Celeste: platforming perfection! (PS4)
We all have games which talk to us on some kind of emotional level. Celeste definitely is one of mine.
The game, developed by Matt Makes Games, is a gorgeous 2D platformer which has a lot more to say than is initially apparent.
When we meet our protagonist Madeline, she is just starting her arduous trek up Celeste mountain.
Her motivations are not altogether clear to begin with, but as she journeys onward and upward a compelling and heartwarming tale emerges.
Without going into detail - because it's best experienced firsthand - Celeste surprised me as its story addressed some important topics such as mental health.
It gave Madeline's epic journey up the treacherous mountainside an added level of depth which not many platformers have managed to pull off - for me at least.
As she continues to climb, Madeline meets a likable cast of supporting characters - each of whom bring something to the story.
In practice, her efforts to reach the summit translate to some pretty damn fun platforming tasks.
Fun and increasingly tricky may be more accurate, as Celeste isn't afraid of challenging the player.
Initially, you'll be taking on some light tests of skill as you get to grips with the game's dash mechanic (which allows Madeline to launch herself in any direction) as well as the grip and wall climb features.
These abilities alone open up a staggering amount of possibilities and Celeste really makes the most of them by bringing a fresh set of environmental hazards and mechanics to each level.
Good controls are always important in a precision platforming game like this - and thankfully Celeste's are absolutely spot on.
By the end of the game you'll no doubt have racked up an absolute shed load of deaths, but the game actually encourages you to be proud of this as it signifies learning and improvement on your part.
Fortunately death isn't such a big ordeal, either. Madeline quickly re-spawns, generally at the start of the screen she died on, so you can have another go at your task.
As well as reaching the end of each level, you'll have the option of collecting strawberries which are scattered all over the place.
You'll no doubt find some naturally as you progress, but others can be seriously well hidden and can require some difficult moves to reach.
Musically, Celeste is outstanding. The soundtrack, by Lena Raine, is fantastic and really captures the mood of each level.
There are several amazing tracks but one of my favourites has to be that which accompanies the Old Site level, entitled Reflections (which you can hear in the top tweet, above).
I am something of a sucker for pretty 2D games, and Celeste absolutely blew me away.
The colours really pop, even more so in a handful of stages such as the Golden Ridge (below) - I love the sky in this area.
If you're looking for even more of a challenge, Celeste has you covered. There are B-sides (and I believe even C-sides) to each level, which are unlocked by finding a hidden cassette in each area.
These are generally tougher and more concentrated versions of each level which really push your skills to the limit.
There are other secrets to find too which I won't spoil because, again, it's really cool stumbling upon some of these things for yourself.
As I said above, some games just speak to you emotionally and this is definitely one of mine.
The music and style are just an absolute treat, the joy and sense or reward it brings when I nail a tricky sequence is awesome and I really enjoy the game's underlying story - everything comes together to form an unmissable experience.
If you've not played this and you're a fan of platformers, it is definitely worth a play.
Have you played Celeste? Let me know your thoughts below!
The game, developed by Matt Makes Games, is a gorgeous 2D platformer which has a lot more to say than is initially apparent.
When we meet our protagonist Madeline, she is just starting her arduous trek up Celeste mountain.
Her motivations are not altogether clear to begin with, but as she journeys onward and upward a compelling and heartwarming tale emerges.
Without going into detail - because it's best experienced firsthand - Celeste surprised me as its story addressed some important topics such as mental health.
As she continues to climb, Madeline meets a likable cast of supporting characters - each of whom bring something to the story.
In practice, her efforts to reach the summit translate to some pretty damn fun platforming tasks.
Fun and increasingly tricky may be more accurate, as Celeste isn't afraid of challenging the player.
Initially, you'll be taking on some light tests of skill as you get to grips with the game's dash mechanic (which allows Madeline to launch herself in any direction) as well as the grip and wall climb features.
These abilities alone open up a staggering amount of possibilities and Celeste really makes the most of them by bringing a fresh set of environmental hazards and mechanics to each level.
— Stevo (@JetSetStevo) June 1, 2019What this means is each of the game's levels feel pretty unique and keep encouraging you to try using your core skill set in different ways to reach the path ahead.
Good controls are always important in a precision platforming game like this - and thankfully Celeste's are absolutely spot on.
By the end of the game you'll no doubt have racked up an absolute shed load of deaths, but the game actually encourages you to be proud of this as it signifies learning and improvement on your part.
Fortunately death isn't such a big ordeal, either. Madeline quickly re-spawns, generally at the start of the screen she died on, so you can have another go at your task.
As well as reaching the end of each level, you'll have the option of collecting strawberries which are scattered all over the place.
Some more #Celeste this morning! I like this strawberry, had me scratching my head the first time :P #PS4share pic.twitter.com/mkp0FiRlMy— Stevo (@JetSetStevo) June 2, 2019
You'll no doubt find some naturally as you progress, but others can be seriously well hidden and can require some difficult moves to reach.
Musically, Celeste is outstanding. The soundtrack, by Lena Raine, is fantastic and really captures the mood of each level.
There are several amazing tracks but one of my favourites has to be that which accompanies the Old Site level, entitled Reflections (which you can hear in the top tweet, above).
I am something of a sucker for pretty 2D games, and Celeste absolutely blew me away.
The colours really pop, even more so in a handful of stages such as the Golden Ridge (below) - I love the sky in this area.
These are generally tougher and more concentrated versions of each level which really push your skills to the limit.
There are other secrets to find too which I won't spoil because, again, it's really cool stumbling upon some of these things for yourself.
As I said above, some games just speak to you emotionally and this is definitely one of mine.
The music and style are just an absolute treat, the joy and sense or reward it brings when I nail a tricky sequence is awesome and I really enjoy the game's underlying story - everything comes together to form an unmissable experience.
If you've not played this and you're a fan of platformers, it is definitely worth a play.
Have you played Celeste? Let me know your thoughts below!
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