The Messenger starts as an 8-bit Ninja Gaiden homage before flipping, halfway through, into a 16-bit metroidvania that upends everything. The cloudstep jump and deadpan writing make it a clever platformer that keeps surprising you.
Your verdict
Category
Platformer1 player7+
Description
A young ninja must carry a sacred scroll across the ages to save his village. Published by Devolver Digital, released worldwide in 2018. Fast platforming that flips from 8-bit to 16-bit, time travel, offbeat humour and a catchy chiptune soundtrack.
The Messenger review
4/5
Art direction
★★★★★
"Striking"
MAX
Music
★★★★★
"Legendary"
2/5
Story
★★★★★
"Classic"
A rare feat: the music flips live between 8-bit and 16-bit chiptune depending on the era you cross, and Rainbow turns that gimmick into genuine melodic craft. Cutting synths, round basslines and catchy themes propel every leap. The sonic back-and-forth mirrors the time travel with a flair that leaves a lasting mark.
Gameplay
"Masterful"
What starts as an 8-bit homage to Ninja Gaiden flips midway into a 16-bit adventure of time-hopping back and forth, and that twist redefines everything. The snappy movement and aerial bounce stay a joy in hand, backed by a catchy chiptune score and deadpan humor. The more exploratory second half can divide opinion, but the energy is infectious. An excellent pick for fans of idea-packed retro platforming.
Fun
"From the very first seconds"
Tearing along as a ninja, slicing the air and bouncing off projectiles delivers immediate, exhilarating sensations. Then comes the twist: the game suddenly flips and redefines its own rules, a jubilant surprise we won't spoil here. The offbeat humor needles relentlessly, the retro look delights, and the mastered speed stays a pure treat to chase.
Beneath its retro-platformer surface, the adventure hides duels that toy with your expectations: a single guardian can flip between 8-bit eras mid-fight, reshaping its rules and attack palette as you go. The snappy sword-jump and cloudstep make every dodge electric, while the meta humor spices up clashes that stay genuinely demanding under the comic gloss.
An underrated gem
It was first taken for a plain Ninja Gaiden clone, and that's exactly the trap: past the halfway mark it morphs into a time-hopping metroidvania, flipping from 8-bit to 16-bit with disarming wit. That structure and its humor were sometimes overshadowed by the same publisher's heavyweights. Fans of snappy platforming and twists should rediscover it.
Is The Messenger still worth playing in 2026?
The Messenger surprises with its structure: what starts as an 8-bit platformer paying tribute to Ninja Gaiden turns into a 16-bit adventure with back-and-forth time travel. That switch, its offbeat humor and its catchy chiptune soundtrack make it a clever, generous title. The snappy movement and the air-rebound system stay a joy in the hands. The more exploratory second half can divide opinion. But the whole keeps an infectious energy. An excellent pick for retro platformer fans who love games bursting with ideas.
