...that it is better to regret something that you have done. Than to regret something you haven't done.


This was a game I saw and was curious about but never got a chance to play. It's as weird as I had expected and also has a nice healthy tone of Y2K dystopian future 'nostalgia' The game is a real **** to get running on modern systems, but I've seen worse, it's just real finnicky as it seems everyone has different methods that work, and to different levels of success, as it seems to be a strange engine.... I found emulated 3dfx glide worked for me on windows 10 (i'll post a record of how i got it working on win 8) but eventually i got it running right in D3D mode too. Anyway, seems everyone has best results with the patch v 0.2 (stil available at Eidos) The readme that is contained with that patch is also worth a read as the game is not that straightforward in how to play. (It also has a really poorly written backstory to chuckle at.)

-patch game to .02
-change associated exe shortcut to compatilby with xp svc pack 3
-add the extension to that exe shortcut: +! -i -x
-install a 3dfx emulator ( i used nGlide) http://www.zeus-software.com/downloads/nglide
-run the exe and change the direct 3d mode if need be, and pick resolution within this launcher (you can't within the game)
-save new settings and keybinds and quit (it erases your keys if crashes. yeah that good stuff)
run again, and play.

Now cross your fingers, hope nothing blows up. and your computer doesn't Y2K bug...

Oh and i didnt get the cd music or the videos with this going. Fortunately there are only three real story videos (the intro, the middle 'boss' battle (it's not really a boss battle but feels like it is?) and the end. I don't care too much for Fear Factory but some of the voice acting in some of the scenes would be nice (hint watch youtube when they happen if you play it and are curious. its just a few scenes, though not too important neverthelesss.)

So, the game itself hasnt aged so well, and if i might suggest was really not so great to begin with. It has a really 'boaty and floaty' mouse freelook that makes it very hard to aim. This gives it a bit of a sloppy feel, and while doesnt really ruin the gameplay (its balanced for it via a very powerful autoaim/target lock mode) it is just very annoying. it's sort of a third person shooter, and perhaps inspired from MDK and maybe even bad mojo,

This feels almost like a predecessor to hitman in how you assume differnt roles and are an infiltrator (i opted to check this out over *Death to Spies* when i played it). If you didnt know. You are a cherub/angel baby that dives into people to posses them and mimick them. Some of the dialogue is really corny (there are a lot of jokes in it and some other odds and ends of humor in different places such as the bible verses in the credits. Jespyr Kyd's made me laugh!)

At some point they throw in some jumping puzzles that feel rather frustrating with the control system. shortly into the this video you can see one of the more frustrating puzzles (its not too much of a spoiler really just difficult to have the skill to do):

You cant really set traps but you can trick guards into killing themselves off. There is stealth, but elimination is usually the best and tidy way, but you can sneak past some, and avoid some altogther (if you are fast) the problem with stealth is the controls hold the potential here back, you lack a lot of finesse and it makes it hard to do anything other than jump into people and have them kill each other off in fear. The good flip side of this is interrupted stealth is not a dealbreaker and you can play the fight sequences rather than just reload your save (unless you are killed in combat) The puzzles are actually decent in it.

The reliance on jumping (with the finicky controls and your turkey bird like poor flight control) aren't so great and like most games feels a bit tossed in. The game is cool, has style and good atmosphere despite its flaws just for the unique idea and presentation alone, and it actually has quite a bit of personality to go with it. though it suffers as a game due to i suppose somewhat mediocre execution and rather frantic feel with a lack of much control.

You had a lot of games at the time that have a feel like this: MDK, Meat Puppet, Reloaded, Postal, simple ragged games with less focus on gameplay and more on exploring violence and 'adult' themes brought on by some of the political climate of the times in a pre-Rockstar games era. Often there is some science fiction element, or an overt Y2k Dystopia type thing going on. This is one of those games that carries with it a good theme and ideas and you play it for that alone. I found it really easy (and worthwhile) to appreciate many of the easter eggs and fun little tidbits hidden in it. Mad Max flickiering on a TV, random subliinal messages, Jesper Kyd, etc.

