The Messenger (2018 video game)

The Messenger is a 2018 action-platform video game developed by Canadian developer Sabotage Studio and published by Devolver Digital. The player controls the eponymous ninja, who is appointed by a great hero to deliver a scroll. As the Messenger explores levels and defeats enemies, he gains a currency called Time Shards used to purchase useful upgrades and abilities. The game begins as a linear adventure featuring elements of time travel, with the audio and visuals changing from an 8-bit style to 16-bit to represent the ninja's journey from the past to the future. In the second half, The Messenger becomes a Metroidvania-style game where the player revisits previous levels to find key items.

Lead designer Thierry Boulanger created an early prototype of The Messenger in 2008. He hoped to create a game with a ninja as a protagonist, and pitched the concept to the Sabotage Studio co-founder Martin Brouard. Boulanger took inspiration from games such as Ninja Gaiden and Chrono Trigger, and fundamentally altered the game many times. The soundtrack was created by Eric "Raindbowdragoneyes" Brown, who created each song individually in the 8-bit and 16-bit styles. Sabotage Studio crunched to finish development to avoid competing with AAA games for press attention. The Messenger was first released for Windows and Nintendo Switch on August 30, 2018. Versions for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One were respectively released in 2019 and 2020.

The Messenger sold over 50,000 copies within a week and received generally positive reviews from critics. Reviewers praised the dialogue, controls, music, and art, while they were divided on the pacing. It won the "Best Debut Indie Game" award at The Game Awards 2018, and received several other award nominations and accolades. A downloadable content expansion called Picnic Panic was launched on July 11, 2019, and a prequel titled Sea of Stars was released in 2023.