Picnic Panic is a free DLC expansion for The Messenger, which released on July 11, 2019. It is accessible after completing the game by defeating the final boss, then interacting with the scrying orb inside the shop. If you're on a New Game + file, you can access the DLC after obtaining the map.
"The Messenger - Picnic Panic DLC" is a separate download from "The Messenger," so the DLC must be downloaded from its respective digital distribution platform, such as its entry on Steam,[1] the Nintendo eShop,[2] the PlayStation Store,[3] or the Xbox Games Store.[4]
In an alternate timeline, far off the coast of Messenger Island, five Phobekins enjoy a picnic on an idyllic secluded beach on the tropical Voodkin Island. Unfortunately, unbeknownst to them, Barma'thazël hides in a bush in the nearby jungle. Barma'thazël ambushes the Phobekins and grabs a corner of the picnic blanket, upturning the Phobekins' picnic and causing a panic. He uses the picnic blanket as a kidnapping sack, scooping up all five Phobekins. Barma'thazël then walks into the jungle with the sack of Phobekins on his back, leaving behind the sad remains of an uneaten picnic. He plans to use the Phobekins for an evil ritual.
Ninja is sent to the alternate timeline in order rescue the Phobekins and to stop Barma'thazël's evil plan. The Ninja Elder of the alternate timeline directs Ninja to head to the western side of Ninja Village, where an alternate-timeline Ruxxtin waits for Ninja near the docks. However, Barma'thazël, with an evil grin, gazes at Ninja's approach within a scrying orb, and the narrator implies that Barma'thazël is leading Ninja into a trap.
After collecting 4 Music Notes on the Version 1.0.4 update, the shop's scrying orb will start glowing intensely. Ninja can interact with it for the following message:
Ninja sees a vision in the scrying orb.
The mists of time are shifting...
...terror in the tropics...
...one-eyed menace...
...little creatures, taken hostage...
...the birth of an evil twin...
Ninja asks The Shopkeeper what the vision means. She is surprised and asks if Ninja truly saw something in the scrying orb. Ninja confirms that he did, but the vision was blurry. The Shopkeeper becomes worried, informing him that the demons are not only fighting the Blue Robes across time but space as well, and that the scrying orb warns them of alternate timelines in which demons are about to win, which could overwrite their current reality. Ninja offers to go there directly to prevent those events from occurring, and The Shopkeeper says he will be able to after the new content is released.
With the Picnic Panic update, while the scrying orb still glows intensely after collecting 4 Music Notes, and although Ninja can still initiate a conversation with The Shopkeeper, the actual teaser message produced by the scrying orb is removed, and the beginning and ending of the interaction with The Shopkeeper is slightly altered. At the beginning of the conversation, instead of asking what the vision means, Ninja asks what is happening with the scrying orb. At the ending of their conversation, instead of offering to go there directly, Ninja questions how the events of alternate timelines being able to overwrite their own timeline makes any sense. This prompts The Shopkeeper to admit that it does not make sense, though advises if Ninja is interested in additional content, he should interact with the scrying orb.
Trivia[]
In the "Sabotage end of year Q&A 2018" video, Thierry Boulanger, the main writer and director of The Messenger, explained that Picnic Panic is an experiment. It is supposed to be the first of a trio of DLC's called "Barma'thazël's Revenge." If Picnic Panic drives enough sales on the main game by increasing its value, there would be 2 more DLC's left. However, whether or not they get released is dependent on Picnic Panic's reception.[5]
Ultimately, Sabotage Studio opted to create their second video game, Sea of Stars, rather than continuing the plotline of Barma'thazël's Revenge. Whether or not the other two acts will ever be addressed is yet to be determined, and it's entirely possible those stories would be released in a format unrelated to The Messenger.[6]
The stone slab with the word "TUWHERA" etched into it.
In the background of a couple of the Picnic Panic trailers, the word "TUWHERA" can be briefly seen on a stone slab in the background, shortly after the promotional words "VOODOO MAGIC!" appear on screen. In the ARG, this word was required to save The Archivist so he could return to The Void.
In the actual release of Picnic Panic, this stone slab is nowhere to be seen.
Rainbowdragoneyes, the game's music composer, is the one who says "Picnic Panic" during the song in the trailer.[7]
Initially it was planned for the Picnic Panic DLC to become accessible after collecting 4 Music Notes, but this was changed, and now the player must instead complete the entire game and defeat the final boss.[8]
Pitou can be spotted hiding within a bush in Ninja Village during Picnic Panic's cinematic intro.
