Platinum Trophy #20: The Messenger
Date Earned: 19th October 2020
Dopamine Index:
I was trying to figure out what exactly I wanted to say about The Messenger, so I checked out my personal Trophy list for the game and remembered: I played this thing at least twice through.
That’s a rarity for me these days. When I was younger, I replayed the same games over and over, but that wasn’t really by choice. Nowadays, I have so many games at my fingertips that I’m almost never able to justify returning to something I’ve already played.
I do enjoy replaying my favourites when it happens, though. You can gain a whole new appreciation for something that way, maybe because you see some details you missed the first time.
The first time I played The Messenger was because I reviewed it back in 2019, but I clearly wasn’t in it for the Trophies at that stage, because I missed a fair few.
Over a year later, I returned to it, starting from a fresh save so I could scoop up those missable Trophies and any late-game stragglers.
It isn’t a super lengthy game, but it’s certainly on the long side for a side-scrolling action platformer, so this was quite the commitment for what was ultimately a handful of extra digital trinkets.
It was worth the effort, though, because The Messenger is such a joy to play.
Not only does the game feel extremely smooth to control, it’s also packed with personality; there are lots of winks and nods that break the fourth wall, and the writing is surprisingly funny throughout.
It’s got buckets of charm, some really cool moments, and great presentation. There are many modern games inspired by NES-era classics, but The Messenger might be my favourite.
I wouldn’t mind playing it again.
Cheers, The Messenger.
Do you have the platinum Trophy for The Messenger? Tell us in the comments section below.