Celeste
Celeste, a recent 2D platformer released on PC, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One and PS4, is a perfect lightweight indie game. Stripped down to its core, the game is a series of increasingly difficult platforming challenges that forces the player to master wall jumping, climbing, and midair dashing. This is not new territory for gamers — the “ultrahard” platformer genre is a staple of the indie market, with games like Super Meat Boy finding great success (along with countless copycats) over the last decade. Celeste, however, goes beyond controller-breaking difficulty, blending responsive gameplay with a story that carries emotional weight without overstaying its welcome.
On the surface, Celeste is about climbing a mountain (the fictitious, and eponymous, Celeste Mountain). In reality though, the game is a powerful look at mental illness, told through both the protagonist, Madeline, and the characters she meets. These themes are explicit — the game’s antagonist is the physical embodiment of Madeline’s “practical self,” belittling her attempts to climb the mountain. In some levels, the player is chased by this doppelganger, ending their climb if they hesitate or think too long about their actions. While, admittedly, I don’t live with mental illness, I thought the topic was handled with ample care. I especially appreciated that during one long conversation, the player could choose whether or not to discuss the protagonist’s depression. This smart decision allows the discourse to happen on the player’s own terms, and ensures that the game never talks down to players who may already be familiar with the experience of living with mental illness.
Celeste’s story wouldn’t carry such impact if not for its ingenious level design. The game’s director and level designer Matt Thorson is a master of creating challenges that indirectly teach players the skills they need to succeed, all while constantly prodding the natural “one more try” instinct. Several times while playing the game I audibly said, “Fuck you Matt Thorson,” not only begrudgingly, during a particularly difficult challenge, but also in awe when I found myself flying through a challenging level by instinct alone. I had been taught, subliminally, the skills I needed to succeed several minutes earlier.
Celeste’s graphics help sell the whole experience. Those who aren’t fond of pixel art might be initially put off, but the sprites are consistently lush and shockingly fluid. Despite its low-resolution aesthetic, the animations and environments work together to give every action a sense of weight. In a word, the game just feels juicy. Coupled with the exciting and hummable soundtrack, the world in Celeste feels hostile and introspective. The levels are sprawling but quantized into bite-sized challenges, making this the perfect game to sit and play for 20 minutes or binge for hours on end. For players looking for a gripping platformer to test their skill, Celeste provides a cohesive experience with a long-lasting impact.