You can eliminate a person by jumping off a ledge, breaking their legs and them jumping out of them leaving them incapacitated then possessing the next guard. (and of coures would only add to the controversy) There are sex workers and some unsettling content (for its time anyway)some rather violent concepts (liek wounded crawling victims crying for help etc) The game has a nice adult tone which chiefly is what feels it's personality. The fact you play an 'infantile' protagonist which a voice actor of someone who sounds six and does an amazing job at speaking and trying to sound defiant and rebellious makes this game unique among a merely violent game. this isn't so cheesy but instead gives it a nice counterpoint to the whole zany religious theme, which is the weaving thread of the various rungs of controversy that tie it all together. You have sex, violence, performed by children, all within a grand religious 'joke'! For it's time, it's amazed it wasn't banned/obscene LOL) There isn't too much strategy to this eliination and its not a big part of the puzzle-side of the game (elimination is rather chaotic in how it plays out and feels natural) You just frantically go about clearing areas and then save game (in new slots in case you for whatever reason DO need that person for some reason/puzzle) For the most part its not an issue of getting stuck in puzzles. It is theoretically possible to eliminate certain guards or persons that you might need to open doors or operate something, for the most part, these seem to respawn, i never found myself stuck, still might be wise to keep backup slot saves...

The game has an interesting engine and graphics, and apparently the audio in this is just wonky. The patch notes say that the textures will shift and complicate themselves based on your framerate. No issues at least, and the game looks okay for its day. I couldnt get the audio to work. There are also some really odd bugs, like a door you can't open as it will crash unless you turn the sound completely off for about 30 mins and then renable it later. It's a shame that GOG hasn't curated this one properly, as some of the voice acting is pretty downright amusing. ( This funny video with Satan talking is worth a watch. It's one of the cutscenes. arguably the best one in the game. (though i like the intro a lot)

If you want cutscenes and custom audio bits, it seems the real solution is to have the second CD with the Fear FActory Music and (i'm guessing) cutscene audio on it. This isn't something i found available anywhere unless you get an old storebought copy. Perhaps it's possible that my copy was not legit. Uh oh...

I would like to play MDK now, another game by Shiny.

In the end this isn't bad game. it was just amusing enough to keep my interest. Brisk enough and easy enough to make progress through, despite the boaty mouselook (though i got used to it halfway through) kind of fun to explore this weird and sexy world (getting into the end game you can explore the red light district and its a fun area worth the visit!) puzzles werent perplexing, bugs were... vicious but managable. Not a bad bit of retro Y2K history. And god (no blasphemous pun intended) do i love the logo of this game.

^Y2k as HELL.

There are a lot of things to like about Messiah and a lot to dislike as well, the game has flavor and is a fun trip down memory lane in the Y2K era. The character of yourself, of God, and of Satan are top notch but fledgling concepts. While I can't say that the game is worthy of a sequel or modern remake, it does leave one wanting more in how interesting the premise and ideas are, Thought and love was put into the initial design and its a fun idea! Others have described the game as 'wasted potential' or 'poorly executied' and it's not injustice as many of these ideas fit together really well in a game that more or less throws you into the thick of it, Letting you make of things as you will even though the environment is static, the control is poor, the game is a frantic arcade feel and you are left wanting a more interactive world such as hitman the whole time rather than a scripted TPS that relies on violence and sex gimmicks, yet has the decency to give you fun character concepts clever/decent level design with puzzles and and maps

In the end i'm glad i played it, I enjoyed the three nights i spent playing it. Would reccomend it if you like other games by Shiny such as MDK, an arcade feeling shootsy game, or simply like adult themes and humor in games that is just there for potential shock value. For me, the game was worth playing just for the Y2K elements, Definitely up there in this dept.