The Messenger, a title inspired by Ninja Gaiden, has been revealed with new trailer, taking players through the ages of action platformers.
Posted by the game’s developer Sabotage, the trailer shows a ninja with a striking resemblance to Ryu from the original Ninja Gaiden as he runs through several 8-bit environments filled with fire spewing turtle monsters, spear wielding soldiers and many, many spike hazards. The gameplay is lightning fast, with the ninja attacking, dodging and attacking again at a break-neck pace as he zooms through each world.
A Blast From The 8-Bit Past
As players progress through the game, they can unlock new abilities and enhance their stats to overcome different enemies and obstacles. In one section, the ninja purchases a wing suit to ride air currents up to out of reach areas as well as execute attacks on enemies down below.
The action is matched by a hi-energy chip tune soundtrack which, while intense, fits the mood of the game perfectly. It’s one of the developer’s selling points as well, having won the best music award at the 2017 Montreal Independent Games Festival.
The Messenger’s most promising feature comes at the trailer’s end. After leaping into a portal, the ninja and the world around him warp into a 16-bit aesthetic, changing the appearance of the enemies as well as the ninja himself.
While a firm release date hasn’t yet been announced, the game is planned to release this year for PC and consoles. For more games to look forward to this year, check out our long and short lists of indies worth watching in 2018.
