Celeste

 Switch
User Score
8.6

Generally favorable reviews- based on 1137 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 969 out of 1137
  2. Mixed: 81 out of 1137
  3. Negative: 87 out of 1137
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  1. GoldenKing95
    Feb 2, 2018
    9
    Celeste is a great 2D plat-former whom can be quite challenging at times, but will always feel fair! The game only uses four main mechanics: Move, Jump, Dash and wall-climbing, and tweaks those as you continue the great story line by adding some power-ups or objects of interest throughout the level.

    The more you play, the more the cutesy protagonist gets to you, or so is my experience    Celeste is a great 2D plat-former whom can be quite challenging at times, but will always feel fair! The game only uses four main mechanics: Move, Jump, Dash and wall-climbing, and tweaks those as you continue the great story line by adding some power-ups or objects of interest throughout the level.

    The more you play, the more the cutesy protagonist gets to you, or so is my experience with the game. The music also provides a great atmosphere for the game, and fits with the action and story-elements really well!

    I would suggest buying this game if you are a Switch user, even if you don't necessary like plat-former's!    … Expand
  2. CanadianYeti
    Feb 1, 2018
    9
    Celeste easily ranks up there alongside the likes of Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze and Shovel Knight as one of the best 2D platformers to be released this decade. The high-speed platforming poses a tough but fun and fair challenge, and the way the clever story is woven into the gameplay is especially brilliant. This game is definitely a must play for any fans of the genre.
  3. msklar
    Jan 30, 2018
    10
    Honestly, this game lived up to and exceeded my hype for it, the attention to detail, overall polish, and basically everything about this game is super amazing
    like it pretty much covers every single aspect of good game design I like, has a really good (though a bit repetitive at times) soundtrack, the sound design is about the best I've ever experienced -- Nintendo quality stuff
    the    Honestly, this game lived up to and exceeded my hype for it, the attention to detail, overall polish, and basically everything about this game is super amazing
    like it pretty much covers every single aspect of good game design I like, has a really good (though a bit repetitive at times) soundtrack, the sound design is about the best I've ever experienced -- Nintendo quality stuff
    the game feels like it was made by Nintendo, I only had one out of 2081 deaths that I can remember that wasn't my fault (I hit right and Madeline [the player character] went left :/ )
    In how the game runs: pretty much perfect on switch, it crashed once for me but i'm not sure why and i only lost about 5 mins of progress
    the art is probably the best pixel art in a game I have EVER seen - there's an animation for everything (like there are diff animations for how far your hanging off a cliff! The detail is crazy)
    The level design is fantastic. There was one part that dragged on too long -- come on game, I'm sick of this boss-fight area, lets move on-- but other than that the way they build on mechanics is better than any platformer I've played, and the game only outright tells you how to use the main two mechanics: jumping and dashing. Every single other mechanic is shown through clever gameplay and really good art
    And I haven't gotten to any of the post-game stuff yet, apparently there are something like 3 versions of every level (each level is 1-2hr long), there are 7 levels (plus a bonus) PLUS a ton of collectibles I haven't found yet
    The only thing I want in this game that isnt there is a way to save without quitting (no idea why this isnt an option), though the autosave does a good job of keeping up
    Oh also the pacing in the level design is practically perfect, besides that one boss thing, and the adaptive soundtrack fits the mood of each part of each level perfectly

    buy
    this
    game

    9.95/10 -- this game is an absolute joy to play, and a showcase of bringing all great aspects of game design together into a complete package.

    P.S. THE GAME IS HARD, but there is an assist mode which is supposed to make it a lot more manageable for people who can't handle some of the tougher rooms    … Expand
  4. karco
    Jan 30, 2018
    9
    Celeste is platforming masterpiece. This is the first platformer that implemented very good story and infuse it with great gameplay. Controls are tight. levels are very creative and secrets are well hidden. Better than all recent Mario games and even Super meat boy. Bravo, Matt.
  5. delux247
    Jan 29, 2018
    10
    Blew away my expectations in almost every regard: I was imagining a Super Meat Boy experience and while the platforming was on par with, if not better, than SMB, the music, story and level design are some of the best in the 2-D platforming genre. It's a steal at $20 with TONS of replay value.
  6. VartAndoley
    Jan 29, 2018
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. There is no easy way to sum up Celeste. The term 'bottled lightning' is prudent, however. For an indie game with a staff of five people, it checks an assortment of the token boxes of current releases.

    -Good music.
    -Fun, arcadey gameplay.
    -Collectible depth.
    -Unique art style.
    -Gameplay depth.

