I really really hope I win a copy of this game.. this game looks so amazing, so beautiful. Unfortunately I just bought my first house with my fiancee and just don't have the money to get it :( Please Completionist, complete the task of including me in this giveaway! I've partaken in your 'Gleam' entries already!
WOW! Wow wow wow! Thank you so much Jirard. We are extremely proud of The Messenger and to hear you praise it so much and for all the right reasons... it's just so heartwarming. Merci!
Sabotage just learned from this video that you are based in Quebec?? Nice! Super proud of yet another amazing studio and game from La Belle Province ;) Beau travail!! J’adore votre création!
This video created a sale, guys! Looks like you did some incredible work on this and my fear of it being Ninja Gaiden hard seems unjustified. This looks like the right kind of challenging. I lost cos I suck, not because the game's cheap. I look forward to seeing what else you guys create in the future.
@@VideInfra 5 years later but yeah they did, I not sure the finished game, but they did play the build sabotage took to a indie game event in japan and they praised it (was the design and music directors if I not mistaken)
Okay, I'll admit now: I stopped the video and bought the game after the first 3 minutes of the video, and I'm not disappointed so far by what is probably the quickest impulse buy of the century. The reason is simple: Jirard is a man of passion. It's obvious time and time again when he loves something, and for him to just spill the beans on the game _immediately_ ... Yeah, something was up and I was curious. Not regretting it in the slightest right now. Sooo yeah, thanks for that Jirard !
@@RMRelease for sure, speaking of playthroughs have you done new game + yet? I started one now I'm going to go back and find all the seals and beat it again so I can start with super shurikan.
That's Rainbowdragneyes, and he's a metal musician. He's inspired by both retro games as well as heavy metal. That's probably why it sounds so unique. -NicOfTheRenegades
I love how excited Jirard gets when he finds something he really enjoys; the passion and pure giddy joy comes thru in his voice, he really just lights up, and he wants to share this happiness with everyone else, and "The Completionist" and TOVG really thrives because this. Thanks Jirard, for continuing to share with all of us!!
After playing sea of stars and then learning about the messenger I am convinced this studio is going places and quick. I would love to see their rendition on the battle system that would play like a lunar game. After playing the messenger I found a good chunk of the music was inspired by donkey Kong country and dkc2. Everything from the pace of the floor to the water sections having a somber tone and changing to a warble in the water. It just seems very serene in its tone underneath the sharp notes that seam to hit front it's the melody in the background that gives me this thought.
"Play it, even if you just need to remember why you play games." This is sooo on point. I quit "playing" crap like Galaxy of Heroes the same day I started playing The Messenger. It almost teared me up, and got me super excited. It was like I was alive again. Yup, definitely reminded me why I play games. On... point! (Dear diary, hue.)
Sound's like Jirad had as much fun with this game as I did with Octopath Traveler. It's always fun to hear gaming with a passion. Especially when it's a game made with love and care.
You bet. Man, can you believe a awesome 16bit game like this in this age? U can't simply just make this game with money in your mind but only love, commitment, passion and gratitude to the past. The ost is a home age to the nes and snes, beautifully crafted and the plot is simply amazing. Don't forget the comedy in it
Lord I love pixel art games. Honestly they stretch the creativity of all creators no matter what and those who excel in creativity with the blend of nostalgia and making something unique to themselves. God damn I want this game
So, I started this game after getting the true ending of Sea of Stars, and only a few hours in I've had to catch my breath so many times with all of the lore connections and subtle ways these games truly feel like they're in the same universe, despite being completely different styles of games. It's really impressive
Jirard I applaud you for how much you praise this game. For one it shows you still have a burning passion for video games just as you did when starting the completionist. It really makes me feel good to see good indie games like this that are made with so much meticulous detail and passion in this era of games. I really hope that I win a copy of this game and I think it's awesome on your part that you're giving away copies for the game because you love the game so much. Thanks for being such an awesome dude Jirard.
"Even if you need to remember why you play games." That hit the nail on the head. The nostalgia of this game sucked me in immediately. The fun of playing it had me completing it in a weekend (excluding the power seals).
Just started playing this and i’m so hooked. The music is incredible. I can’t remember the last time a game’s musics made me feel something, between this and Celeste.
Hey. I'm not an avid gamer, but I bought this game last week based on this video (waited for it to go on sale on steam/finish some other games first). Really enjoyed it, thanks for the recommendation. Even as someone who doesn't have a lot of games in their steam library, I found it hard but manageable, so don't let the difficulty put you off. Thanks Jirard :)
That facet of the windmill shuriken is a huge nod to Ninja Gaiden and their same item; it had a similar effect in one (if not all) games and was absolutely necessary in taking down Kelbaross.
I have just finished this game, and hell yeah I confirm it, it is a masterpiece. I recommended the game to my friends, and one of them has bought it. Now I guess it’s time to start a game+ and finish the DLC :p. Merci pour ce bon travail sabotage, vous avez vraiment assuré !
I just begun playing yesterday and decided to rewatch this video. Time passes, year in year out, and this is still one of your best videos ever BY A VERY LONG SHOT. ❤
Just started playing this a few days ago and I absolutely love it. The dialogue between you and the shop keeper is comedy gold. I can't remember the last time I laughed so hard at a game. I've never been so eager to talk to a npc.
Finally (almost, like one level left) done with the game, 5 years later, and i don’t think ive butt clenched, screamed, or bopped as hard as i have in a hot minute. It’s a solid game, and it’s worth your time. Thank you for the recommendation Jirard, despite many near deaths of my switch when i was going after power seals.
