There's also this article, which does have more spoilers but not enough to detract from the game I think: https://www.vice.com/en_ca/article/pa5937/my-biggest-revelations-of-2018-came-from-an-indie-video-game
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I'll write a little as well, keeping this bit spoiler free.
Celeste is a game about facing anxiety and other mental issues. While I don't struggle with anxiety, through this game I do feel like I can understand the protagonist Madeline. I've also seen reviews about how the game really speaks to people who are struggling, and how important the message is to them.
Interestingly, the story is packaged in the format of a 2d pixel platformer (think super mario), which I suppose isn't the typical medium you expect a game about mental health to be like. But it manages to achieve this well through great design.
Celeste is a brutal game. Expect to die thousands of times. That kinda is the whole point though. Celeste mountain in the story is a sort of metaphorical representation of the struggles Madeline faces, and these are not meant to be easy to overcome. You die, you respawn, you try again. This helps suck you into it. As you the player struggles against the mountain, you relate to Madeline's struggle, her desire to rise above her circumstance, despite the failures and difficulty.
Level design and music are key to the experience of the game as well. I have a lot to say about this, and in fact it's the main reason why I started this post, but it goes into spoiler territory. I'll just say that there is a particular chapter which is one of the most important levels in the game in terms of story telling, and I'm amazed at how everything comes together to make it what it is. I will discuss it at length at the bottom of the post.
For the more hardcore platformer players out there, Celeste has more challenges for the people who find the default game too easy. There's no plot in here, the B-sides and C-sides levels exist just for a greater challenge. I enjoy the challenge of the B-sides so far, but I'll probably not even attempt the C-sides lol it's a little too crazy for me. Fun fact, there's a fan-made D-sides, I've watched videos on them, and those are exclusively for masochists.
It's a fan favourite among the speed running community now, and watching TASbot (a program that allows you to inputs keys at a frame by frame level to fully optimise speed in clearing the game) clear Celeste is certainly amusing.
All in all, Celeste is a fantastic game. Would never have discovered it if not for Epic Games handing out free games. I'll say that even though I got it for free, it's definitely worth paying for.
Alright, so that concludes this part of the post. Now fair warning, spoilers ahead from here.
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SPOILERS BEGIN HERE
Chapter 5, the mirror temple, is simultaneously my most hated level and also the one that I thought was the best crafted. The reason is simple, the level is designed to make you feel uncomfortable. The mirror temple is the manifestation of Madeline's anxiety, and the game makes sure you feel it too.
Everything about the mirror temple comes together to create this discomfort. The music is unsettling. The entire place is filled with mirrors which based on experiences in previous chapters should unsettle you. Instead of the usual linear levels, the mirror temple is a sprawling maze of winding paths that is easy to get lost in. It is littered with strange statues. Doors that slam shut aggressively behind you and thus 'trapping' you.
The level has a gimmick, a red ball that tosses you in a given direction until it hits the wall. There are various points in the game where you have no idea where a red ball leads you to, and you just have to hop on it and be thrown into the darkness. One part flings you down an extended long corridor with doors slamming shut behind you.
The mirror temple is almost entirely dark, and it requires you to move past little torches to light them up. So instead of seeing the entire level at once, you have to carefully expose more of the level yourself, never knowing what to expect. Sometimes, it requires you to head down into the darkness below. You don't know if it's a death trap, so you climb slowly, try to light up some lights. It changes the way you play the game.
And then there's the second half of the mirror temple, where the mirror temple now feels like the lair of a demon. Spikes are now tendrils, unkillable monsters hunt you down endlessly, and the music is even more unsettling.
This video talks about it. I don't agree with all that it says such as the interpretation of blue and yellow lights, but it covers what I said above and gives you some visuals to show what I mean.
So yes, the mirror temple is designed to make you anxious, uncomfortable, and to generally just hate the level. This actually reflects Madeline's state as well. She is anxious, afraid, she doesn't want to be here. She is here only because she has no choice and she is pressing forward. And press forward she did. This chapter was important, because Madeline faced her fears and rose above them. The player would have felt the same, I know I felt so relieved when the chapter was over.
An interesting contrast is provided in chapter 6, the other really important chapter in the story. It is where Madeline confronts her anxiety. The power of Celeste mountain manifests Madeline's anxiety and self doubt in the form of her shadow doppelganger 'part of me', or as most people call her, Badeline. Badeline has appeared as the antagonist from chapter 2 to 4, with her chasing Madeline in chapter 2. As Madeline confronts Badeline in chapter 6, the tables are flipped and now Madeline is chasing after Badeline. Despite the scary 'tendrils', the environment is beautiful and the music is more upbeat. The gimmick of this level is a feather, something that has strong positive connotations in the story. The feather also gives full flight control, as opposed to the red ball which just tosses you in a direction and you can't control it. For me, I wasn't afraid as I ran straight after the 'tendrils', and they actually retreat from Madeline as you get close. It's as if they are the ones afraid of Madeline. Pretty cool how different it is from chapter 5.
Anyway that's all, here's another video on music (and some level design stuff) if you're interested.
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