The first half of The Messenger is a really tight, 8-bit, Ninja Gaiden-style adventure that takes you through a collection of stages with challenging platforming and tough boss fights. The game transitions into a 16-bit art style when you hit the second half, letting you backtrack and explore other previous stages like a vintage Metroid or Castlevania game. My favourite parts of the game are the cleverly designed stages that introduce magical portals that swap between the two art styles instantaneously. The absolute banger soundtrack features 8-bit and 16-bit versions for each level, making the on-the-fly transitions even more impressive. The most frustrating part of The Messenger, though, is the late-game exploring. It’s quite tedious—many of the game’s stages feature pits or spikes that can kill you instantly, which makes backtracking a chore when you’re dying over and over. I almost wonder if The Messenger would’ve been a better game if they just stuck with the linear, Ninja-Gaiden progression. The second half wears out its welcome a little too quickly for my liking.
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