Every person has a different genre of video game that they resonate with. Some might be particularly fond of first-person shooters like the Call of Duty series, while others might find themselves more into the heavy narratives of role-playing games such as those from Final Fantasy, and so on.
As for myself, I favor platformers, as they test people's ability to control a playable character's movement skillfully and precisely to ensure survival. I have played many games that belong to the genre, but among them, one has managed to stand out and become my golden standard that all others must try to replicate: Celeste.
Created by developers Maddy Makes Games and Extremely OK Games before releasing in January 2018, Celeste is a 2D precision platformer that took the scene by surprise. No one expected it to be one of the best indie games, let alone one of the best platformers, but it was touted as both due to the quality of its gameplay, so much so that it became one of the nominees for Game of the Year.
After playing through it for hours on end, I can confidently say Celeste has rightfully earned whatever accolades and achievements it has received. For me, it should be recognized as the ideal title of its genre. As for why, one reason is that it does something that other platformers don't: ridding the fear of failure.
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When playing something like Super Mario World or Crash Bandicoot, the way its gameplay is handled means that making an ill-timed jump or dying to an enemy can result in either having to restart an entire level or go back to a previous checkpoint. This is normal in platformers, but people try to prevent that from happening, as it can mean losing a lot of progress. This results in more anxiety-induced experiences, as every error could lead to severe punishment.
In Celeste, such a thing doesn't exist, as each of its levels consists of self-contained rooms, all of which act as a checkpoint upon entering. Ensuring that every area is a safe zone from progression loss allows players to be more confident in clearing platforming challenges, making them look forward to future obstacles rather than dreading them.
Even if they were to fail repeatedly in a particular room, it doesn't feel as punishing, as the majority have rather short lengths, so having to restart them feels inconsequential. In fact, the game emphasizes failure in these rooms as a good thing, as it allows for the proper development of the skills necessary to become a master at platforming, which it actually does.
Another good reason why Celeste should be the standard all platformers must follow is due to the way it handles its level designs to revolve around the simple capabilities of the main character, Madeline. She is a small and agile woman, one who can dash in any direction and climb any vertical surface.
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Such abilities aren't groundbreaking, as it's something you'd expect from a protagonist of a platformer. However, Celeste always manages to utilize them in clever ways to create amazing platforming segments. A good example of this is in the Golden Ridge stage, where certain parts consist of strong gusts of wind that can either push or pull Madeline.
The gimmick forces the player to use the dash and wall-climbing ability in more careful ways, and given that there are many bottomless pits and clingable surfaces, it makes for a challenge that's tough but fun to overcome. Celeste is full of such obstacles, and they truly push the limits of what can be done when designing around such simple abilities.
So, if you're planning to get into platformers, Celeste has to be the one that helps you start your journey. It's one of, if not the best of its genre, and hopefully, you and many others will give it a shot.
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