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. vicenteragalch
    Oct 18, 2019
    10
    One of the best platformers available for the Switch, and one of the best games i've ever played.
  2. jasoncporter
    Feb 22, 2018
    10
    This game does something I have never seen before: present a compelling and emotional story in a platforming game. I'm sure there are others out there, but this hits the perfect sweet spot of storytelling and tight platforming that everything just fell perfectly into place. The music is absolutely phenomenal (Congrats Lena Raine on composing that masterpiece), the visuals are even prettyThis game does something I have never seen before: present a compelling and emotional story in a platforming game. I'm sure there are others out there, but this hits the perfect sweet spot of storytelling and tight platforming that everything just fell perfectly into place. The music is absolutely phenomenal (Congrats Lena Raine on composing that masterpiece), the visuals are even pretty breathtaking at times even though they're in an 8-bit style. Story heavily touches on mental health so if you've ever struggled with anxiety or depression, a lot of this will hit home to you. 10/10, didn't want it to end.… Expand
  3. 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.
  4. darkobi
    Aug 8, 2023
    10
    I'm not going to talk about the story, or the control, or the art, or the music of the game. There are a few games that you don't know because they connect with you from the first moment. Video game ratings are always subjective to us, to our experiences, and even to the moment we play the games. I connected with Madeline from the first minute and I had an experience that reminds me that II'm not going to talk about the story, or the control, or the art, or the music of the game. There are a few games that you don't know because they connect with you from the first moment. Video game ratings are always subjective to us, to our experiences, and even to the moment we play the games. I connected with Madeline from the first minute and I had an experience that reminds me that I still love video games.… Expand
  5. sniderman89
    Apr 10, 2019
    10
    Pros: charming story and graphics
    challenging platforming
    addicting desire to complete levels
    short levels and immediate respawn
    con: frustrating at times
    I completed the game which is a rare thing for me.
  6. themacmeister
    Mar 13, 2018
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I must admit up-front that I really enjoy difficult platformers, such as Super Meat Boy and Dustforce DX.

    The first thing you will notice is the music, which is superb, and does not get too much as you retry the more difficult rooms over and over. The remixes are also great, and the music is clearly one of the highlights of the experience.

    Stage design is superbly weighted, becoming progressively harder... to the point where hundreds (and even thousands) of deaths in a stage is not unheard of. Some of the more advanced movement tech is not clearly explained... but that is what online forums are for (wall dash-jumps are a prime example).

    Graphics are eye-wateringly beautiful... and only a few times did I accidentally walk into death because the background was too busy/colourful.

    Movement is fluid and exact... perfect for a puzzle platformer. Puzzles are clearly laid out, and with correct planning should be achievable by any casual gamer.

    Finding hidden objects (exploration) is the key to finding the (way) more difficult B-sides (and eventually C-sides) cassettes, which are harder remixes of previous levels, with remixed music to go with them. Strawberries are an added bonus for completionists, and those looking to enhance the "easier" main game.

    If you ever doubted the platforming pedigree of this game, check out the 33 minute (YES, 33 MINUTE) speedrun of this game on Youtube. It may even be lower at this point. I have been speedrunning this game for 3 days, and have gone from 3hr20min down to 1hr22min... in three days. To play the game casually, there are 40 hours PLUS of challenge... my main save has 33hrs already, with the same amount left to go.

    My original game is about 50% complete, with 3 B-sides completed and some blue hearts too... but I have 11,900 deaths so far... admittedly 2000 of those were in a single room, where I was using an incorrect strategy with a feather (which allows for limited flying) and trying to navigate through a tight opening (which you were meant to dash through) - sigh - live and learn!

    This game transcends Super Meat Boy and Dustforce with its story, which keeps you interested and motivated to finish. The movement tech is deep and satisfying, and the difficulty curve is perfect for the casual up to the hardcore platformer. If you are easily frustrated, you may wish to skip this game... but for those with the desire and skill, you will be rewarded handsomely.

    The only real issue I have with this game is the joycons, they are not designed for this level of game. My hands are an aching mess after even 30min play, and longer sessions are a recipe for carpal tunnel damage. The controllers are simply not ergonomically designed. I thoroughly recommend a Pro Controller for the D-Pad, and for the comfort. I have the PC/Mac version as well, from itch.io, and my wireless XBOX 360 controller is a pleasure to use.

    If the game was still crashing on saves (end of levels) I would take off a few points from my rating, but this has been fixed with the latest patches (along with some softlocks), so I give this highly addictive platformer a 10 out of 10.    … Expand
  7. 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
  8. Aynez
    Feb 25, 2018
    10
    For me, this game is platforming perfection. It starts out quite easy. And as you go, you find the game more and more challenging, while on the other hand getting better and better at the game's simple, yet perfect mechanics. The core mechanics consist of jump, climb and dash. That's it. However, all the chapters utilize these mechanics in new and innovative ways.
    It took me about 45    For me, this game is platforming perfection. It starts out quite easy. And as you go, you find the game more and more challenging, while on the other hand getting better and better at the game's simple, yet perfect mechanics. The core mechanics consist of jump, climb and dash. That's it. However, all the chapters utilize these mechanics in new and innovative ways.
    It took me about 45 hours to clear all levels, B-sides and C-sides. After that, there's golden strawberries to collect by going from start to finish on each chapter (including B and C-sides), which are just madness! :)

    In my opinion, this really is one of the best games ever made!    … Expand
  9. irrzir
    Feb 22, 2018
    10
    Don't let the edgy internet contrarians fool you: the game is good. It's not perfect, but keeps you captivated for long enough to justify more than the 20 bucks it charges.

    Let's get the basics out of the way: the game is *full* of content. Superb level design, secrets for those that want them, and a crapload of levels. I'm guessing that the people who are complaining about the    Don't let the edgy internet contrarians fool you: the game is good. It's not perfect, but keeps you captivated for long enough to justify more than the 20 bucks it charges.

    Let's get the basics out of the way: the game is *full* of content. Superb level design, secrets for those that want them, and a crapload of levels. I'm guessing that the people who are complaining about the time-to-complete have probably not discovered the B-sides--which are disgustingly difficult chapters that use mechanics you learned about in the story. In addition, the B-sides also teach you advanced movement techniques which are used to speedrun the game.

    Moving on: the music is sublime, and the story is phenomenal (though a bit cheesy at times). The music for chapter two, and for the final bits of the storyline are among my favorites in gaming.

    My only substantial complaint with the game comes in the form of one of its mechanics in one of the chapters: wind. While most other mechanics seem to empower you to do crazier and crazier things, the wind mechanic is introduced for one chapter to basically slow the game down to a crawl, and overwrite the muscle memory you built up over the chapters. It's frustrating in a way that *is* technically fair, but it doesn't really feel fair. That mechanic persists for only one chapter, however, and isn't actually enough of a complaint to warrant docking a point. The game definitely deserves a 10/10 bar that silly mechanic, so that's what it gets.    … Expand
  10. TAZ-NETO
    Nov 6, 2019
    10
    um dos melhores jogos de todos os tempos, ficara marcado nesta geração de consoles
  11. nando_u
    Feb 5, 2019
    10
    Celeste é muito mais que um jogo, um desafio onde você internamente precisa se superar devido a dificuldade e exige atenção e reflexos rápidos do jogador... Uma bela obra de arte unindo gráficos e musicas muito bem feitos, as musicas dão um tom emocional ao jogo, junto com as cores que saltam aos olhos formando uma bela composição. Além de tudo ser muito bem construído o level-design éCeleste é muito mais que um jogo, um desafio onde você internamente precisa se superar devido a dificuldade e exige atenção e reflexos rápidos do jogador... Uma bela obra de arte unindo gráficos e musicas muito bem feitos, as musicas dão um tom emocional ao jogo, junto com as cores que saltam aos olhos formando uma bela composição. Além de tudo ser muito bem construído o level-design é incrivel, fazendo até os melhores jogadores ter que usar toda sua agilidade entre frenéticos niveis e plataformas após terminar o jogo. Celeste é incrível. Uma obra de arte!… Expand
  12. JuanLuisGG14
    Mar 10, 2019
    10
    Incredible platform game, loved the message, the challenge and the soundtrack. Has a lot of side content after you finish the base game, a must!
  13. kamhagh
    Jul 16, 2018
    10
    I loveeeee it!
    also the talking is the cutest thing ever!
    I don't usually like games like this! (2d pixelish etc) but this roooocks ! I mean there's already a ton of reviews but I'll try to tell what I think! the gameplay is fun as hell the Story is also nice :3 and it kinda teaches you a really good life lesson kinda. it's just nice ya know :3 the music is amazing! I    I loveeeee it!
    also the talking is the cutest thing ever!

    I don't usually like games like this! (2d pixelish etc) but this roooocks !

    I mean there's already a ton of reviews but I'll try to tell what I think!

    the gameplay is fun as hell

    the Story is also nice :3 and it kinda teaches you a really good life lesson kinda. it's just nice ya know :3

    the music is amazing! I loveee it

    This game's music art and all makes you really feel like you're kinda there I guess. It gave me a very special feeling that's hard to describe.

    like at times the music makes you hopeful! and you're like "YEAH I CAN DO THIS" then sometimes it's like it's basically showing and making you feel like it's all over and sad and you can't do it and all. it just good! the art music and all match each other very well! GJ to the creators!

    and also did I mention it's like 15$? IT'S WORTH IT HELLA worth it IMO!

    It's one of my fav games!

    oh and when you finished it check one of the tracks played in reverse :P it has a hidden message! Don't watch it now though, it's spoilerish!    … Expand
  14. 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.
  15. 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
  16. 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.
  17. NJMC_
    Mar 3, 2018
    10
    I usually don't seek out or purchase many platformer games. Taking a change on Celeste, turned out to be one of the best decision I could've made. The graphics are simple, yet refined. Musical score accompanies the environmental in the best possible way. Collecting strawberries heightens the challenge of the game, but feels rewarding once you achieve the leap. Anyone who enjoysI usually don't seek out or purchase many platformer games. Taking a change on Celeste, turned out to be one of the best decision I could've made. The graphics are simple, yet refined. Musical score accompanies the environmental in the best possible way. Collecting strawberries heightens the challenge of the game, but feels rewarding once you achieve the leap. Anyone who enjoys platformers should definitely pick this one up.… Expand
  18. 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
  19. 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.
  20. Kitsun3
    Mar 17, 2018
    10
    I climbed a mystical mountain three times, I cried, I laughed, I'm still not finished.

    Seriously though. Celeste's level design is beautiful. The game is devilishly hard but very fair. No mechanic overstays it's welcome and future levels build on past levels mechanics. There is also a surprising amount of depth here; I wont spoil anything but for a completionist, one trip up the    I climbed a mystical mountain three times, I cried, I laughed, I'm still not finished.

    Seriously though. Celeste's level design is beautiful. The game is devilishly hard but very fair. No mechanic overstays it's welcome and future levels build on past levels mechanics. There is also a surprising amount of depth here; I wont spoil anything but for a completionist, one trip up the mountain is about 10% of your total playtime, if that.

    This isn't to mention the beautiful and well presented story which resonates with me and so many others in modern society. It discusses serious topics of mental illness in a more delicate, poetic and understandable way than most of the best literature does.

    If you don't care for completion or for story based games than there may not be a lot here for you. But if you do want to 100% a challenging game, or to enjoy an emotional tale than I cannot recommend Celeste highly enough. 10/10.

    (Oh and how could I forget - the music is outstanding and been on repeat in my household for weeks now.)    … Expand
  21. peropify
    Feb 20, 2018
    10
    The only retro-inspired platformer I've played I've enjoyed from start till finish since actual retro games were made. Highly recommend.
  22. 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.
  23. ScreenScraggy22
    Feb 19, 2018
    10
    Wow is the game just so good in almost every aspect possible. Fantastic and challenging gameplay really shines through in this beautiful game. Its fun enough to want to keep on playing no matter how hard it gets. The dashing mechanic in the game is not gimmicky and is a lot of fun. The soundtrack is very nice, and graphics are simple but good. Also a ton of replayability here with all ofWow is the game just so good in almost every aspect possible. Fantastic and challenging gameplay really shines through in this beautiful game. Its fun enough to want to keep on playing no matter how hard it gets. The dashing mechanic in the game is not gimmicky and is a lot of fun. The soundtrack is very nice, and graphics are simple but good. Also a ton of replayability here with all of the chapters having a harder mode to them, also with tons of collectables you can play this game for hours. Some of the best platforming gameplay I’ve ever experienced.… Expand
  24. bennyslen
    Feb 16, 2018
    10
    This game is amazing. It touched my soul.

    Pro
    -The gameplay is fluid and the puzzle are good.
    -The soundtrack is WONDERFUL
    -The "story" is lovely
    -The characters are nice

    Cons
    -When the game ended, and i realized all happened too fast
  25. 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.
  26. flowbeus
    Jun 7, 2019
    10
    Playing this game is an incredible experience. The gameplay, music and story all resonate and deliver a game that is more than the sum of its parts, even when all the parts are exceptional by themselves.

    This is a game that really sucks you into the experience because all the production elements are working perfectly together. I often say that when a piece of art seems effortless and    Playing this game is an incredible experience. The gameplay, music and story all resonate and deliver a game that is more than the sum of its parts, even when all the parts are exceptional by themselves.

    This is a game that really sucks you into the experience because all the production elements are working perfectly together. I often say that when a piece of art seems effortless and obvious, it's an illusion that the design process wasn't difficult and meticulous. This game shows brilliance in all aspects of its design. I was often in awe as I played at how smooth and wonderful the game was.

    The controls are really good, which is necessary in a game like this. The music is really great and I like to listen to it outside the game. The art style is right up my alley with pixelly designs with a beautiful use of color. The story is quite a standout and is very interesting and engaging. The level design is skillfully crafted and fun. It is hard but I never felt like it was unfair, and since there is a checkpoint in each room it always felt like I was making progress even though it was sometimes slow.

    There's not much else for me to say except that I give it my highest recommendation. It's rare that I can't find anything I'd improve about a game.    … Expand
  27. 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
  28. jikflet
    Jun 22, 2018
    10
    One of the best platforms I ever seen. beautiful pixel art, incredibly accurate controls, beautiful music and a compelling story. this game has it all. but only for platforms lovers. if this is your thing, is a must buy!
  29. zainosk03
    Apr 15, 2018
    10
    Celeste is a stunningly beautiful game with a deep and meaningful story. It is an amazing 2d platformer with great mechanics. I finished the main story today and it's the best 2d platformer I've played, my favourite game of the year so far and possibly one of the best games I've ever had the pleasure of playing. A not to miss game on switch.
  30. Fahdaad
    May 31, 2023
    10
    Incredible game with a simple yet heartfelt and relatable story, all brought together with immaculate art and gorgeous soundtrack that gives way to one of the best 2D platformers ever made.
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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

All reviews »
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.
    Read full review
  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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