The Messenger is a 2018 action‑platform video game developed by the Canadian indie studio Sabotage Studio and published by Devolver Digital. It was released for Windows and Nintendo Switch on 30 August 2018, with later ports for PlayStation 4 (19 March 2019) and Xbox One (25 June 2020). The game follows a ninja, known as the Messenger, who is tasked with delivering a mystical scroll across a world threatened by demonic forces.
Gameplay
The Messenger is a side‑scrolling platformer that blends linear level progression with Metroidvania‑style exploration. Players control the titular ninja, performing runs, jumps, sword attacks, and a “cloud‑stepping” move that allows an extra mid‑air jump after an attack. As the game advances, new abilities such as wall‑climbing and a rope dart are acquired. Collectible Time Shards, earned by defeating enemies or exploring, can be spent on upgrades. The title uniquely shifts between 8‑bit and 16‑bit visual and audio styles to represent travel between past and future eras, with warp points enabling movement between the two timelines and altering level layouts.
Plot
The narrative begins in a ninja village besieged by demons. A legendary “Western Hero” repels the initial attack and entrusts the Messenger with a scroll to be delivered to a mountain summit. After reaching the summit, the Messenger is sent 500 years into the future to confront the Demon King’s general, Barma’thazël. The story expands to reveal a cyclical struggle in which successive Messengers, aided by a group of blue‑robed figures, must collect notes from a magical music box to free a cursed entity named Phantom and ultimately defeat the Demon King. The plot incorporates themes of time travel, legacy, and sacrifice.
Development and release
Lead designer Thierry Boulanger began prototyping the game in 2008 while studying programming. After an initial rejection by his employer, he presented the concept to Sabotage Studio co‑founder Martin Brouard, who left his job to pursue development. The team drew inspiration from classic titles such as Ninja Gaiden and Chrono Trigger. Composer Eric “Rainbowdragoneyes” Brown produced a soundtrack rendered separately in both 8‑bit and 16‑bit formats. Development involved a crunch period to complete the game before competing with major AAA releases.
Reception
Within its first week, The Messenger sold over 50,000 copies and received generally positive critical reviews. Critics praised its tight controls, witty dialogue, dual‑era visual style, and soundtrack, though some noted uneven pacing. The game earned the “Best Debut Indie Game” award at The Game Awards 2018 and garnered additional nominations and accolades from various gaming publications.
Downloadable content
A free DLC titled Picnic Panic was released on 11 July 2019. It introduces an alternate timeline where demons threaten the blue‑robed allies, adding new levels, enemies, and narrative twists that expand upon the core story.
Legacy
The Messenger’s blend of retro aesthetics, time‑travel mechanics, and Metroidvania design has been cited as an influential example of modern indie platformers. Sabotage Studio later released a prequel, Sea of Stars, in 2023.