At first glance, The Messenger leaves two powerful first impressions. The initial cutscene immediately evokes nostalgia for the NES classic, “Ninja Gaiden,” through its sounds, theme, and character design. The second impression reinforces this sentiment, presenting the game as a heartfelt and impressive tribute to Ninja Gaiden.

What truly makes The Messenger addictive? The controls. They are exceptional, allowing for phenomenal gameplay. The game masterfully reimagines the elements that made Ninja Gaiden great, integrating modern features for a smooth and enjoyable experience. Every action, from simple jumps to complex attack sequences, is executed seamlessly.

The game’s standout ability is present from the start: the Messenger can jump, attack, and jump again. This mechanic replaces the traditional double jump, allowing players to jump repeatedly as long as they hit something mid-air, whether it’s an enemy or part of the scenery. Many collectibles and secrets are hidden in areas that require precise use of this ability.

Now, let’s dive into the story. The game begins with the protagonist’s village being attacked by the “Demon King” and his army. Just when all seems lost, the “Hero of the East” arrives, easily defeating the invaders. He hands the protagonist a scroll, instructing him to deliver it to the top of the tallest mountain without explaining why, thus transforming the protagonist into the Messenger.

The game starts as a straightforward platformer, with the Messenger fighting bugs and collecting items. When he encounters a wall too high to jump over, he enters a Transdimensional Gate that leads to a “shop” run by the best character in the game, the “Shopkeeper.” This area feels more like a bazaar. After some banter, the Shopkeeper gives the Messenger “Climbing Claws,” similar to the wall-hanging claws in Ninja Gaiden.

The protagonist, whom I’ll call “Bill,” continues his journey with the claws, making the game quite linear. He travels to new areas, converses with the Shopkeeper, defeats area bosses, and occasionally receives new items to keep the gameplay engaging. The levels are long but interesting and intense. The difficulty increases steadily but never reaches the frustrating levels of the Ninja Gaiden series.

Initially, the stages are linear in true Ninja Gaiden style: move right, defeat enemies, and face a boss. The pacing of these events is excellent.

When you die, a small demon saves you but exacts a price, taking you back to the last checkpoint and then following you, stealing your money until you “pay off the debt” or he gets bored and leaves.

Returning to the story, Bill reaches the “Snowy Summit,” signaling the nearing end of the game. The Shopkeeper makes a meta-comment about this, which was a surprising moment for me.

At the mountaintop, Bill encounters the Shopkeeper and his companions, who summon a time tower for his final test. Inside the tower, Bill faces challenging obstacles and eventually fights a megazord-like boss. After defeating it, the game takes an unexpected turn. After several hours of gameplay, the visuals and music upgrade to 16-bit quality, significantly enhancing the game's beauty.

This graphical change does not alter the gameplay, which remains smooth and enjoyable. However, the game’s major twist is its transition from a linear platformer to a Metroidvania. This ambitious shift changes the game’s structure, requiring players to revisit previous stages to find new items.

Unlike Evoland, which also transitions between gaming generations but lacks personality, The Messenger incorporates this change seamlessly into its story. The time portals, allowing Bill to switch between 8-bit and 16-bit worlds, add a fresh mechanic that affects the game's paths and challenges.

However, finding musical notes to progress can be tedious. Only a few fast travel points are available, forcing players to traverse large maps on foot. This detracts from the exploration aspect of Metroidvanias and emphasizes the hunt for collectibles, making the experience less enjoyable.

Despite these flaws, The Messenger is incredibly fun and surprisingly long for an indie game. It offers a respectful parody of Ninja Gaiden while introducing new elements. The game's humor, especially in interactions with the Shopkeeper, adds a unique charm. Though not perfect, The Messenger’s ambition and love for the genre shine through, making it a worthwhile experience.