Bamboo Creek is the fifth area of The Messenger. It is a bamboo forest filled with rivers, waterfalls, and extensive platform and pulley systems.
The west side of Bamboo Creek is accessed from the Catacombs, and the east side leads to Howling Grotto. The northwestern section of Bamboo Creek borders with Forlorn Temple, but it is only possible to traverse from Forlorn Temple to Bamboo Creek and not the other way around due to a gate.
Bamboo Creek is filled with green bamboo trees growing out of light brown dirt. There are light blue rivers and waterfalls. Close to the ground, the background is filled with long stalks of bamboo, but as Ninja climbs higher into the sky, it reveals a light blue sky with white clouds.
Items[]
8-Bit[]
After Ninja gains the power to freely time travel, he can Wingsuit across the large waterfall room near the end of the level to reach a platforming segment that leads to Claustro the Phobekin.
At the bottom of a long vertical room is a death gap that is crossed by a moving platform with a switch. At the other side of the gap is a breakable block. Cross the gap and break the block to reach the Power Seal room. Hit switches to lift up walls and avoid moving spike platforms to reach the Power Seal.
Final[]
Power Seal #2[]
In 16-bit, in the first room with a shop, head left of the shop to reach the Power Seal room. Hit switches to lift up walls, and avoid moving spike platforms to reach the Power Seal.
Power Seal #3[]
In 16-bit, in the first room with an enormous elevator, hit the elevator's switch a few times to lift it upwards. Drop below the elevator and into the Power Seal room that has a checkpoint. Hit the switch to lift up a wall and Cloudstep off of pulley lanterns while avoiding spikes and swinging spikeballs to reach the Power Seal.
The Shopkeeper's Dialogue[]
Current area[]
Shopkeeper
Bamboo Creek! That must be a sight for sore eyes after your trek in the Catacombs.
Ninja
Sure is.
Shopkeeper
Do make the best of it. This place is as close to a day off as you'll get on this adventure.
Ninja
I'll try, I just didn't know something so cheerful existed.
Shopkeeper
... Heh, I guess that says more about your mindset than about the world.
About Time Shards[]
Ninja
What are these crystals I'm collecting?
Shopkeeper
So you're a "touch the unidentified magic object first and ask questions later" kind of guy?
Ninja
...
Shopkeeper
They're Time Shards. I can use them to augment your abilities.
Ninja
How does it work?
Shopkeeper
Exactly the way we have been doing it so far. You select what you want and give me the required amount of shards so I can do my thing.
You're in Bamboo Creek! This is as sunny as it gets in this here cursed world.
Ninja
So?
Shopkeeper
So I suggest you take the opportunity to play outside.
Ninja
...
Shopkeeper
Bye now.
Level boss[]
Ninja
So I guess the boss is up next?
Shopkeeper
A boss in Bamboo Creek? That's a good one!
Ninja
Well with the layout, you know, perfectly centered gate, symmetrical lanterns, no scrolling, I just thought...
Shopkeeper
Look, you're perfectly free to hallucinate patterns and try to make sense of them, but I believe I told you this place was like your day off.
Ninja
So?
Shopkeeper
Well, would you fight a boss on your day off?
Ninja
...
Shopkeeper
Exactly.
Trivia[]
Beta version of Bamboo Creek's final screen.
The "Devolver Public Access: The Messenger-Sneak Peek" video depicts an alternative final screen for Bamboo Creek, which heavily resembled Howling Grotto.[1]
Bamboo Creek lyrics were written by the game's music composer, Rainbowdragoneyes. Game programmer, Sylvain Cloutier, shared the first stance of the lyrics in the official The Messenger Discord server, and some time later, Rainbowdragoneyes dropped off the second stanza.[2]
I like Chinese food
Chinese food is good for you
I like to eat Chinese food
And Chinese food is yummy too
If you like me too
You will bring me Chinese food
Because it is so yummy did I mention I like Chinese food
Shopkeeper
Ninja
