Playing the Narrative: ‘Celeste’
An imposing mountain looms overhead. A young girl has travelled a long way from home, planning to scale this mountain and reach its peak. She climbs not because she wants to, but because she feels like she has to. With no prior climbing experience and some inner insecurities, this journey promises to help her grow as a person – if she can overcome the challenges within both the mountain and herself.
Celeste is an interesting case in how it handles its narrative. On the surface level, it seems straightforward enough – climb a mountain. Many platformer games have a similarly simple premise, so nothing seems out of the ordinary. Upon diving deeper, however, it becomes so much more when the challenge of the game becomes a narrative device. Madeline, the player character, represents how the player feels throughout the game. In the opening moments, an elderly woman mocks her as she innocently proclaims she is going to climb the mountain. She, like the player, aims to prove the old lady wrong and marches on regardless.
During the opening romp through the Forsaken City, Madeline meets a fellow traveler by the name of Theo. Initially, Madeline is a bit skeptical of anyone else on this journey. After all, they could be similar to the old woman and try to drag her down. From the player perspective, there rarely are friendly NPCs in this genre. However, Theo is quite calm, only climbing the mountain to post about it on social media. Perhaps the player will feel a small kinship, hoping to conquer Celeste in hopes of bragging about it to friends, or writing an article about it on a gaming website. Theo and Madeline’s conversation explores a bit of Madeline’s psyche – she has a need to prove to herself that she can do it. If the player has been having a rough time, this may help nudge them to carry on, pushing themselves to conquer what may be a monstrous task. Madeline carries on, and by the end of the city, both her and the player are feeling fairly confident that they will reach the peak without too much more trouble.
At this point, Madeline’s fears are starting to take root. The next chapter is a nightmare, where Madeline sees a dark reflection of herself. A small nagging feeling in the back of both her and the player’s head takes form upon looking in a mirror, referred to in the game as “Badeline.” This twisted form of the player chases them throughout the rest of the chapter, constantly telling them that they should give up and trying to drag them down. When Madeline finally reaches the end of the Old Site, she starts to panic and calls home. For players unfamiliar with the genre, they may also feel a bit of panic and need to wind down a bit before proceeding. That nagging feeling is still there, though, and the prior confidence is starting to wane.
The next couple of chapters represent different ways the world holds people back from their goals. The Celestial Resort is run by the kindly spirit Mr. Oshiro, a lost soul who is stuck in his ways. His doubts and fears manifest themselves as obstacles for Madeline’s path as he attempts to convince her to stay. While it may be easier to give into sloth and stay where she is, Madeline pushes forward, only for the world to start pushing back. The Celestial Ridge features intense wind across narrow paths, forcing Madeline and the player to literally push through. As the end of this chapter approaches, Madeline has a panic attack as Theo tries to calm her down. Yet little does she know, the doubts are about to come back in full force.
The Mirror Temple brings back Madeline’s insecurities, manifesting themselves as a thorny world inside of a large mirror. Rather than deal with the world around him, Theo’s subconscious traps him within a crystal. Monsters born from Madeline’s own psyche are surrounding her, actively seeking her out. Panic starts to set in. The only escape from the darkness is to work together with Theo, an interesting metaphor for Madeline trying to overcome herself, yet needing help to do so.
At the start of the next chapter, aptly titled “Reflection,” Madeline decides she needs to confront her self-doubts. Running away hasn’t been the solution. However, Madeline’s insecurities, once again represented by Badeline, reach a climax, physically dragging her down to the bottom of the mountain. This is a very pivotal moment; all of that work has been for nothing, and the whole mountain will need to be climbed again. This is a time for reflection, to think back on the journey thus far. Is it worth it to keep going? Or should she, and the player, give up? The old woman once again appears, offering words of encouragement. Rather than let these insecurities drag her down, it may be best to work with them. After a long confrontation with her darker side, Madeline comes to terms with Badeline, realizing that her fears are there to protect her. It’s ok to be scared. This revelation manifests itself as a change to the primary gameplay mechanic, an additional dash action. Finally, Madeline can progress, and at a much faster pace now that she doesn’t have anything weighing her down.
It is time for the finale, a tour through all of the previous parts of the mountain. Everything progresses at a much faster pace until the final climb. Checkpoints are scattered throughout, counting down from thirty. This countdown adds a little extra motivation for the player, encouraging them to push through with the end in sight, until Madeline finally reaches the peak. Her journey is complete, looking down at the beautiful horizon. A relaxing descent takes place as the credits roll, showcasing just how far she’s come. It’s been an incredible adventure, one well worth taking.
Celeste ends on a high note, both metaphorical and literal. From the main story, players will feel accomplished, as if they can conquer anything if they persevere long enough. For those truly dedicated, however, the game doesn’t have to stop there. Celeste offers a wealth of bonus content, including strawberries to collect and more difficult challenges in its remixed stages. Just like the main story, these too can be conquered through sheer determination, yet there is nothing forcing the player to go out of their way to do so. It is only through their own will that they face these challenges, a reflection of Madeline’s own journey.
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