Review: The Messenger - Old School Platformer (Topic)

It should be noted right away that The Messenger is a real platformer of the same "old school". And the legendary Ninja Gaiden served as the main source of inspiration for the creators.

Storyline

The Messenger begins with a fairly standard story in which good and evil are fighting. However, the understanding soon comes that this whole hackneyed story is "blurred" with good humor. The game is brimming with all sorts of cliches from the world of video games and typical plot twists.

Do not be surprised if it seems that the hero is stupid in places, because what else can you expect from a character who is sent to save the world with the words: "There is no time to explain something to you, you will figure it out on the way." However, the game does not slip into a frank and insolent farce thanks to humor, because the stupidity of the main character tries, for example, to make fun of the merchant, and another character tries to mock the hero at any opportunity.

Speaking of the merchant: at a certain moment, he simply breaks the fourth wall and subsequently addresses the player directly. In addition, he has conversations for absolutely all occasions. He can also tell useful information related to the upcoming level or boss. Although these are far from all surprises.

Gameplay

The Messenger is a quite high-quality platformer, and at a certain stage of the passage it shows the popular elements of metroidvania. The key feature of the gameplay is that you can switch between 8-bit and 16-bit versions of the level. Thanks to such mechanics, previously unseen and inaccessible levels are opened.

The main character is a rather sympathetic character. The difficulty of passing is moderate. And there is nothing wrong with that, because the complex elements of the gameplay are present, but they are simply not brought to the point of absurdity.

The boss fights deserve special attention. All the bits are quite pleasant, in particular due to the fact that unusual situations arise: sometimes the boss has to be smeared on the wall with a thin layer; sometimes the battle ends with a peaceful resolution of the conflict; sometimes bosses force you to pass a test. And sometimes they can just let the hero pass by, or even just go into the shadows, promising to return with renewed vigor. Every player has been familiar with every situation for a long time thanks to other similar games.

Graphics, ambience and sound

The developers very well convey the spirit of the era when 8-bit and 16-bit games were popular. At the same time, the game really looks stylish and you can admire some of the views. On the other hand, today it is a sin to create such projects with some errors in the schedule or atmosphere. The game is a real "treasure" for those players who have long wanted to play the old "Sega" or "Dandy". However, thanks to this, the atmosphere during the passage is so pleasant that it literally smells of nostalgia.

The soundtrack for games of this type and genre is awesome. In addition, when it becomes possible to change the version of the game from 8-bit to 16-bit, the sound also changes and completely corresponds to what it was in the "bearded" years.

Summary

Definitely a key plus of The Messenger is that the game represents a modern version of Ninja Gаiden. The project is completely faithful to the classic games in many details, but at the same time makes them larger, fresh and unique. The game also contains original gameplay mechanics, quite comfortable and responsive controls, a cool soundtrack and an excellent humorous component.

The Topic of Article: Review: The Messenger - Old School Platformer.
Author: Jake Pinkman