Celeste
Moderate overall intensityWhat's in it
The story centers on a young woman coping with anxiety, depression, and panic attacks as she confronts a personification of her self-doubt.
A haunted-mountain atmosphere with an unsettling abandoned hotel and a lingering ghost provides brief spooky, eerie moments.
Occasional profanity appears in dialogue during emotionally charged moments.
Who can reach your kid
What it is
Celeste is a tightly designed 2D precision platformer in which you guide Madeline, a young woman, as she climbs a mysterious mountain by running, jumping, wall-climbing, and air-dashing through hundreds of single-screen challenges. There is no combat or gore; the difficulty comes from timing and movement, and an Assist Mode can make it easier or grant invincibility. The story deals seriously with anxiety, depression, and self-doubt, symbolized by a shadowy 'Badeline' who tries to stop her. Content is limited to occasional mild-to-moderate profanity in dialogue and a few spooky, ghost-themed sequences; there is no sexual content, no substances, and no online interaction.
How it's framed
The game frames its heavy subject matter through a lens of self-forgiveness and perseverance: Madeline's inner demons are treated as something to understand and accept rather than defeat, and the narrative is intertwined with the challenge of climbing so that overcoming obstacles mirrors coping with mental health. The tone is earnest, hopeful, and empathetic toward struggling with anxiety and depression.
Details
- Developer
- Maddy Makes Games Inc.
- Publisher
- Maddy Makes Games Inc.
- Released
- Jan 25, 2018
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