Celeste

Some people nowadays feel an emptiness within them. They work dead end jobs desperately trying to fill that worthlessness. Some crave a challenge from their dull mundane life. What better way to fill that emptiness with a thrill of climbing a mountain?

Celeste is a towering brute that houses abandoned ruins from old civilization and some magical unknowns that may be better left untouched. The different settings aren't the only thing that strikes a challenge. The mystic wonders of the mountain may cause some to confront their worst adversary: themselves. Those who doubt their abilities may not succeed, but the fortunate may seek more rewards than the fulfillment of reaching the top. The harsh conditions of Celeste provide that thrill some may desire from their boring life.

The young protagonist, Madeline feels these struggles within her life. She has the resolve to look past her inner turmoil to overcome her fears. The path to the summit is daunting. Not only Celeste's obstacles stand in her way but there are people constantly looking down on her. But that just fuels Madeline to prove to them and to herself that she can reach the top with her jumping and climbing abilities.

Celeste tells a story of Madeline's struggles with anxiety and self-worth. Madeline and another adventurer, Theo, express their difficulties with feeling unhappy with their personal lives. Madeline's path towards the summit is full of physical terror, self-reflection, moral choice, and other barriers. Through Theo's and Madeline's heartwarming bond provides her the resolve to venture forward towards the next chapter. The player will feel invested to defy whatever comes their way not only for the thrill of it, but also to move Madeline forward to overcome her anxiety.

My personal gripe about the game is the lack of a backstory for Madeline. While showing her struggles with her anxiety makes me relate to her character, I wanted to learn more about her. There are a few scenes in the beginning that touch upon her background, but not much was shown.

Luckily, the music supplements any lacking bond with Celeste. Lena Raine's atmospheric soundtrack adds fantastic background music urging players to feel the wonders of climbing the mountain. The music adds so much to Madeline's actions, making players feeling one with the mountain and her character. Sometimes players will feel the tension not just through their eyes from seeing each daunting stage, but also in their ears with the emotional depth of the music. These ambient yet haunting sounds help create an immersive experience when struggling through each level.

Along with the immersive sounds while taking the leap of faith from one platform to another is how the game tells Madeline's story through dialogue. The tone may seem whimsical with the adorable character portraits and Animal Crossing like language but don't let that fool you. The entire package that Celeste unloads is full of realistic themes. Every character you meet feels fleshed out with different characteristics all stemming from the way they speak. You hear the emotions from the pitch of their chipmunk voices. Players can tell that Madeline is sweet and adorable which undermines her spunk and attitude with her smart mouth.

But how does the actual game feel? Celeste provides players just enough confidence with its mechanics to double jump, grab, and use the environment to reach the next checkpoint. Every stage is challenging yet doable. I often looked at my controller in an amazement, gasping a sigh of relief, wondering, "How the hell did I manage to do that?". Once the player master the controls, players will be able to tackle the level design without feeling frustrated. Sure, players will die over and over again, but there is a certain motivation to try again. That's how good the controls feel in Celeste.

Once players manage to effortlessly direct the left stick with the combination of the jump button, the game will throw new mechanics in every chapter. You will literally have to think on your feet and quickly route yourself in midair. Momentum and timing plays a key role in successfully getting to the next checkpoint.

If the tough level design or perfecting your technique isn't enough of a test, there are collectables scattered throughout each stage. Collecting strawberries add a touch more challenge. Players will have to navigate through a tougher stage to collect the strawberry and then venture backwards to a non hazardous area for the game to record your efforts. Collecting B-Side cassette tapes will test the player's patience while timing their jumps to disappearing blue and pink platforms. And if that isn't enough for you, there are crystal hearts to gather to unlock the epilogue of the game.

In rare occasions, Celeste has levels that require perfect timing to proceed to the next checkpoint. The brutal checkpoint system can cause a bit of frustration when trying to master one part of the level only to reach a harder second screen. You will have to learn each level of the game bit by bit until you get good or lucky enough to reach the end of the stage. Some pieces of the level design don't give the player enough confidence with momentum or timing which makes platforming feel disorienting at times.

Celeste is a fantastic platformer that requires patience, empathy, and skill to fully appreciate. The game tells a fantastic story of one overcoming their anxiety and depression to take on a daunting task. The beautiful musical arrangements create a riveting experience as players try countless times to jump from checkpoint to checkpoint. Celeste provides that a sense of accomplishment when surviving all the barriers impeding you from reaching the top. It's one of the few games that can make you feel like you climbed a real mountain. So to those feeling a bit empty with their daily lives, check out Celeste to give you that sense of fulfillment.