...I have over 600 deaths... I haven't finished the DLC yet...In my defense, I DID get all the power seals, so that explains why I fell into holes hundreds of times
I know it's 4 years later, but God Damn this is seriously one of my favorite games ever. I love this retro Renaissance honestly. Bring it on. I'm playing it on my Ps5 and I'm for reals getting that damn Platinum no matter how long it takes. The wit, story, music (WTF Jirard I get where you are coming from, WHAT WERE YOU INSPIRED BY??? TELL ME!! TEEEELLLLLLLL MEEEEEEE!!! Then tell Jirard. But me first!!), character, combat and level design. Aside from Celeste, R&C 2 and Rift Apart, Spiderman PS4, Doom 2016, Shovel Knight and right now (haven't finished) Dad of Beard: BOY!!! Starts the Apocolypse, I haven't truly enjoyed a game this damn much and don't want to put down because it's a masterpiece and I don't use that term lightly. Also the games I seem to love the most and find near perfect, for the most part, came out less than a decade ago. What does that say about the video games landscape and my taste? All in all this game is amazing and I will complete it. When I do you are getting the pic of that platinum. Love you brotha and keep going.
Finally a new comment. I was thinking there were no more fans of the GOAT of a game, right up there with Undertale/Deltarune, Celeste, and many, many more, but I am so glad to be proven wrong. And I guarantee that we all are just as excited for the sea of stars prequel.
I've been buying up older games games for my kids recently to share my video game passion. I have two boys. Its tough for them to share sometimes and they are relatively competitive, so they want to be the first to beat a game, but they are good kids and understand they have to share. Then I bought The Messenger. This game is so freaking good, that for the last week, there has been nothing but all out brawls at my house over playing it. I kept telling them they have no idea how awesome this game is while they were playing it, and now they finally got to the portals when the time travel interlocks. Their minds have been blown with its awesomeness. I concur with Jirard that you have to play this game somehow, as it is right up there with Super Metroid in the way that it eases you into the gameplay and challenges you to use all your abilities. There are some really freaking hard levels but the game is impossible to put down. I can't stop thinking about it myself.
Just beat this game, and it’s definitely one of the best experiences I’ve had his year. Great gameplay, tight controls, interesting story, and good humor with a soundtrack as amazing as advertised. Very entertaining all around.
I'll confess I'm usually not interested in episodes of this show that focus on games that just came out very recently, but this is genuinely the type of episode that I LOVE to see from this show. Jirard plays game, Jirard loves game, Jirard decides to make a video letting us know why and how much he loves this game. It's just oozing with sincerity, and even though this game doesn't look like my cup of tea, I'm going to support it just so I can try to see what Jirard sees with this game. Fantastic episode, dude. Keep up the good work.
The music, at least to me, feels like it was inspired by the chiptunes of old, with a lot of elements from modern electronic music and a unique twist. Kind of like the game.
Jirard did you play the Picnic Panic DLC for The Messenger? There’s a beast of an achievement called “Star Messenger”. You have to win 5 straight races against your evil shadow doppelgänger. It is a TOUGH achievement.
I got all the achievements on xbox a while back and I've been thinking about replaying it on windows 10 for another set of achievements, but star messenger alone makes me not really want to do it lol 2 hours down the drain
Same, I was like "I'm going to 100% this". I've beaten all c-sides and got the golden strawbs from most of the normal levels, but no-hitting B-SIDES!? no way.
I had this game sitting in my steam library for half a year maybe. After finally playing it, it is my favorite game of all time (even though it has its problems)
One of the few games in the last couple of years where I audibly said, "Wow…that's really cool!" when going from 8-bit to 16-bit. Thanks for the review, Jirard!
This is why The Messenger is absolutely stunning ! I was really not a fan of this kind of game, a die and retry, but during lockdown, I tried it, and I HAD A BLAST. I've made up in my mind that i have to finish it at 100%, and what kept me up to do this was the ost, the humour, the joy of kicking a boss in the a** ! Truly the best 2018 8-bit/16-bit game I've played in 2020 !
@James Moody Ah, "overrated", that word beloved of those who think their own opinions are so important, that if most people like something and they don't, then everyone else must be wrong.
@@someguy_namingly Idk, about @James Moody but it is sickening to hear hollow knight in every comment section, jirard loves The Messenger more than hollow knight and so do I. Stop with the attack on people who don't like HK and stop pestering those who are indifferent to HK in every goddamn comment section. Guys like you make me feel animosity towards HK and think it is mad overrated.
Love your videos, Jirard. I have to say, I had heard about this game and after watching this episode several months back, that was what finally sold me on getting a Switch just so I could play The Messenger. Got it for Christmas and my first purchase was The Messenger, and I have not been disappointed in the slightest. For $20, this game is so worth it. I’ve already logged in over 50 hours and played through it 3 times: first two times just to appreciate the story and pay attention to all the details, side-quests and collecting. 3rd playthrough was a new game + which carries over all your upgrades and increases the difficulty. Plus, you actually get penalized for each death and need to pay your “debt” up-front. If you don’t have enough, game over. I think Sabotage only just added that feature recently, but once you’re already fully upgraded, it’s still fairly easy to race through from start to finish. And they’re coming out with the free Picnic Panic DLC sometime this year with 3 new levels. My one “complaint” would be that some maps simply cannot be “completed.” But that is such a minor gripe that could easily be fixed in a patch or something. I haven’t had this much fun playing a game in a very long time! 🙂
Dam it Jirad why are you always saying "sorry it's not a brand deal I'm not getting paid" a million time if you love a game? I can tell you really love it by the way you're talking about it and that's enough!
