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As I sat down to record this podcast with Steve, I was weighed down by a great weariness. One-by-one I’ve been struck by oppressive circumstances that have robbed me of privacy, personal time, confidence, peace, and so much more. I mention this only to note how interesting it is to hear the stress gradually lift and unburden me, concluding in one of the most relaxing and pleasant conversations I’ve had with Steve in a while.

Perhaps this is why, the very day after recording, I sat down and plugged away at The Messenger with renewed interest and vigor. I’ve since completed the game, and in the event that I fail to will myself into a more extensive write-up, I’ll simply state that it was good, but… well, “just” good.

It’s that weird realm of criticism where you know the game is enjoyable and does a lot of creative things right, but is either lacking in some secret ingredient to push it beyond a general sense of favor. That, or it makes a few mistakes here and there that drag the experience down as a whole. As a linear experience, The Messenger was “fine”, and “fine” was… well, fine for me. It was a nifty little throwback that managed to avoid the many pitfalls (figurative and literal) of Ninja Gaiden and its frustrating design. As the game swaps over to 16-bit graphics and sound, it briefly becomes a more favorable experience filled with exploration. Yet the fusion of that linear, obstacle-course driven level design with back-tracking managed to diminish the favor it could find with me.

Nonetheless, when Sabotage Studios announced the Sea of Stars kickstarter campaign, I backed it. I hadn’t played The Messenger yet, but the game looked excellent. While I may not be in love with The Messenger, it has actually made me glad that I backed that campaign and helped support its development. If nothing else, I can tell that there was a lot of love put into The Messenger, and I look forward to seeing what Sabotage Studio can do with a SNES style role-playing game.

Have you played Outriders yet? Or have your own thoughts regarding The Messenger? Please leave a comment below or send us an e-mail with your opinions.

Opening theme music by Fallen Prophecy.