    There were a good many things I didn't want to like about Celeste as I loaded the game and began my first file, not realizing that I had already skimmed over some options like the assist mode and the fact that you can name your character, Madeline by default.

    The game starts with this 3D overlay of the mountain, where you are dumped into the prologue. Right off the bat this was incredibly jarring, but since it was so surface-level, it merely felt like signs of what may be a greater condition.

    The prologue itself seemed light, average even. You know little about Madeline, other than she wants to climb this mountain, and that she shows signs of a typical protagonist that second-guesses themselves. You're introduced to a side character and the game goes on to show you the air-dash mechanic. Standard stuff.

    From here on out the game begins to subvert expectations. You could spend a lot of time discussing the intricacies of movement in the game, how you continue to learn things well into the post-game, and the fact that it is done almost entirely tutorial-free, but to focus on just the gameplay is lacking perspective on this release.

    What Celeste manages to do with a bizarre precision is interweave the storyline elements into the gameplay itself. What at first was something that had me hunkering down to pander violently to the whims of the indie game market very quickly became something that was pulling me along to its own individual, personal style.

    While Celeste is not a tragedy, it is in many ways tragic, and I'm sure to many relateable. Madeline is simply running. She needs to get away from something in her past that she can't deal with, and the story buffers this with discussions about anxiety and depression.

    What is shocking about this is the gameplay itself leans into it as well, and it leans hard.

    'Boss' fights where you are being chased. Somber, massive areas designed to make you feel lost. A story-element mini-game about dealing with anxiety (which is used remarkably well later in the game as a visual effect). An incredible, intense boss sequence that leaves you feeling revitalized, and a perfect crescendo to finish the game, triumphant. Even something of a bittersweet ending.

    Now that's not to say it's perfectly executed. Some of the lines and characters are so unbelieveably cheesy and deliberate it can be hard to stomach at first, but the game wins you over on so many other levels that you can't help but be taken for the ride.

    For there to even be a game that tackles subjects like depression and actually emulate it to some degree isn't something to be taken lightly, since this doesn't really happen very much in the medium, so this game is likely going to be very highly regarded from people concerned about narrative.

    Upon beating the game, my expectations were subverted one final and harrowing time. This was the sweetest fruit (strawberry, if you will) for me. While I was amused with the storyline being well executed and still high off the fumes of the final stage, progress is halted. I needed to start finding elaborately hidden secrets in every main stage, and beating incredibly difficult b-side versions of the main stages. The reward? Even more difficult stages, certainly. The fox-hole goes incredibly deep in Celeste, and it is rewarding.

    The music is complementary and interwoven seamlessly into the experience. This itself is an art that was honestly very well done. Hitting specific triggers advances the loop in the songs, all arranged around the scenes adeptly. The soundtrack itself stands alone quite well, an interesting showcase being the two compositions for the mirror temple. Very emotional music with a very personal flair. It really needs to be said that the audio enhances this game on many levels, feeling like a character in the story.

    When thinking of slights against Celeste, quickly I get to surface level, petty complaints (I don't like the chapter end stills they use, at all!!!). The core game itself is gorgeous, an absolute treat to behold visually with rich and varied color schemes, always anchored against Madeline's character sprite as a stiff contrast. Intricate detail in the world, no secret felt truly hidden.

    So that's why I think bottled lightning sums it up. This product could not have been made by anyone else. It's relentlessly charming, and follows through on every set up. By no means is this game a masterpiece, it's not trying to be. It's a relentless tour-de-force that is pushing the genre where it needs to go.    … Expand
  7. chris74
    Jan 29, 2018
    10
    Fantastic game that shows that if you boil a game down to great mechanics, variety and a meaningful story you don't need a big production value or graphics to create a masterpiece.
  8. 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'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    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'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
  9. NeedleNose1
    Jan 27, 2018
    10
    There are few games that I would consider perfect, even most of my favorite games of all time.
    That being said, Celeste is perfect.
    It sets out to be a beautifully pixel-animated platformer with tight controls, a killer soundtrack, and a touching story. It meets and exceeds all of these expectations. Celeste has some of the best gamefeel I've ever experienced. It doesn't take long for    There are few games that I would consider perfect, even most of my favorite games of all time.
    That being said, Celeste is perfect.

    It sets out to be a beautifully pixel-animated platformer with tight controls, a killer soundtrack, and a touching story. It meets and exceeds all of these expectations. Celeste has some of the best gamefeel I've ever experienced. It doesn't take long for the controls to become such second nature that you can hardly remember that you're holding a controller. I can't think of anything negative to say about it. It's just damn good. Charming, fun, exceptionally creative and packed with content.