@Zimon Kuhs Its also got to do with how much controversy there's been about that in the past, with several youtubers (not like.. super prominent ones mind) making websites or services then posing as the guy who has all the insider information but is TOTALLY just showing you how to rip this site or service off. Frankly, the constant repetition makes him sound more suspicious than genuine, but considering how HARD he's pushing this game I completely understand why he's doing it. That giveaway alone is enough to make anyone go 'Uhm... you SURE they aren't backing this?'
@Roach Because you are one of less than a hundred people who genuinely give the benefit of the doubt like this. There are also actual people out there who can completely fake any number of behaviors and come across to most others as even more sincere than someone like Jirard here. :
Been playing the messenger for a bit now. stopped to take a break and eat some nachos...too messy to actually play the game while doing so. So I looked up a messenger review. I am not disappointed. I'd typed more, but cheese is getting in my keys
This is why we all game, to feel this level of connection and passion. Loved watching this review and can’t wait to play this game that somehow went completely under my radar.
I saw this game on the Indy Nintendo Direct and it immediately caught my eyes due to it looking so familiar to classic Ninja Gaiden. However, after watching your review and seeing the high praise you gave it and the fact that you were willing to give away free copies of the game, I actually just went and downloaded this game for the Switch. You’re right, there’s WAY more to it than just that Ninja Gaiden look and I didn’t know Rainbowdragoneyes did the music for this game! Awesome! Your review heavily influenced me to purchase this game and I have no regrets! My comment will probably get buried and overlooked, but I figured it was worth taking time out to write this out. Thanks again.
7:30 I was thinking the same Thing. The Messenger sounds like a Fangame or Bootleg rather than a Full-Scale Indie Game. Also, That Film you Mentioned Popped up, So there IS Going to be some Confusion when looking up this game's Name.
Yo bro , can't believe it's been 2 years , just returned to the game this week and beat your sorry record of 4:29 hours with a whole hour , 3:28 hours ;) . Also played the dlc you neglected for years , it was so much fun . Anyway , I'll be here in 2 more years when I return again to this game . Never really played Drifter , didn't cluck with me like The messenger did , wasn't anything special
How did it take you 55 hours? I almost wanna say its impossible unless you just kept playing after completing it and for some reason counted those hours. I did the platinum and the dlc in like 17 hours and I had to beat it a third time cause I lost my new game+ save trying to get the dark cave achievement.
He doesn't complete anything himself unless it's 100% live streamed. Whoever is helping is bound to make mistakes in researching how to make fake stats somewhat believable. Notice he doesn't mention the Star Messenger at all. Even veterans of the genre would notice and feel the need to talk about that one needing more practice than everything else combined.
Jirard alluded to this in a recent episode of Madness, the overarching theme of this series is that he effectively weighs the time investment each player puts into a game with the overall satisfaction of the game. Sure, his viewpoints can be subjective at times, but I always trust that his reviews not only justify the price of admission, but the experience overall. It is a victory for gamers and an advancement in the art every time a game achieves his highest ranking. Great video Jirard! I’m probably one of the few none-Switch owners in your viewership, but I definitely see myself playing this game in the future.
I know you did Tales of Symphonia, Jirard, but I'd love to see you do another one. Perhaps with its remake around the corner, you'd consider doing Tales of Vesparia.
I honestly didn't like this as much as I thought I would. The NES was my first console, the Genesis my second, I absolutely adore 2D platformers. But I dunno, I thought the gameplay was lacking in some way. It's hard to put into words. The most obvious thing would be that the enemy designs are fairly boring and the game as a whole was too easy. And then there's the second half of the game that wasn't as well implemented as in games of that genre. Don't get me wrong, I still think it's an alright game. Just a bit overrated imo. Edit: Then again, I'd say the same things Jirard says about Hollow Knight and Wandersong (for very different reasons obviously) and there are people who just don't click with those games at all.
Kaige Barnes It baffles me why he hasn’t done it already. I’m assuming he will sometime in the future since it’s just so big now after the Switch release
I believe he will complete Hollow Knight. During the IndieLand livestream there was a vote for a game for Jirard to complete and Hollow Knight won, so it’ll coming soon
The music compositions have a lot of similarities to the work of Tom Folin on the NES. He was focused on pushing the limits of the sound chip and creating a unique sound. Check out the title theme for Solstice.
Hey Jirard - been a big fan of this show since your third episode. Just want to throw this out there real quick though as I absolutely love the show and you individually. The Brett yelling in the background and pausing the show isn't funny. It's actually just annoying. Maybe I'm the only guy that thinks this, but it just disrupts the flow of the episode and he hasn't made me laugh once. Anyways great episode. I am gonna buy this game because of it.
Oh thank you! I thought I was the only one. If Brett had anything fun to add, then it would be appreciated. However, it just falls flat every single time....
