IGP First Look – ‘The Messenger’ (PS4)

Boring old ninja training gets interrupted by a demon attack in our IGP First Look at The Messenger. But being interrupted to do sweet sword battles against leaf demons is a pretty good reason.

We take off though the first area of The Messenger, getting a feel for the leaping and swordplay of the ninja action title. And wall climbing. And shurkien tossing. With a flare for the acrobatic, the game aims for a kind of flowing movement that makes combat feel like a race, pushing you to move through enemies and challenges with grace and lethality. It’s a compelling play style, and while you can see us getting used to it (having to attack to double jump makes each leap tense and exciting), it’s one that grows comfortable quickly. Combining this style with solid visuals and music shows that The Messenger offers some great ninja play.

So long as you don’t die from having a pile of leaves thrown at you. Not the most honorable end, there.

The Messenger is available now on PS4, the Nintendo Switch, and Steam.

About The Author

Joel Couture

Joel has been covering indie games for various sites including IndieGames.com, Siliconera, Gamasutra, Warp Door, CG Magazine, and more over the past seven years, and has written book-length studies on Undertale and P.T.. Joel is constantly on the lookout for digital experiences that push the boundaries of what games can be, and seeks to delve into the creative process, meanings, and emotion labor that goes into the work of artists worldwide.

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