About The Messenger
The Messenger is an action platformer developed by Sabotage Studio from Quebec and published by Devolver Digital, released for Windows PC on 30 August 2018. A demon army besieges a village of ninjas, and a young warrior is handed a scroll that must be carried across a cursed world to secure the survival of his clan.
The journey begins as a classic side-scrolling action game with tight, acrobatic controls. You slash demons, cling to walls and leap across spiked pits, while a key technique called Cloudstep lets you strike an enemy, lantern or projectile in mid-air to earn an extra jump and chain long aerial routes.
Midway through, the adventure changes shape. Portals send the ninja between an 8-bit past and a 16-bit future, and the graphics, sound and even some level layouts shift with each jump in time. Areas you thought you knew open into an interconnected map that rewards exploration and careful use of every new ability.
A mysterious Shopkeeper lives between the stages, selling upgrades in exchange for time shards and telling odd stories that hide useful hints. Over time you unlock a rope dart for grappling, a wingsuit for gliding over long gaps and further tools that expand both movement and combat options.
Defeat is softened by Quarble, a greed demon who brings the ninja back after every fall but collects shards for a while afterwards. Bosses range from giant golems to sarcastic demon generals, and the dialogue is full of jokes that poke fun at video game tropes without breaking the sense of adventure.
The pixel art is crafted with care in two distinct styles, and the soundtrack by chiptune composer Rainbowdragoneyes was made with Famitracker, with every track recorded in both an 8-bit and a 16-bit version. Full controller support, achievements and collectible trading cards round out the package.
The requirements are modest: 64-bit Windows 7 SP1 or newer, an Intel Core i5-4210, 2 GB of RAM, Intel HD Graphics 4400 and 1.2 GB of storage. The Messenger suits anyone who enjoys precise platforming, exploration of a growing map and a story with plenty of humour.
Key Features
- Two eras of pixel art – Travel between an 8-bit past and a 16-bit future, each with its own look and music.
- Cloudstep – Strike enemies or objects in mid-air to gain an extra jump and keep moving.
- Growing toolkit – Unlock the rope dart, wingsuit and new abilities from the Shopkeeper.
- Chiptune soundtrack – Enjoy music by Rainbowdragoneyes made with Famitracker.
PC Version and Compatibility
The Messenger is activated in the Steam client, so a Steam account is required. Minimum requirements are 64-bit Windows 7 SP1 or newer, an Intel Core i5-4210 processor, 2 GB of RAM, Intel HD Graphics 4400 and 1.2 GB of free space. The game text is available in English, French, German and Spanish, among other languages, but there is no Polish or Italian version.
Global Activation & What You Receive
This Steam key unlocks the full game The Messenger. It is a Global key that can be activated worldwide. Open the Steam client, choose Games → Activate a Product on Steam, enter the code and the game is added to your library, where you can download it at any time.
Why Buy This Game?
Why buy it? The Messenger starts as a razor-sharp ninja platformer and then reveals a clever time-travelling twist, packing tight controls, witty writing and a superb chiptune score into one memorable adventure.
Related Games
Split-second slashing, bullet deflection and a stylish neon underworld give Katana ZERO the same razor-edge feel as the young ninja’s battles against the demon army. The very same Sabotage team later built Sea of Stars, a turn-based role-playing adventure set in the same universe that rewards players who enjoyed the Shopkeeper’s many hidden stories. Charting a vast interconnected kingdom with new movement abilities makes Hollow Knight a natural next step after the second half of this time-travelling journey. Bouncing on enemies with a trusty shovel and collecting cards lets Shovel Knight: King of Cards capture the retro platforming spirit that runs through every 8-bit stage.