Never thought I'd be playing just as many 8/16 bit games in 2024 as newer games. Between Valfaris, Curse of the Moon, Castlevania and this, it's ridiculous
It is really sad to see that RUclipsrs have to justify their opinions on something like a videogame so much in terms of "I am not freaking promoting it, guys!" or "I am not getting paid to say this!" nowadays. Come on, let these people honestly describe their enjoyment for something without having those capitalistic thoughts nagging at the back of your brains. I for one hope to win a PC Copy of this! I live to play Retro Games. Hell, I grew up in the peak era of Sega and Nintendo's rise to prowress. But good luck to everyone participating! I am sure this game will be worth it :3
This game is amazing, and I can say that without any nostalgic bias whatsoever. I'm an early 2000 kid, and my only experience with pixel games as a child was Pokemon BW, plus, I never even heard of that ninja game The Messeger is based on. The Messeger stands on its own as a great game
I actually 100%'d the game (achievements and all) on my first run. Dark Cave took a LOT of patience, but I did eventually do it. As for the "get to a certain point in the game without dying" achievement, I did that in a separate file. My second run, as a self-imposed challenge, was what is commonly called a "weak mode" run, and this game gets a LOT harder in weak mode. Weak mode is where you beat a game without upgrading anything. So in Final Fantasy X, that would mean no touching the sphere grid unless the game literally forces you to (like in a tutorial). Of course, that sounds completely impossible, but surprisingly, it's actually doable using Rikku's "Mix" overdrive and some specific items. Yes, you can take down Sin with an overdrive and a couple items. That blew my mind, too. In this game's case, weak mode means never spending a single time shard. Suddenly, those rooms full of enemies present an intricate puzzle that is not so easy to blast through. Things that were relatively straightforward because you had ninja stars or the ability to slash projectiles suddenly become your worst nightmare. I definitely recommend a weak mode run in The Messenger. It forces you to take a completely different approach to the game, where every enemy and obstacle becomes a worthy adversary. Particularly, I found Sunken Shrine and Forlorn Temple to be the hardest areas without any upgrades just because some of the obstacles are downright _evil._
I just recently completed this game and I absolutely love it. Art, storytelling, and gameplay are all top notch. Just moving through the game world is so much fun.
Thanks to this video, I bought the game and I've been hooked on it. Almost completed it and I've never stopped having fun, not even in the most difficult situations.
I saw the release trailer and immediately bought it to download on my Switch! I just finished it tonight and had a BLAST. I'm the same way here and can't recommend it enough; it's rare that I play a game all the way through and even rarer that I "complete" it. Hoping we get more good stuff from this team!
Play this game. Play this game. Play this game. Play this game. Play this... game.
I prefer my completionist passionate. Keep it going!
Keep it going Jirard
I really really hope I win a copy of this game.. this game looks so amazing, so beautiful. Unfortunately I just bought my first house with my fiancee and just don't have the money to get it :( Please Completionist, complete the task of including me in this giveaway! I've partaken in your 'Gleam' entries already!
Do one on hollow knight already it finally released it's final dlc
Hey Jirad, try complete any of "Clock Tower" games and get all endings?
WOW!
Wow wow wow!
Thank you so much Jirard.
We are extremely proud of The Messenger and to hear you praise it so much and for all the right reasons... it's just so heartwarming.
Merci!
Sabotage just learned from this video that you are based in Quebec?? Nice! Super proud of yet another amazing studio and game from La Belle Province ;) Beau travail!! J’adore votre création!
Any chance this is coming to Xbox one or PS4? I have both but unfortunately don't have a switch or PC
This video created a sale, guys!
Looks like you did some incredible work on this and my fear of it being Ninja Gaiden hard seems unjustified. This looks like the right kind of challenging. I lost cos I suck, not because the game's cheap.
I look forward to seeing what else you guys create in the future.
Marcos Jimenez wondering the same thing
Sabotage Id like to see a PS4 version too! Though I do need to buy a Switch...
It's pretty cool that even the developers of Ninja Gaiden played this game
They did? I was thinking that during the vid.
Alliteration aint nothin to fuck with. ~ Zach Sherwin
@@VideInfra 5 years later but yeah they did, I not sure the finished game, but they did play the build sabotage took to a indie game event in japan and they praised it (was the design and music directors if I not mistaken)
Okay, I'll admit now: I stopped the video and bought the game after the first 3 minutes of the video, and I'm not disappointed so far by what is probably the quickest impulse buy of the century.
The reason is simple: Jirard is a man of passion. It's obvious time and time again when he loves something, and for him to just spill the beans on the game _immediately_ ... Yeah, something was up and I was curious. Not regretting it in the slightest right now.
Sooo yeah, thanks for that Jirard !
It was 2 minutes for me.
I did the same the game is good but I’m bad at it
@singular on1
If you think his opinion is right/wrong, then you're disregarding his opinion overall.
Agree. This is one of my favourite games of all time.
Half way through this game and it’s amazing I loved how they did the pet with the time warps
16:04
Can we take a moment to acknowledge that the first time Jirard died was at the Glacial Peak?
Damn
Yeah I died on the first level in the messenger since because I thought a pit might have a secret lol
@@popnleck2838 get that quarble quote on "did you think that pit was a secret area my brother used to do that all the time to me" lol
Still over 50 hours for 2 playthroughs, thats quite a lot, my first one was 100% and it took me almost 10 hours. But i died way earlier than that xD
@@RMRelease for sure, speaking of playthroughs have you done new game + yet? I started one now I'm going to go back and find all the seals and beat it again so I can start with super shurikan.
he's at least played close to 500 games in his career i could probably expect that.
That's Rainbowdragneyes, and he's a metal musician. He's inspired by both retro games as well as heavy metal. That's probably why it sounds so unique. -NicOfTheRenegades
Yep, it's a ton of metal influence. There aren't enough metal covers of this soundtrack!!!
I love how excited Jirard gets when he finds something he really enjoys; the passion and pure giddy joy comes thru in his voice, he really just lights up, and he wants to share this happiness with everyone else, and "The Completionist" and TOVG really thrives because this. Thanks Jirard, for continuing to share with all of us!!
Okay. You sold me when you said it switches from 8-Bit to 16-Bit. Buying it now on Steam.
Can't really tell if Jirard likes this game or not. Video very ambiguous.
Are you deaf, fool?
He hates the game.
This bait is too good, just waiting for an unsuspecting fan to fall into this trap.
This fanbase isn't a bunch of 9 y/os like Pewds' though
@@iTheBeep Hey, fuck off
@@iTheBeep lol i love that meme
Everything about this game POPS. The music, the tight af controls, the fact it's actually really funny... I adore it.
