slead
Top Critic
8 / 10.0
Aug 28, 2018

Sabotage Studio's debut title, The Messenger, is an impressive evolution for the platforming genre. It takes risks that at times work in its favor but also create frustrating mechanics for players to look past. The melding of 8-bit and 16-bit aesthetics into a love letter for the NES era of platformers is nothing short of genius, but the style outweighs the gameplay in some areas, including the difficulty level.

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GameXplain
Top Critic
Liked
Aug 28, 2018
The Messenger - REVIEW (Nintendo Switch) video thumbnail
9.5 / 10.0
Aug 28, 2018

The Messenger is not just a brilliant love letter to the 8-bit and 16-bit games that inspired it. It's proof that even in a market saturated with retro-style platformers, there are still clever ways to approach the genre. It is one of the most well-designed games I have ever played on both a gameplay and storytelling level. Sabotage really created something special here and I can't wait to see what they come up with next.

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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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9 / 10.0
Jun 12, 2018

If there's any real "downside" to The Messenger, it's that its music and effects can be repetitive, but well... that's nitpicking. At its core, this game is damn-near perfection of the 2D action-platforming genre.  Humorous writing, great boss fights, well-thought-out level design, and challenging but not painful execution make The Messenger a must-have for any Switch owner.

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10 / 10.0
Aug 28, 2018

The Messenger's intricate platforming and charming world make for a surprising journey that must be played

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9.5 / 10.0
Aug 29, 2018

The Messenger succeeds in just about everything it does. It's a masterful retro throwback with challenging action-platforming and a charming story to tell. At the same time, its mastery of revealing itself over its ten-hour runtime and pushing the player forward is something that every modern game could learn from.

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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

8.5 / 10.0
Aug 28, 2018

The Messenger is a finely crafted homage to the kind of game that first introduced many avid gamers to a lifelong hobby.

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4.5 / 5.0
Aug 28, 2018

Truth be told, these are but brief and minor gripes in what is a twenty hour quest (should you aim for a full 100% completion) chock full of charm, wit and some of the most mechanically-sound and cleverly-designed platforming you're likely to find this side of 2018.

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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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