The Messenger

I have a deep respect for studios that have carved out their niche and become masters of their craft. Sabotage Studio is a prime example of creating a product that needs no marketing; it's the kind of game that can be sold with just a few words exchanged between friends or a recommendation on Reddit—and just like that, another copy is sold.

The Messenger has many strengths, but its crowning achievement is its undeniable charm. The game never takes itself too seriously, which is evident in its bizarre conversations with the shopkeeper and a narrative that endlessly breaks the fourth wall. It brims with playful references to 8-bit games from the Sega Mega Drive era, a lightness of spirit, and a certain slyness in its setting.

In many ways, The Messenger can be compared to the 2011 Oscar-winning film The Artist, which didn’t simply rehash silent film tropes but captured the era’s true spirit. Similarly, Stranger Things doesn’t exploit 80s nostalgia but lovingly recreates the mood and feel of the time. These kinds of projects don’t just imitate the originals—they’re better versions, and that’s why they resonate.

Mechanically, the game strikes a delicate balance. The difficulty ramps up at just the right pace—not too fast, not too slow. There’s room for exploration, and overcoming obstacles feels rewarding. The game will appeal to casual players who might have been intimidated by the hardcore difficulty of games like Celeste, while still offering plenty to those who enjoy a challenge.

All the ingredients are thoughtfully chosen, perfectly balanced, and executed with care.

It’s an excellent game, one you can confidently recommend.

This game is so frustrating because it switches between really good and pretty bad fairly frequently. I will say that overall I enjoyed my time, and considering the state of current indie games, this was fairly refreshing to play since there's no real top tier platformers releasing, at least not in this style.
I bought this game back in 2019, got to Cloud Ruins, and just stopped. I've recently decided to work through my backlog and was in the mood for a platformer, so I finally gave this game another shot. It scratched the itch, but it could’ve been so much better.
Genre
There are a couple of reasons why I feel that way. If you want to avoid spoilers at all costs, stop reading here. But honestly, I think it’s important to be aware of this going in, otherwise you might have the wrong expectations. This game is a platformer for the first half, but halfway through it turns into a metroidvania. I hate metroidvanias. That’s not to say it’s bad, but I just dislike them. It’s a personal thing. Especially in this game, you spend so much time backtracking, and teleport points are few and far between. The reason I was still able to 100% it is that the game is very short overall, and thankfully it has in-game upgrades that help you track collectibles. That removed a big chunk of what usually makes metroidvanias annoying for me.
Gameplay
The gameplay itself is tight, except when it isn't. It's hard to describe, but some rooms are really well designed and incredibly fun, while others are just boring or flat-out annoying. It doesn't always correlate with difficulty either. When you have to clearly differentiate between simple cloudsteps and gliding, which share the same button, it can become a pain. That’s mostly what I meant at the beginning about this game being frustrating. The potential is clearly there, but it rarely comes together as well as it could. Most of the time the rooms are just average, but sometimes they’re really good or really bad.
Difficulty
I don’t think the game is that difficult, but it’s not easy either. I’ve seen reviews saying it's one of the hardest games of all time, and I think that’s a huge stretch. I think the bigger issue is that, unlike something like Celeste, if you're unlucky, checkpoints can be far apart and that’s frustrating. Some rooms definitely can be challenging, but it depends on your tolerance for these kinds of games. If this is your first time playing something like this, it'll probably feel very difficult. If it’s not, then it really shouldn’t be too bad. If you wan't to go for 100% then there's only like 2-3 achievements that are challenging, except for that it's mostly just an extra time sink.
OST
Not much to say, the soundtrack is great. Classic chiptune. There are a couple of really standout tracks that I genuinely enjoyed.
Story and Writing
Now, finally, I don’t think writing is all that important in games like this, but man, the writing here is so inconsistent. Maybe it’s just not for me. Plenty of people seem to love it, so your mileage may vary. But for me, the humor wears thin really fast. Once you get used to it, it becomes very unfunny, very quickly. Then, after not taking itself seriously for the entire game, it hits you with a massive lore dump toward the end. And I’m just like... either commit fully to being a parody or take the story seriously from the start. I wish it had gone with the more serious tone. Moments like the end of the Sunken Shrine had such a strong vibe, and they made me realize I would’ve much preferred that tone overall. That level, for me, was the peak of the game. Everything came together really nicely there.
I have no clue how the writing in Sea of Stars compares to this, but if it's at all similar it would make it unplayable for me. I would hope they improved though I heard conflicting informations about that game, too.
Verdict
Despite the issues, I’m still glad I went back to it. There’s enough here to enjoy if you’re willing to put up with the frustrating parts. I'd say if you're in the mood for something like this and can deal with the genre shift or the writing really hooks you then it's an 8/10 otherwise:
7/10

Pros:
-Artstyle direction is great.
-Amazing OST
-Fun and rewarding platforming that can get hard but never unfair
-Characters aren't too story-driven but makeup with amazing humor.
-8bit to 16bit gimmick is brilliant
-You get a free DLC
Cons:
-You're still reading the review and haven't bought the game. Just go buy it, it's honestly an amazing game! 10/10

I liked this game a lot. The 1st part hit astronomically well, everything felt great and cohesive. The 2nd half was kinda weak, the backtracking was annoying, the direction was vague and annoying to navigate and just kinda fell flat for me, but it was still an overall great experience.
This was another one and done game for me. I played it to death once, greatly enjoyed it, but don't plan on ever touching it again despite how great it was. I watched The Completionist's review of it years ago which inspired me to add it to my wishlist. By the time I finally bought and played this game, The Completionist's career fell apart after he was exposed for engaging in financial fraud. That was one hell of a timeskip

The Messenger starts strong, with tight controls, fast-paced action, and a clear homage to classic Ninja Gaiden-style platformers. For the first half, it delivers exactly what it sets out to be, a satisfying, well-crafted action game with great level design and sharp gameplay.
But then the genre shift happens.
Once it pivots into Metroidvania territory, things begin to drag. The backtracking feels excessive and, frankly, not well thought out. It adds hours to the game without adding much substance. The progression becomes muddy, the pacing suffers, and the exploration lacks the payoff you’d expect from better-designed Metroidvanias. It’s not that it’s bad, it’s just that it feels like it’s trying to wear a costume it never fully commits to.
Still, I stuck with it, mostly because the core movement and combat are good enough to carry it through its weaker parts. However, by the end it definitely overstayed its welcome. If it had just focused on being a lean, polished action-platformer without the bloated back half, it could’ve been something great. As it stands, it’s fun, but uneven.

Don't let the graphics fool you, this is a really well made game. It's a combination of NES Ninja Gaiden to a Metroidvania.
The simple controls and skill tree is interesting. I had no problems learning and becoming a skilled ninja. Some folks might be turned off by the quirky dialogue, but it gives this game that charm. Especially the more you progress further into the game. As someone who is from the 8-Bit era, The Messenger is a welcoming addition to the modern retro style games I adore. Another great Ninja game I absolutely enjoyed this from beginning to end. The music (and the change into it) is really well done.
Sabotage developer, you did good! Thumbs up for The Messenger and highly recommended.
Works flawlessly on Steam Deck

The dialogue is hilarious. The twist is unexpected, I suggest you play it blind as well, ignore the page's tags to manage expectations. The music is EXCELLENT, sounds muffled when underwater, what a treat. The stories the NPC shares is thought-provoking. Overall WONDERFUL. Except for that 1 achievement (DLC, you'll know it when you get to it).
DO THE THING!!!!