After playing sea of stars and then learning about the messenger I am convinced this studio is going places and quick. I would love to see their rendition on the battle system that would play like a lunar game. After playing the messenger I found a good chunk of the music was inspired by donkey Kong country and dkc2. Everything from the pace of the floor to the water sections having a somber tone and changing to a warble in the water. It just seems very serene in its tone underneath the sharp notes that seam to hit front it's the melody in the background that gives me this thought.
"Play it, even if you just need to remember why you play games." This is sooo on point. I quit "playing" crap like Galaxy of Heroes the same day I started playing The Messenger. It almost teared me up, and got me super excited. It was like I was alive again. Yup, definitely reminded me why I play games. On... point!
(Dear diary, hue.)
I fricking played Pokémon sword twice I understand completely
It is your destiny, Jirard, to message the masses about the maximum mastery that is The Messenger.
Luke Rose magnificent
"Is that guy still sitting at the panel playing our game?"
"Yeah, that's just Jirard, ignore him"
Sound's like Jirad had as much fun with this game as I did with Octopath Traveler.
It's always fun to hear gaming with a passion. Especially when it's a game made with love and care.
You bet. Man, can you believe a awesome 16bit game like this in this age? U can't simply just make this game with money in your mind but only love, commitment, passion and gratitude to the past. The ost is a home age to the nes and snes, beautifully crafted and the plot is simply amazing. Don't forget the comedy in it
Lord I love pixel art games. Honestly they stretch the creativity of all creators no matter what and those who excel in creativity with the blend of nostalgia and making something unique to themselves. God damn I want this game
Update just purchased the game and I'm loving it to death! AMAZING JOB SABOTAGE
I was at PAX West just yesterday, and even within a couple seconds of watching it, it was comedic, fast paced, and beautiful. I loved it.
Jirard, you're just such a wholesome person. I wish you all the best with all your endeavors.
“There is no new game +”
Oh...you don’t know, do you?
You do realize NG+ was implemented AFTER this video came out, right? Even as a joke, this doesn't make sense.
They have added a new game + :D
Wait, they have?! Awesome!
So, I started this game after getting the true ending of Sea of Stars, and only a few hours in I've had to catch my breath so many times with all of the lore connections and subtle ways these games truly feel like they're in the same universe, despite being completely different styles of games. It's really impressive
same here!
Jirard I applaud you for how much you praise this game. For one it shows you still have a burning passion for video games just as you did when starting the completionist. It really makes me feel good to see good indie games like this that are made with so much meticulous detail and passion in this era of games. I really hope that I win a copy of this game and I think it's awesome on your part that you're giving away copies for the game because you love the game so much. Thanks for being such an awesome dude Jirard.
I prefer the sequel, The Sender...
You mean prequel
PowahSlap Entertainmint the sequel would probably be named the recipient or receiver
Nice
The Sequel would be called The Message.
@@saldanamoreno Oh really? I thought it was called the receiver. I've been wrong before, though.
"The Messenger is one of the greatest f***ing video games I have ever played."
- Jirard (2018)
"Even if you need to remember why you play games." That hit the nail on the head. The nostalgia of this game sucked me in immediately. The fun of playing it had me completing it in a weekend (excluding the power seals).
Just started playing this and i’m so hooked. The music is incredible. I can’t remember the last time a game’s musics made me feel something, between this and Celeste.
Hey. I'm not an avid gamer, but I bought this game last week based on this video (waited for it to go on sale on steam/finish some other games first). Really enjoyed it, thanks for the recommendation. Even as someone who doesn't have a lot of games in their steam library, I found it hard but manageable, so don't let the difficulty put you off. Thanks Jirard :)
That facet of the windmill shuriken is a huge nod to Ninja Gaiden and their same item; it had a similar effect in one (if not all) games and was absolutely necessary in taking down Kelbaross.
I have just finished this game, and hell yeah I confirm it, it is a masterpiece. I recommended the game to my friends, and one of them has bought it. Now I guess it’s time to start a game+ and finish the DLC :p.
Merci pour ce bon travail sabotage, vous avez vraiment assuré !
I just begun playing yesterday and decided to rewatch this video.
Time passes, year in year out, and this is still one of your best videos ever BY A VERY LONG SHOT. ❤
Not really my kind of game but your pure passion for it makes me tentatively interested....
What's ur "type" of game? mine is rpgs, metroivania, action platformers.
And some shooter/ fps
Just started playing this a few days ago and I absolutely love it. The dialogue between you and the shop keeper is comedy gold. I can't remember the last time I laughed so hard at a game. I've never been so eager to talk to a npc.
So I just got the email stating I was 1/50 winners and a code for this on Steam. Dude, Thank you so much you guys are so awesome!!!
Grats dude.
Finally (almost, like one level left) done with the game, 5 years later, and i don’t think ive butt clenched, screamed, or bopped as hard as i have in a hot minute. It’s a solid game, and it’s worth your time. Thank you for the recommendation Jirard, despite many near deaths of my switch when i was going after power seals.
You seriously got through two playthroughs with only 174 deaths?
i died almost three hundred times
@@8tor995 i was just fighting the demon general before the game turned to a Metroidvania and i think i died 286
@@8tor995 I have died 300 times till i beat the game and now I have 30 more deaths on the DLC hahaha
...I have over 600 deaths... I haven't finished the DLC yet...In my defense, I DID get all the power seals, so that explains why I fell into holes hundreds of times
I'm at 54 and currently at the shroom level boss.
I know it's 4 years later, but God Damn this is seriously one of my favorite games ever. I love this retro Renaissance honestly. Bring it on. I'm playing it on my Ps5 and I'm for reals getting that damn Platinum no matter how long it takes.
