Celeste

1. bulger_paul

   Jan 28, 2018

   10

   I don't like being a reactionist, or overpraising something too soon, but Celeste is one of the best 2D platformers I've ever played. I'llI don't like being a reactionist, or overpraising something too soon, but Celeste is one of the best 2D platformers I've ever played. I'll break down my review into individual segments:
   
   Controls: 10/10
   Very tight, extremely simple controls. Move with Left control stick. Jump with B. Dash with Y. Climb walls with RT. End of tutorial. But the sheer amount of mileage these developers get out of such a simple base is staggering
   
   Gameplay: 10/10
   While the controls are deceptively simple, every single chapter introduces a few new mechanics that you will have to master in order to progress. Whether they be platforms that disintegrate underneath you, platforms that move in sync with your dashing, walls you can dash through that have a unique effect. gemstones that replenish your dash midair, bubbles that shoot you far off into certain directions, and the list goes on and on, each new mechanic requires you to use them with near perfect precision and timing. The challenge can be occasionally frustrating, and you may find yourself dying several hundred times in any given chapter (I'm not exaggerating, you will die a lot), but it's the good kind of frustration that invites you to persist, not the kind that will cause you to rage quit. And none of your deaths feel out of your control. It doesn't require you to memorize every obstacle coming next, because there's never anything popping up that you didn't expect. Every obstacle is laid out in front of you, clear for you to see, which makes the challenge more inviting than frustrating.
   But I don't want to scare off potential players who are not so keen on the sound of timing and precision based gameplay, since that doesn't sound particularly fun by description alone, but this is a joy to play and an innumerable amount of sequences had me smiling and feeling accomplished by their end.
   
   Difficulty Level: 7/10
   I know 7 seems fairly low considering how much time I've already spent re-emphasizing the demand for precision, and how often you're going to die, and I'm sure you've already seen many other reviews that describe it to be tough as nails, and it is, but (thankfully) the game doesn't punish you for dying over and over and over and over. I had more than 300 deaths in a single chapter once. But this game doesn't kick you in the balls the way Cuphead does every time you die, you always re-spawn in the same frame that you died in, and it takes roughly half a second to re-spawn. The sheer amount of precision the game demands in and of itself would be enough to make it a 10, but the forgiving nature of the game makes the challenge much more manageable, so you can throw yourself at the same obstacle over and over and over and over again until you get it right, which is a godsend, because I would have honestly never bothered finishing the game if I had to deal with a lives system, or if it sent me back to the beginning of each level, or something like that.
   
   Story: 7/10
   I'm actually not as enamored with the story as many other people seem to be. I think it's great to see more and more video games experiment in dealing with heavy thematic matter such as anxiety, panic, apathy, depression, emotional distance, etc, and I think Celeste does a good job of it, and I can imagine many people out there being touched by it, because it handles delicate topics with sensitivity, earnestness, and a touch of humor. I like the characters a lot (and I love that they actually created an Instagram account for the character who is always taking selfies and writing posts throughout the game), but I don't think it's quite perfect yet. I really hope the developers keep experimenting with this kind of subject matter, because Celeste has made me eager for whatever the dish up next.
   
   Artwork/Design: 8/10
   I used to refer to this segment as "graphics," because graphical power used to be important when reviewing games, but we've reached an era of gaming when gamers and reviewers are less concerned about graphical horsepower and more interested in artwork, with absolutely beautiful looking games such as Cuphead and Journey, which are both stunning games due to their artwork, even though they're not going to max out the system you run them on by any means. Celeste is in that category, and it is a brilliantly designed game.
   
   Music: 9/10
   It is impressive in and of itself that these indie developers composed more than two hours of music for a relatively short game (around 10hrs max to complete all of the main bits, 20 if you're a completionist that is going to collect all the strawberries and complete all the "B side" challenges), and it pays off, because the soundtrack is just beautiful.
   
   Overall: 10/10
   While I think the story is good, even though I wasn't as deeply impressed with it as many other reviewers were, the controls, gameplay, and design are every bit as good as you've heard and Celeste is a game that deserves to be experienced by anybody who can spare twenty bucks to try it out.… Expand

   • 42 of 51 users found this helpful
2. GamerDylan

   Mar 9, 2020

   10

   This is one of the best 3D platformers I have ever played. While challenging, you know that you can beat it!

   • 0 of 0 users found this helpful
4. Lamon

   Feb 24, 2018

   10

   Better than any 2D Mario I’ve ever played. The story is interesting and deep, the levels perfectly designed and the music memorable. Awesome

   • 0 of 0 users found this helpful
5. Flyinryan

   Feb 13, 2018

   10

   Loved this game so much it gave me sore thumbs! The story is amazing and the game-play is the best combination of challenge and reward.

   • 1 of 1 users found this helpful
6. eforall

   Mar 29, 2018

   9

   A great game with some truly difficult levels but a learning curve that will develop your skills before you know it. If you need an additionalA great game with some truly difficult levels but a learning curve that will develop your skills before you know it. If you need an additional challenge the game provides it. For the price, there is not much better bang for your buck. Amazing platforming!… Expand

   • 0 of 0 users found this helpful
7. LordOMO

   May 28, 2020

   9

   This is a review I'm hesitant to write because while I managed to get to the end credits I propably have only seen 30% of what this game hasThis is a review I'm hesitant to write because while I managed to get to the end credits I propably have only seen 30% of what this game has to offer. But then again I think it can be valuable to present my opinion as a more casual player of this game.
   What's really good about Celeste is how incredibly responsive and satisfying it is to play (which is absolutely crucial in plattformer). The game also does a great job of contextualising the levels with a neat story while also providing a clear goal of wanting to reach the top of a mountain.
   The game is also very strong from an audio-visual standpoint. The music is nice and the visuals are simple but pretty while also being very functional in giving the player a good understanding of the level layout.
   Celeste is a very difficult game and lots of level sections will propably require mulitple attempts to get through. Thankfully you will respawn quickly and usually only have to retry the current obstacle that you are struggling with. The only exception was the last big level before the credits roll which had brutal checkpoints in my opinion. I struggled a lot during that section.
   But in the end I got to the credits with almost 3000 deaths on the counter. This shows how tough the game is but also how motivated I was to finish it. I don't think I would've put up with that in any other game.
   However, this is pretty much how far I was willing to go. There are endgame levels, as well as remixes of earlier levels and additional challenges like collecting items. I tried to play further. However, I didn't meet the required criteria to access a lot of that content and trying to unlock it or finish the remixed levels proved very challenging and at that point I also wasn't as motivated anymore. In the end I'm still very happy with what I got out of this game and just playing the main story already was worth the money.
   I'd like to add that thankfully the game offers assist modes which basically function like cheat codes to make the game easier. I find using them to be very unsatisfying. But if someone was seriously stuck I think these might provide a way to make levels more doable.
   
   Overall I had a great experience even if the endgame content wasn't for me. The story alone is worth playing and I recommend it to anyone who has a decent skill level in plattformers.… Expand

   • 0 of 0 users found this helpful
8. UpSideUpFlower

   Jul 30, 2020

   0

   Hidden gem? More like exposed feces rock ha ha. We all know this game now ha ha. Load of bollocks. Goty? Nah. Zombillie should have won.

   • 1 of 7 users found this helpful

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