Grade: A+
A hard but never impossible 2D platformer that helps you plumb the depths of your own motivations.
Celeste is a masterpiece of the 2D platforming genre and is right at the top of my all-time favorites list. Whenever people talk about indie games that spilled over into the mainstream market, Celeste almost certainly comes up. It’s sold about a million copies so far. Made by two core developers who were also roommates when they wrote it, Celeste was a labor love for the authors. A lot has already been written about Celeste by much better writers than myself. Therefore, I have decided to dispense with any attempt to write some new “hot take,” and instead, I’ll pull out some of my favorite analysis from across the web.
While most people reading this review will already know Celeste, I’ll do a quick recap just in case. Our main character, Madeline, has decided to climb Mt. Celeste. However, Madeline has no idea at the beginning how challenging this climb will be. During the journey, they face their motivations, inner demons, fears, and anxieties. Madeline’s journey takes you on a retrospective deep dive into the depths of what can drive a person to choose to continue forward in the face of adversity. The player endures Madeline’s difficulty first-hand with some of the most challenging platforming ever designed. Celeste pulls zero punches, and even just the base game is exceptionally tough.
Every aspect has been lovingly crafted
From your first to last moment playing Celeste, you can tell that the developers cared about every conceivable detail.
Celeste has one of my favorite soundtracks I’ve ever heard, and the soundtrack perfectly sets the mood and augments each story beat in the game. For example, the haunting melody in my favorite track, “Resurrections,” makes me feel like I am simultaneously utterly lost and yet persisting in the quest for answers.
A highlight of the attention to detail comes into focus when Madeline drops underwater. The music instantly muffles and becomes garbled to match. Its little details like this one, when added together in the aggregate, made Celeste’s sound design so wonderful to listen to. If you are interested in more behind-the-scenes, Lena Raine, the composer, wrote a wonderful article about how she pulled all the pieces together.
Beyond the sound, the gameplay is a celebration of all the best parts of the platformer genre. Each movement of the controls feels smooth, consistent, and like you, the player, are in control. Many authors have written about why Celeste was such a successful platformer, and my favorite dissection of the topic is from the “Gamemaker’s Toolkit.” They break down the game’s physics, interview the developers, and analyze how the Celeste team iterated the platforming approach throughout development.
A highlight from the video was the discussion of where the developers purposefully gave wiggle room to the players. For example, you can hit the jump button right before you touch the ground, and instead of landing flat, the game will recognize your intention to jump when you hit the ground. Instead of focusing on precision, the developers leaned into determining and responding to human intent. Whoa!
Beating this game is an experience
Getting through all of the chapters in Celeste gave me the sense that I could do anything. This game is way better than watching a top-rated motivational speaker or reading a self-help book. I know it’s just a game, but there’s a sense of accomplishment that goes with getting to the top of Mt. Celeste that feels empowering on a personal level.
A lot has been said about the psychological underpinnings of Celeste, but I think going too far in the weeds with psychology metaphors cheapens the experience. Celeste’s story is meant to make you feel something about your own life, and the game accomplishes that with aplomb. So to me, no further analysis is needed!
Of course, it wouldn’t be a proper review if I didn’t put in my own play stats. I did terribly at collecting strawberries (23/175) and died almost 1500 times over 10 hours just beating the base game. Never has ten hours felt better spent than with Celeste!
Want to see more? Explore all itch.io bundle for racial equality and justice game reviews.