The Messenger is of a select few metroidvanias that I have cared enough to complete. So many games in this genre don't do anything for me---which is weird because I enjoy all of the elements of metroidvanias. The interconnected world, power-ups, progression... each part on their own is great, but I feel like more often than not things get a little hazy when they are put together. Maybe it's just a skill issue on my part, but I couldn't care less.
The Messenger combats my problems with metroidvanias by it not being a metroidvania until halfway through the game. You start out with 8-bit visuals, combat, and game conventions to ease your way into the game. When The Messenger is like this, it plays like an old Ninja Gaiden game. Learning the game's mechanics this way lets each of them breath, and it never got overwhelming. Eventually, the game turns 16-bit and starts showing off its metroidvania side. Everything mentioned earlier gets an upgrade that you can feel while playing. The music changes, the pixel art starts looking more like a SNES game rather than one from the NES, and the levels start becoming more ambitious. Soon after that, though, the game pulls out its Trump card: switching between 8- and 16-bit.
When switching between these two in each level, your knowledge of each gameplay style is tested. You'll go from relatively simple areas while in the 8-bit world and then, upon switching to the 16-bit version of the level, everything gets taken up a notch. You do this multiple times per level, and each time is more inventive than the last.
The Messenger's main gameplay systems is its combat and platforming. The platforming is great, and it can get pretty challenging at times too. The combat is simple, but it can get pretty involved. The Messenger is at its best during boss fights when it tests you on both your platforming and combat abilities.
The writing is great too. It made me laugh multiple times during my playthroughs, and the characters are all great. It never falls into the side of annoyance with any of the side characters--they all have a unique charm to them that I feel like is only really ever seen in Nintendo games.
The Messenger takes the best parts of being a side-scroller NES game and being a contemporary metroidvanias to make an experience that is unforgettable.
The Messenger combats my problems with metroidvanias by it not being a metroidvania until halfway through the game. You start out with 8-bit visuals, combat, and game conventions to ease your way into the game. When The Messenger is like this, it plays like an old Ninja Gaiden game. Learning the game's mechanics this way lets each of them breath, and it never got overwhelming. Eventually, the game turns 16-bit and starts showing off its metroidvania side. Everything mentioned earlier gets an upgrade that you can feel while playing. The music changes, the pixel art starts looking more like a SNES game rather than one from the NES, and the levels start becoming more ambitious. Soon after that, though, the game pulls out its Trump card: switching between 8- and 16-bit.
When switching between these two in each level, your knowledge of each gameplay style is tested. You'll go from relatively simple areas while in the 8-bit world and then, upon switching to the 16-bit version of the level, everything gets taken up a notch. You do this multiple times per level, and each time is more inventive than the last.
The Messenger's main gameplay systems is its combat and platforming. The platforming is great, and it can get pretty challenging at times too. The combat is simple, but it can get pretty involved. The Messenger is at its best during boss fights when it tests you on both your platforming and combat abilities.
The writing is great too. It made me laugh multiple times during my playthroughs, and the characters are all great. It never falls into the side of annoyance with any of the side characters--they all have a unique charm to them that I feel like is only really ever seen in Nintendo games.
The Messenger takes the best parts of being a side-scroller NES game and being a contemporary metroidvanias to make an experience that is unforgettable.