The wit, story, music (WTF Jirard I get where you are coming from, WHAT WERE YOU INSPIRED BY??? TELL ME!! TEEEELLLLLLLL MEEEEEEE!!! Then tell Jirard. But me first!!), character, combat and level design. Aside from Celeste, R&C 2 and Rift Apart, Spiderman PS4, Doom 2016, Shovel Knight and right now (haven't finished) Dad of Beard: BOY!!! Starts the Apocolypse, I haven't truly enjoyed a game this damn much and don't want to put down because it's a masterpiece and I don't use that term lightly. Also the games I seem to love the most and find near perfect, for the most part, came out less than a decade ago. What does that say about the video games landscape and my taste?
All in all this game is amazing and I will complete it. When I do you are getting the pic of that platinum. Love you brotha and keep going.
Finally a new comment. I was thinking there were no more fans of the GOAT of a game, right up there with Undertale/Deltarune, Celeste, and many, many more, but I am so glad to be proven wrong. And I guarantee that we all are just as excited for the sea of stars prequel.
@@alexicon2006 I actually had no idea about Sea of Stars. thank you for bringing this to my attention.
21:06
Got it, so the reward is the Windmill Shuriken from Ninja Gaiden. That's actually kinda great.
I've been buying up older games games for my kids recently to share my video game passion. I have two boys. Its tough for them to share sometimes and they are relatively competitive, so they want to be the first to beat a game, but they are good kids and understand they have to share.
Then I bought The Messenger. This game is so freaking good, that for the last week, there has been nothing but all out brawls at my house over playing it. I kept telling them they have no idea how awesome this game is while they were playing it, and now they finally got to the portals when the time travel interlocks. Their minds have been blown with its awesomeness.
I concur with Jirard that you have to play this game somehow, as it is right up there with Super Metroid in the way that it eases you into the gameplay and challenges you to use all your abilities. There are some really freaking hard levels but the game is impossible to put down. I can't stop thinking about it myself.
Just beat this game, and it’s definitely one of the best experiences I’ve had his year. Great gameplay, tight controls, interesting story, and good humor with a soundtrack as amazing as advertised. Very entertaining all around.
I'll confess I'm usually not interested in episodes of this show that focus on games that just came out very recently, but this is genuinely the type of episode that I LOVE to see from this show. Jirard plays game, Jirard loves game, Jirard decides to make a video letting us know why and how much he loves this game. It's just oozing with sincerity, and even though this game doesn't look like my cup of tea, I'm going to support it just so I can try to see what Jirard sees with this game. Fantastic episode, dude. Keep up the good work.
And with that, this friendship comes to an end
I honestly love whenever Brett is yelling in the videos, it brings me joy
Brett is like Navi, but more useful and sassy
The music, at least to me, feels like it was inspired by the chiptunes of old, with a lot of elements from modern electronic music and a unique twist. Kind of like the game.
Jirard did you play the Picnic Panic DLC for The Messenger? There’s a beast of an achievement called “Star Messenger”. You have to win 5 straight races against your evil shadow doppelgänger. It is a TOUGH achievement.
I got all the achievements on xbox a while back and I've been thinking about replaying it on windows 10 for another set of achievements, but star messenger alone makes me not really want to do it lol 2 hours down the drain
Devolver Digital publishes a lot of good games.
Opening this with the vacation level song is perfect
Wow, this totally slipped under my radar.
P.S. Celeste would be perfect for this show
Same, I was like "I'm going to 100% this". I've beaten all c-sides and got the golden strawbs from most of the normal levels, but no-hitting B-SIDES!?
no way.
I've done 1B and 2B deathless. They didn't take as long as 3A, just because they were shorter.
@@HEHEHEIAMASUPAHSTARSAGA I also did the same as you, took me only 3 hours though in my first try
I seriously doubt Jirard could 100% Celeste
I don't think it would be the hardest thing he's done for the show, but certainly up there.
Yup, I was blown away. Absolute staple. And now it DOES have New Game +. And it's additive!
This game is amazing,. It slowly kept getting better and better, and now I'd really love a sequel to this. It's easily my game of the year!
I had this game sitting in my steam library for half a year maybe. After finally playing it, it is my favorite game of all time (even though it has its problems)
I love this game, I have over 50 hours in this game, and have found every single power seal
One of the few games in the last couple of years where I audibly said, "Wow…that's really cool!" when going from 8-bit to 16-bit. Thanks for the review, Jirard!
This sounds like how I felt about shovel knight specter of torment
ShroomPuff shovel knight is rad
Same
ShroomPuff Spectre of torment is a perfect game.
Oh and for the matter at hand I'm really enjoying The Messenger as well.
Specter of Torment alone makes Shovel Knight treasure trove worth the money
This is why The Messenger is absolutely stunning ! I was really not a fan of this kind of game, a die and retry, but during lockdown, I tried it, and I HAD A BLAST. I've made up in my mind that i have to finish it at 100%, and what kept me up to do this was the ost, the humour, the joy of kicking a boss in the a** ! Truly the best 2018 8-bit/16-bit game I've played in 2020 !
you should complete hollow knight
I would complement that with Steam World Dig 2! I would say SWD2 and Hollow Knight are the Best MV on the Market to date!
@James Moody Ah, "overrated", that word beloved of those who think their own opinions are so important, that if most people like something and they don't, then everyone else must be wrong.
@@someguy_namingly Idk, about @James Moody but it is sickening to hear hollow knight in every comment section, jirard loves The Messenger more than hollow knight and so do I. Stop with the attack on people who don't like HK and stop pestering those who are indifferent to HK in every goddamn comment section. Guys like you make me feel animosity towards HK and think it is mad overrated.
