The Messenger – Picnic Panic

Picnic Panic is basically what The Messenger half-heartedly pretended to be: a precise and straightforward Ninja Gaiden throwback with an irreverent sense of humour. In some ways, it’s a little too straightforward; the new locations are pure cliché, and the only new mechanics are found in one uniquely elaborate boss fight and a couple of homages to Battletoads and Punch-Out!! On the other hand, the sharper focus and shorter length work to its benefit. There are no weak spots in the level design, the visuals, or the audio, and the comedy survives the game with its welcome intact. The time travel mechanic is still hanging around in vestigial form, and the dialogue still witlessly acknowledges the plot’s own foibles, but on the whole, there are many worse ways to spend a few hours.