    If you like platformers at all this game will not disappoint. If you don't like platformers, even the best one ever made probably won't satisfy you. Celeste is absolutely one of the best platformers ever made.    … Expand
  10. Powermario0
    Jan 26, 2018
    9
    Great game! Fast, fun and gorgeous. Just buy and play it... you will not regret it! 9/10
  11. Magele
    Jan 26, 2018
    9
    Celeste is a magical experience. It combines effective elements of a platformer with those of a puzzler in a simple, yet difficult world to navigate. Don't take the pixelated graphics for granted, there's a story here that goes beneath the surface. The scalability of the game allows for players who want to master the puzzles the ability to search for collectibles and try B-sides (harderCeleste is a magical experience. It combines effective elements of a platformer with those of a puzzler in a simple, yet difficult world to navigate. Don't take the pixelated graphics for granted, there's a story here that goes beneath the surface. The scalability of the game allows for players who want to master the puzzles the ability to search for collectibles and try B-sides (harder versions of the levels) or you can turn on Assist mode and just enjoy the excellent level design. Chapters are robust and full of interesting new obstacles. The catharsis that the character goes through on her journey is simple yet profound. The story, level design, gameplay mechanics and overall FUN (that's why we play games, right?), hits the mark on every occasion. Prepare to die 100 times trying to reach a single strawberry and master the mountain known as Celeste!… Expand
  12. mfguevar123
    Jan 26, 2018
    10
    Desde que Nintendo presento el juego en el nintendo direct mini vi que era un juego INDIE de calidad, pero al jugarlo experimente algo que ningun juego AAA me habia dado.
  13. PabloDesigns
    Jan 25, 2018
    10
    The art style is beautiful, the mastery of pixel art. Pretty cool and extravagant music, simple but cool platformer mechanics and challenging difficulty with gorgeous level design, The story begins a little bit confusing, but once you get hooked you'll play easily 30 levels in a row.
    One of the best 2D platformers we'll see this year. Somehow reminded me to Super Meat Boy.
  14. mynameisjonas
    Jan 25, 2018
    10
    Wanna get this in before the peak minor indie hype explodes for this game. This game has:

    1. Fluid mechanics and amazing level design that caters to it, they really pushed this game to its limits with what you can do with jumping, dashing and climbing. 2. Interesting story and characters 3. Amazing music 4. Very challenging and rewarding. Best platformer I've played since    Wanna get this in before the peak minor indie hype explodes for this game. This game has:

    1. Fluid mechanics and amazing level design that caters to it, they really pushed this game to its limits with what you can do with jumping, dashing and climbing.

    2. Interesting story and characters

    3. Amazing music

    4. Very challenging and rewarding.

    Best platformer I've played since Tropical Freeze.    … Expand
  15. reyt_nice
    Jan 25, 2018
    10
    Solid controls. Solid visuals. Solid music. All bundled together with mind-blowing level design and heartwarming characters. As a big fan of Towerfall I had high hopes that were massively exceeded– Switch feels like the perfect home for it.
  16. Noktai
    Jan 25, 2018
    10
    An absolute masterpiece of a platformer. The game has no groundbreaking mechanics, just jumping, climbing and dashing. The level design is what makes this title stand out. Try not to get scared by the difficulty, there is a smart assist mode to help you tune the difficulty to your liking but slowing down time or granting additional dashes.
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Awards & Rankings

3
#3 Best Switch Game of 2018
6
#6 Most Discussed Switch Game of 2018
9
#9 Most Shared Switch Game of 2018

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
92

Universal acclaim - based on 36 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 36 out of 36
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 36
  3. Negative: 0 out of 36
  1. COGconnected
    Oct 10, 2018
    93
    It tells a surprisingly deep and emotional story featuring a relatable main character and it all blends uniquely together to make one of the finest gaming experience of the year. Celeste might not look it but, just like the mountain Madeline is so determined to conquer, it towers above the rest quite easily.
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  2. Video Chums
    Aug 25, 2018
    80
    As most indie-keen gamers already know, Celeste is a phenomenal 2D platformer. Almost everything about it comes together to make a satisfying and challenging game that'll thoroughly put your skills to the test.
    Read full review
  3. DarkZero
    Jun 12, 2018
    100
    My hands actually hurt from gripping the Switch but I couldn’t stop, and when I finally landed on the other side of one of the many gauntlets that Celeste wears like a medal, I felt both relief and curiosity as to what it would throw at me next. It’s a rewarding experience and a game that I’m honoured to issue a perfect score.
    Read full review
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