@Raichu is Suprised at What You Have Done Exactly
Love your videos, Jirard. I have to say, I had heard about this game and after watching this episode several months back, that was what finally sold me on getting a Switch just so I could play The Messenger. Got it for Christmas and my first purchase was The Messenger, and I have not been disappointed in the slightest. For $20, this game is so worth it. I’ve already logged in over 50 hours and played through it 3 times: first two times just to appreciate the story and pay attention to all the details, side-quests and collecting. 3rd playthrough was a new game + which carries over all your upgrades and increases the difficulty. Plus, you actually get penalized for each death and need to pay your “debt” up-front. If you don’t have enough, game over. I think Sabotage only just added that feature recently, but once you’re already fully upgraded, it’s still fairly easy to race through from start to finish.
And they’re coming out with the free Picnic Panic DLC sometime this year with 3 new levels. My one “complaint” would be that some maps simply cannot be “completed.” But that is such a minor gripe that could easily be fixed in a patch or something. I haven’t had this much fun playing a game in a very long time! 🙂
Dam it Jirad why are you always saying "sorry it's not a brand deal I'm not getting paid" a million time if you love a game? I can tell you really love it by the way you're talking about it and that's enough!
people might think he was paid to say super positive stuff about the game to make it look better than it is.
@Zimon Kuhs Its also got to do with how much controversy there's been about that in the past, with several youtubers (not like.. super prominent ones mind) making websites or services then posing as the guy who has all the insider information but is TOTALLY just showing you how to rip this site or service off. Frankly, the constant repetition makes him sound more suspicious than genuine, but considering how HARD he's pushing this game I completely understand why he's doing it. That giveaway alone is enough to make anyone go 'Uhm... you SURE they aren't backing this?'
@Roach
Because you are one of less than a hundred people who genuinely give the benefit of the doubt like this. There are also actual people out there who can completely fake any number of behaviors and come across to most others as even more sincere than someone like Jirard here. :
Been playing the messenger for a bit now. stopped to take a break and eat some nachos...too messy to actually play the game while doing so. So I looked up a messenger review. I am not disappointed. I'd typed more, but cheese is getting in my keys
Soy
Still waiting for you to complete Hollow Knight.
Idk man, some achievements are literal hell, though would love to see him complete it
@@ksar98 He's already done it, and the comment is a year old
You and Game Grumps seem to be the only RUclipsrs who understand how good this game is... thank you
Thanks got the game one of my favorite games I have ever played and I am right now playing through picnic panic
I discovered this game because of you so I bought the game last week and now I love it, so thx!
I bet completing that cave in the dark brought back nightmares of the Zelda/Metroid cave with no lantern 😁
NOC sucked in fusion
This is why we all game, to feel this level of connection and passion. Loved watching this review and can’t wait to play this game that somehow went completely under my radar.
The compleationist can you think about reviewing Chulip or Chibi-Robo or Retro City Rampage or Cubivore!
The last shop keeper story before you fight phantom was so cute i was almost about to cry
I meant to play this for 2 hours for a Sunday stream. It ended up taking the entirety of the last 9 hours of it.
I saw this game on the Indy Nintendo Direct and it immediately caught my eyes due to it looking so familiar to classic Ninja Gaiden. However, after watching your review and seeing the high praise you gave it and the fact that you were willing to give away free copies of the game, I actually just went and downloaded this game for the Switch.
You’re right, there’s WAY more to it than just that Ninja Gaiden look and I didn’t know Rainbowdragoneyes did the music for this game! Awesome! Your review heavily influenced me to purchase this game and I have no regrets!
My comment will probably get buried and overlooked, but I figured it was worth taking time out to write this out. Thanks again.
7:30 I was thinking the same Thing. The Messenger sounds like a Fangame or Bootleg rather than a Full-Scale Indie Game.
Also, That Film you Mentioned Popped up, So there IS Going to be some Confusion when looking up this game's Name.
I just finished the messenger and now I am heading for Light Drifter or smth like that .
Yo bro , can't believe it's been 2 years , just returned to the game this week and beat your sorry record of 4:29 hours with a whole hour , 3:28 hours ;) . Also played the dlc you neglected for years , it was so much fun . Anyway , I'll be here in 2 more years when I return again to this game . Never really played Drifter , didn't cluck with me like The messenger did , wasn't anything special
How did it take you 55 hours? I almost wanna say its impossible unless you just kept playing after completing it and for some reason counted those hours. I did the platinum and the dlc in like 17 hours and I had to beat it a third time cause I lost my new game+ save trying to get the dark cave achievement.
He doesn't complete anything himself unless it's 100% live streamed. Whoever is helping is bound to make mistakes in researching how to make fake stats somewhat believable. Notice he doesn't mention the Star Messenger at all. Even veterans of the genre would notice and feel the need to talk about that one needing more practice than everything else combined.
Jirard alluded to this in a recent episode of Madness, the overarching theme of this series is that he effectively weighs the time investment each player puts into a game with the overall satisfaction of the game. Sure, his viewpoints can be subjective at times, but I always trust that his reviews not only justify the price of admission, but the experience overall.
It is a victory for gamers and an advancement in the art every time a game achieves his highest ranking.
Great video Jirard!
I’m probably one of the few none-Switch owners in your viewership, but I definitely see myself playing this game in the future.
Based on your opening, I’m going to now buy this game. I did just buy hollow knight, and I really want to 100% it, but when I do, I will buy this. Thx
Bought the game after watching your video. A few hours in, I'm not disappointed, thank you !
I know you did Tales of Symphonia, Jirard, but I'd love to see you do another one. Perhaps with its remake around the corner, you'd consider doing Tales of Vesparia.
DLC video about this game? This video is what sent me in the direction to find one of my favourite games, would love to see Jirard cover it again! :)
The music sounds kinda like retro city rampage dx
I love that game i really wish more people knew about it!
oh god the memories of that game on my 3ds
The "shopkeep" is quite possibly my new favorite character in video games.
I literally just finished this game yesterday. It was the second most incredible indie I've ever played, second only to undertale
I have just finished the catacombs I think, and I can relate so hard
I honestly didn't like this as much as I thought I would. The NES was my first console, the Genesis my second, I absolutely adore 2D platformers. But I dunno, I thought the gameplay was lacking in some way. It's hard to put into words. The most obvious thing would be that the enemy designs are fairly boring and the game as a whole was too easy. And then there's the second half of the game that wasn't as well implemented as in games of that genre.
Don't get me wrong, I still think it's an alright game. Just a bit overrated imo.
Edit: Then again, I'd say the same things Jirard says about Hollow Knight and Wandersong (for very different reasons obviously) and there are people who just don't click with those games at all.
If only the physical version for the switch wasn't so damn expensive! :(
Id love to see you do hollow knight 😃
Kaige Barnes It baffles me why he hasn’t done it already. I’m assuming he will sometime in the future since it’s just so big now after the Switch release
I believe he will complete Hollow Knight. During the IndieLand livestream there was a vote for a game for Jirard to complete and Hollow Knight won, so it’ll coming soon
He will, it won the IndieLand vote
Anjo Banjo Oh nice!! Thanks I didn’t know about that
Maybe waiting for the Switch physical.
The music compositions have a lot of similarities to the work of Tom Folin on the NES. He was focused on pushing the limits of the sound chip and creating a unique sound. Check out the title theme for Solstice.
Hey Jirard - been a big fan of this show since your third episode. Just want to throw this out there real quick though as I absolutely love the show and you individually. The Brett yelling in the background and pausing the show isn't funny. It's actually just annoying. Maybe I'm the only guy that thinks this, but it just disrupts the flow of the episode and he hasn't made me laugh once. Anyways great episode. I am gonna buy this game because of it.
Oh thank you! I thought I was the only one. If Brett had anything fun to add, then it would be appreciated. However, it just falls flat every single time....
Every. Single. Time!
I get a chuckle, but I don't think it's something I'd go 'Hey what ever happened to when they did this?'
Never thought I'd be playing just as many 8/16 bit games in 2024 as newer games. Between Valfaris, Curse of the Moon, Castlevania and this, it's ridiculous
I have literally died over 200 times and I’ve only played it about 7 hours...
I just finally played and finished this game. Great game, glad you liked it too
It is really sad to see that RUclipsrs have to justify their opinions on something like a videogame so much in terms of "I am not freaking promoting it, guys!" or "I am not getting paid to say this!" nowadays.
Come on, let these people honestly describe their enjoyment for something without having those capitalistic thoughts nagging at the back of your brains.
I for one hope to win a PC Copy of this! I live to play Retro Games. Hell, I grew up in the peak era of Sega and Nintendo's rise to prowress.
But good luck to everyone participating! I am sure this game will be worth it :3
This game is amazing, and I can say that without any nostalgic bias whatsoever. I'm an early 2000 kid, and my only experience with pixel games as a child was Pokemon BW, plus, I never even heard of that ninja game The Messeger is based on. The Messeger stands on its own as a great game
My god is this your GOTY so far?
I just beat this game 100%. I loved this game and really wished this game had a New Game +. I look forward to the sequel if it gets to exist.
It has new game + now!
Gonna do picnic panic?
Hey Jirard, this game was actually done by a friend of mine and people from my hometown and it's super cool to see you play it and review it.
I actually 100%'d the game (achievements and all) on my first run. Dark Cave took a LOT of patience, but I did eventually do it. As for the "get to a certain point in the game without dying" achievement, I did that in a separate file.
My second run, as a self-imposed challenge, was what is commonly called a "weak mode" run, and this game gets a LOT harder in weak mode. Weak mode is where you beat a game without upgrading anything. So in Final Fantasy X, that would mean no touching the sphere grid unless the game literally forces you to (like in a tutorial). Of course, that sounds completely impossible, but surprisingly, it's actually doable using Rikku's "Mix" overdrive and some specific items. Yes, you can take down Sin with an overdrive and a couple items. That blew my mind, too.
In this game's case, weak mode means never spending a single time shard. Suddenly, those rooms full of enemies present an intricate puzzle that is not so easy to blast through. Things that were relatively straightforward because you had ninja stars or the ability to slash projectiles suddenly become your worst nightmare. I definitely recommend a weak mode run in The Messenger. It forces you to take a completely different approach to the game, where every enemy and obstacle becomes a worthy adversary. Particularly, I found Sunken Shrine and Forlorn Temple to be the hardest areas without any upgrades just because some of the obstacles are downright _evil._
I just recently completed this game and I absolutely love it. Art, storytelling, and gameplay are all top notch. Just moving through the game world is so much fun.
One of my favorite games by far.
Not perfect, but amazing, beautiful, and most importantly, fun
Watched this video, paused it, beat the messenger, finished the video today. Lovvvveeeedddd the game!!!
Thanks to this video, I bought the game and I've been hooked on it. Almost completed it and I've never stopped having fun, not even in the most difficult situations.
I saw the release trailer and immediately bought it to download on my Switch! I just finished it tonight and had a BLAST. I'm the same way here and can't recommend it enough; it's rare that I play a game all the way through and even rarer that I "complete" it. Hoping we get more good stuff from this team!