Hankering for some old-school Ninja Gaiden action, NES-style? Sabotage Studio’s The Messenger is now available for Nintendo Switch and the PC. As you might expect from looking at gameplay, it’s a throwback to the 8-bit and 16-bit days of action platformers. Check out the launch trailer below.
As a ninja tasked with delivering a scroll to a mountain, players must venture forth through a mystical landscape and face all kinds of hazards. Abilities like wall climbing and gliding, and items like shurikens and the Rope Dart provide some kind of edge. However, the most interesting mechanic is being able to travel to the future, unlocking new paths. Eventually, players will have to face off with the Demon King, because of course they would.
The Messenger is already receiving rave reviews from critics. On Metacritic, the Switch version has an aggregate Metascore of 88 from 20 publications with its action, story-telling, soundtrack, and its homage to retro titles receiving praise. What are your thoughts on the game thus far? Let us know below.