Game: Celeste
Publisher: Matt Makes Games Inc.
Developer: Matt Makes Games Inc.
Reviewed: Nintendo Switch
Earlier this year Celeste released on the PS4, and Xbox One. I admittedly skipped out on the game at the time being, but I did manage to read some reviews and check out some of the gameplay via youtube.
I thought the game looked fun enough and the art looked unique to pique my interest, but I didn’t think I needed to run out and buy it right away. I saw reviews giving the game 10s and stating that it was a masterpiece; I thought a lot of that was hyperbole. However, after playing the game myself, I will say that it is truly even better than I heard.
My time with the game was filled with “1 more try” sessions that went on for far longer than I intended. The games easily retry/continue option lead me down the rabbit hole of keep persevering until I pass “this” section. But then I would get to the next section and repeat the same process and 4 hours later, say OK I gotta be done now.
Celeste is simply just too addicting. I have countless hours going through a level with a rollercoaster set of emotions. Sometimes I was aggravated, sometimes I felt rewarded for completing a jump I thought was impossible, others times I was just too immersed to keep track of time. Celeste is the epitome of a great platforming game.
It has challenging gameplay, paired with amazing controls. The dashes, wall climbs, and extra boost stars give this game its own unique gameplay feel while feeling like other great titles like Super Meat Boy. This game will get compared to SMB a lot due to the games difficult levels, but where SMB was brutally difficult for the vast majority, Celeste manages to find that sweet spot between diffcult and pure enjoyment.
It challenges the players enough to let them know they could get through the level with the right moves. It allows the player to retry a section with such quick ease that the player will not want to stop or put down the game until they finish the task at hand. This is where Celeste excels from a game development standpoint. Its created with such thought for the player in mind that you can see the developers Matt Makes Games hard work pay off.
Now you would think the game only focuses on gameplay, however, you would be wrong. Celeste manages to grip players with an engaging story while — in my opinion- perfecting its gameplay. Players will dawn our hero Madeline who is setting out to climb the Celeste Mountain. Along the way, you will meet a bunch of quirky characters all filled with their own little mini stories. The game keeps the player engaged in its story and it pays off when the game wraps.
For those looking for even more, do note that there are over 600 sections to complete, plus a B-Side cassette tape that unlocks a harder version of the level. In addition, there are collectible Strawberries scattered through the levels for players to collect. These strawberries are sometimes easy to collect, other times they will test your skill in the game.
The level design for all 8 chapters brings a unique take on the progress up the Mountain. This allows the player to really never get too bored of one setting, so this is another plus for the game.
I can keep on praising Celeste for being a nearly perfect game, but I think it is not beneficial for either of us. Celeste is a game that needs to be played by you, only when playing the game for yourself will you see how good it actually is. I was skeptical when it launched earlier this year, I thought it would be good, but not this good. It’s truly a masterpiece in its genre. A title that is worth your attention.
Have you played Celeste yet? Will you pick up the game on the Switch? Let us know in the comments below!
