Celeste -Switch- 8.5

December 17, 2023

Celeste is a famous indie darling that came out back in 2018, and I finally ran through the game this past week. I beat the base game, which was chapters 1 through 7, as well as the epilogue, chapter 8. There is a chapter 9 that was introduced as DLC, as well extra B-side stages, but I’ll leave those to tackle another time. Celeste is a throwback to old school 2D platformers, with extremely challenging parkour, a beautiful 8bit aesthetic, and simple but precise controls. The story and setting center around a young girl who is climbing a mountain, while battling depression and mental illness. Over the last few years, I heard a lot praise about the themes and subjects brought up in Celeste, but I personally was not moved all that much by the story. From my understanding, preserving to climb the mountain was symbolic of the girl battling her inner demons. It was interesting, but nothing profound, in my opinion. The dialogue snippets were brief, so it was really the gameplay segments that took up the vast majority of the playtime. And the gameplay here was very good. Celeste’s tried-and-true style of gameplay is old school to be sure, but it’s refined to a tee. The controls feel tight and responsive, as they need to be for the perilous journey ahead. This was some of the most challenging platforming and parkour I’ve played in recent years, and I loved it. There’s nothing revolutionary here, but it’s well polished, and it will put your platforming skills to the test. Your timing must be perfect. Things got especially challenging in chapter 8, and it was a great accomplishment every time I would make it to the next screen. The graphics in Celeste are also noteworthy for their minimalistic beauty. They almost look 8bit, but that’s part of the charm. And the soundtrack is beautiful, with a mix of atmospheric tunes ranging from somber piano melodies to upbeat chip tunes. I’m giving Celeste an 8.5 out of ten. It’s an indie platformer with simple game mechanics, but they work well to challenge and sharpen your skills. The story didn’t move me like I was expecting, but the themes were still interesting. And the music was very nice. I can see myself going back later to do some of the b-side levels and the dlc chapter.