What Is Celeste?
Celeste is a 2018 precision platformer developed by Maddy Thorson and Noel Berry (Extremely OK Games). You play as Madeline, a young woman who decides to climb Celeste Mountain — and the game uses that physical journey as a metaphor for confronting anxiety, self-doubt, and mental health struggles. It sounds like it could be heavy-handed, but Celeste pulls it off with grace.
The Gameplay Loop
At its core, Celeste is about getting from one side of a screen to the other. Madeline can run, jump, and dash — a single mid-air dash that recharges on touching the ground or certain crystals. That's the entire toolkit, and from it the game constructs hundreds of increasingly inventive challenges.
The level design is a masterclass. Each chapter introduces a new mechanic or environmental theme and explores it thoroughly before moving on. You'll navigate feather-riding sections, deal with a dark mirror version of yourself, and traverse a hotel full of haunted furniture — all while the core dash mechanic gets remixed in ways that feel fresh rather than gimmicky.
Difficulty and Accessibility
Celeste is hard. The main game's later chapters will genuinely challenge experienced platformer players, and the optional "B-Side" and "C-Side" levels are some of the most demanding content in the genre. But the game has a thoughtful Assist Mode that lets players slow game speed, add extra dashes, or even turn on invincibility — with no judgment attached. The developers openly encourage using it.
This makes Celeste one of the most accessible "hard" games ever made. You choose how difficult you want your experience to be, and the game respects that choice entirely.
Story & Themes
Celeste's narrative is told through short dialogue scenes between platforming sections. The writing is understated but emotionally precise. Madeline's relationship with her anxiety — personified as "Part of Me" — is handled with nuance that feels authentic to real experiences of mental illness.
Without spoiling the ending: Celeste says something genuinely thoughtful about self-acceptance that most games wouldn't have the courage to attempt, let alone execute well. It's the rare game where the story and gameplay reinforce each other thematically.
Music
Lena Raine's soundtrack is outstanding. Each chapter has its own sonic identity — from the lilting, melancholy piano of the early mountain sections to the pulsing electronic tension of later chapters. The music dynamically layers as you progress through screens, and the final chapter's score is one of the most emotionally effective in any game.
The Numbers
| Category | Notes | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Gameplay | Tight, inventive, deeply satisfying | ★★★★★ |
| Story | Subtle and emotionally resonant | ★★★★★ |
| Music | One of gaming's best soundtracks | ★★★★★ |
| Accessibility | Excellent Assist Mode options | ★★★★★ |
| Replayability | Collectibles & B/C-Sides for completionists | ★★★★☆ |
| Overall | ★★★★★ |
Verdict
Celeste is one of those rare games that succeeds completely at everything it attempts. It's a technical marvel of level design, an emotionally mature story, and a love letter to the precision platformer genre — all in one package available for under $20 on every major platform.
Whether you play it for the challenge, the story, or the music, Celeste earns its reputation as one of the best indie games ever made. Highly recommended for any gamer.
Available on: PC, PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch.