There's no beating around the bush, Celeste is one of the best 2D platformers I've had the pleasure of playing in a long time. It's initially quite unassuming, since you think to yourself "oh it's just an 8 directional dash, how much can they really squeeze out of this?", and the answer is a lot.

As per usual with these kinds of games, it introduces new mechanics in every level, and then progressively builds more and more around them. Additionally, each new mechanic is kept rather simple: bubbles that give a short burst of speed and replenish jumps, moving platforms, an unspeakable lovecraftian void that you can dash through, you know, standard stuff. The result of this is that the new elements don't ever make the gameplay feel bloated, they just become elegant additions to the solid foundation that was already there. One aspect that is particularly unique is its amazing integration of momentum to the platforming, a lot of the moving platforms can give you speed in the direction that they travel as you hop off of them, which is often used in jumps and is a fantastic touch.

Another thing to note is Celeste doesn't shy away from making jumps difficult, yet perfectly calculated in such a way that it becomes incredibly satisfying at a mechanical level, while not simply being technical skill check, as a lot of the jumps do require some brains to figure out how to do properly. Consequently, the game feels quite fair, regardless of how long it takes to get a hard jump down, since you actually make steady progress with each attempt until the point of mastering it.

Not much needs to be said about the artstyle or OST I believe, they're excellent, and the remixes definitely keep you hyped up while tackling the B-sides (I haven't tried the C-sides yet, I'm missing some collectibles, please pray for me). The story is also nice, with endearing characters and an important lesson on self improvement and learning how to deal with the rough points in our lives which, let's face it, we've all been through. The use of climbing a mountain as a metaphor for this also justifies the game's difficulty, while bringing it all together in a very compelling way.

Beyond the fact that it's a bit short (which is fine anyway since there's a lot of extra levels and collectibles to keep you challenged), it's honestly a flawless game. It does everything right, and it's the most fun I've had with a platformer in a while. Also, it turned me into a woman, which I wasn't expecting but it seems to be a common side effect, I suppose. Eh, ♥♥♥♥ it, 10/10.

Transfem girl (me) escapes pressure by doing a extremely hard challenge (also me) I think i see the similarities.

In all seriousness, this is an amazing game. If you do buy it, a few tips, 1: jumping on a wall wastes no stamina. 2: if you die a lot, don't worry! Each death gives you more knowledge, so don't be discouraged! 3: you probably wont get every collectable first try unless you like 100%ing everything first try. That's all the tips i have. Have a fun time playing!

this is guaranteed to be the hardest and most challenging platformer I've ever completed.
heavy platforms, complex and narrow jumps, each B-S side new moves this game will teach you perseverance and determination it has a good story, it's great to control, it's very catchy.
by the time you get to the end you won't feel pain or fear anymore, it will only be passion and perseverance that you have inside of you.

if you love heavy platforms thats game for u.
love it 11/10