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.

Celeste is a surprise masterpiece. Its 2D platforming is some of the best and toughest since Super Meat Boy, with levels that are as challenging to figure out as they are satisfying to complete.

Celeste is a true masterpiece of the genre and an excellent example of what a perfect level design is. Exquisite gameplay and a beautiful story make this game one of the best surprises of the modern era.

It's a testament to convincing writing and ingenious design that after playing Celeste I felt like I'd been on the same journey as Madeline. Her struggle is one made easy to empathize with, her low points painful to watch, and her high notes exhilarating to experience. Her tale is delicately told and beautifully illustrated, confidently coalescing with the satisfying, empowering game it lies within. Not bad for a game about climbing a mountain.

Celeste is a challenging, charming and near-to-perfection game that doesn't only play well, but also tells a poignant story and merges this with all the best qualities you can expect from a platformer.

What separates Celeste, even at its hardest, from masochistic games like The End Is Nigh is that it's not bleak or unyielding.

It may take a certain type of patience to really get hooked into Celeste's laboriously challenging masochism, but it’s undeniably a well-crafted and thoughtfully designed experience that’s equally satisfying as it is unyielding.