The Messenger

The Messenger begins as a brisk side-scrolling action game and then keeps widening what it asks from the player, which is its real trick. By our assessment, it is strongest when the movement, combat, and stage layout are all pressing in the same direction, because that gives the whole thing a crisp, playful rhythm. The downside is that it can feel very insistent, with challenge and back-and-forth traversal that will not suit someone wanting a calm platformer. In practice it is all about tight jumps, sharp timing, and a lot of recontextualizing the same journey through the world. It sits comfortably among retro-leaning action games, but with more personality than a plain homage. The Messenger is for people who like their platforming to keep unfolding.