Celeste is undoubtedly a modern masterpiece. Its mix of reactionary platforming and problem solving is a breath of fresh air. Its Assist Mode is ahead of the curb in an industry constantly discussing accessibility. The way it masterfully weaves its emotional story about mental health with its brutal difficulty is astounding. Hours of extra content, one of the best soundtracks of all time and neat art is only the icing on the cake for this indie gem.

The frustration of dying for the thousandth time finds its counterweight in the gorgeously fluid ballet of a perfect run. With a wonderfully evocative soundtrack and a whole host of creative ideas and plenty of additional challenges beyond the main campaign, Celeste manages to cram in a whole lot of goodness without ever missing a step. Fans of tricky platformers will find much to love in the game's design, but it's also a perfect starting point for anyone new to the genre — perhaps even those actively averse to it. In short, it's a bit of a masterpiece.

The greatest triumph of Celeste is that its best-in-class jumping and dashing is blended beautifully with an important and sincere story and an incredible soundtrack that make it a genuinely emotional game, even when your feet are planted firmly on the ground.

Celeste is ... like heaven. The level design is fantastic, artistically takes your breath away and playability is perfect. It's highly complicated, especially after the first round, but very satisfying. Celeste itself explains why "indie games" exist.

The best indie platformer since Super Meat Boy, but also one of the best storytelling experiences of recent years – with an incisive and thoughtful portrayal of mental illness.

Developer Matt Makes Games’ previous release was TowerFall, the archery-themed four-player battle royale. With its single-player focus and touching narrative, Celeste might seem like an odd follow-up. However, like TowerFall, Celeste features polished and intense action that makes it easy to love and hard to put down.

Celeste surprised us with its tight and challenging but very rewarding gameplay, coupled with a deep story and great level design. Sometimes you can feel lost in the game's vast areas and it could have used a more diversified gameplay, but it's definitely a game to have for lovers of 2D platform games.