Celeste Reviews
The challenging platforming and touching narrative of Celeste shape a surprise hit.
Celeste is a difficult game about overcoming difficulties. Come for the challenge, stay for the joy of Madeline's company and the generosity of this wonderful game.
On top of that, there is a great story that addresses themes of depression, self-discovery, and ultimately perseverance, which can be applied to both one's personal life and the experience one has in general when playing a difficult game. You may get mad at a few points, but that peak is always there waiting for you, within reach, and is something we should all strive for, whether it is in-game or not.
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Celeste is an unexpectedly great combination of genres and touching story about finding yourself, a true 2D masterpiece. Both Super Meat Boy lovers and Metroidvania fans will enjoy it.
Review in Russian | Read full review
Fans of tricky platformers will find much to love in the game's design, but it's also a perfect starting point for anyone new to the genre — perhaps even those actively averse to it. In short, it's a bit of a masterpiece.
Celeste is a wonderful precision platformer that does far more than simply challenge your dexterity. While there's plenty of intense screen-hopping to enjoy, it's offset by a well-told, personal story that softens the hard edged gameplay with some great slower moments. What's more, you can enjoy the story even if you're struggling with the platforming using the Assist Mode to bend the game's difficulty to your liking. The action is super smooth (though we did have to battle with the dash on occasion), there are lots of secrets to uncover, and it looks and sounds great. Even with some rare bugs, fans of both a steep challenge and a heartfelt narrative will find a lot to like about Celeste.
Looking at my death count at the end of the game, it was a little shocking to see that I’d died that many times. But Celeste constantly reassures the player that it’s not something to be ashamed of. Every death is a lesson learned, and with every lesson comes improvement. As long as you don’t give up, there’s always a path to success. Even if you have to fail 2,649 times to see it.
Celeste is an beautiful, optimistic game about how triumph can outweigh any number of failures . It's about reconciling your pain, frustrations and defeats. It's about getting better, in every sense.
Celeste is one of the most entertaining 2D platformers in recent years. It'll defeat you from time to time, but its inviting controls, level design, and presentation will keep you coming back until you persevere and overcome every challenge thrown your way.
Celeste is not only a brilliant platformer, one that will surely entertain you with its unusual difficulty and its astonishing level design. Celeste is a touching story about depression, a metaphor of life and ultimately a video game that will teach you a valuable lesson: never give in, no matter if you're dealing with a Gargantuan montain, a series of seemingly impossible jumps or anxiety. It might not be the next indie apocalypse, but it's still a product that's well worth of your time and money.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Celeste is probably the greatest surprise in 2018 so far. Its marvelous platforming, great mechanics, lovely visuals and lovely soundtrack simply make this a must have for anyone who loves 2D platformers.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Celeste is not only an outstanding platformer, but also a soulful adventure full of intimate moments.
Review in German | Read full review
What separates Celeste from masochistic games like The End Is Nigh is that it's not bleak or unyielding.
Celeste is an amazing game in every aspect. This hardcore platformer combines a solid gameplay, a strong psychological plot, staged by a brilliant pixel art direction and a fantastic soundtrack. The game is so generous and challenging, but still manages to gives newcomers a chance, even though you might miss the entire point by skipping some parts with the assist mode. You have every reason to play Celeste. Period.
Review in French | Read full review
It may take a certain type of patience to really get hooked into Celeste's laboriously challenging masochism, but it's undeniably a well-crafted and thoughtfully designed experience that's equally satisfying as it is unyielding.
Celeste not only joins a long list of phenomenal platforming royalty, but it stands as a mighty pillar among the very best of them. Its message is clear albeit clumsy, though that doesn't detract from its very real and relatable cast of flawed characters. It's challenging in ways many games aren't while managing to maintain an endless supply of magic.
The vibrant use of color and warm, stylistically varied score elevate the retro aesthetic beyond mere homage. Although the game's story feels slightly hampered by the practical necessities of its play, it's still a touching and occasionally insightful depiction of what it's like to live with anxiety and depression. And the mountain, as in every work of art that has ever featured a mountain throughout the history of human expression, remains a metaphor.
Even from an objective standpoint, I honestly can't think of a part of Celeste I didn't like.