Celeste Torrent is an action game developed and published by Maddy Makes Games. Celeste is far more than a game about ascending a mountain. Celeste is a game structured around a demanding platformer but containing a compelling narrative of acknowledging, addressing, and attempting to conquer mental illness. Elements of Celeste are demanding to engage with—both in its gameplay difficulty and its subject matter—but it is a memorable experience worth persevering.
Assuming the role of an anxious young adventurer named Madeline, you embark on a self-imposed mission focused on scaling the titular mountain, Celeste. You are cautioned from the beginning that the mountain is an unusual place, where you may witness things for which you are not prepared, yet it will reveal your true self. While the journey begins relatively straightforward—leap across this gap, seize this ledge, retrieve this collectible—the mountain soon lives up to its otherworldly reputation by manifesting Madeline’s mental health challenges.
Celeste Torrent Magnet’s controls are exceedingly straightforward, comprising merely three buttons and a joystick, D-pad, or arrow keys. You can leap, dash once through the air in one of eight directions, and adhere to walls, climbing up or down for a limited time. However, the nuance in how you execute these easy-to-grasp maneuvers is remarkably profound. Subtle adjustments in the duration you hold each button, the trajectory of your jump, or the timing of your next dash can significantly alter your destination.
This can range from merely holding the jump button to prolong your time in the air to executing complex maneuvers like dashing next to a wall and promptly leaping off it with precise timing to achieve significantly greater height. Crucially, these factors were under my control and felt like skills that could be honed.
In contrast to numerous other 2D platformers, Celeste introduces a refreshing element of exploration to the layout of each chapter. You have the option to sprint directly from start to finish, but destructible blocks and concealed walls frequently conceal secret screens and diverging paths. It’s not always easy to discern what constitutes a secret route and what is a dead end, initially causing some frustration. However, there was usually some indication I could eventually learn to recognize, and the particularly well-disguised ones added excitement to revisiting completed chapters to hunt for overlooked elements.
Celeste Torrent is an unexpected masterpiece. Its 2D platforming stands out as some of the most exceptional and demanding since Super Meat Boy, featuring levels that are as perplexing to navigate as they are gratifying to conquer. Scattered throughout these levels are numerous secrets and collectibles, some of which push the boundaries of the skills it imparts, along with an ample supply of end-game content to keep you engrossed for countless hours.
However, the paramount achievement of Celeste lies in seamlessly integrating its top-tier jumping and dashing mechanics with a significant and heartfelt narrative and an outstanding soundtrack, resulting in a genuinely emotional gaming experience—even when firmly grounded.
Celeste Torrent System Requirements
- OS: Windows 7/8/10/11
- Processor: Intel Core i3 M380
- Memory: 2 GB RAM
- Graphics: Intel HD 4000
- DirectX: Version 10
- Storage: 1200 MB available space
