Nintendo Switch has an early contender for game of the year.
Celeste is a new platform game from the makers of Towerfall Ascension.
Available for £17.99 from the Nintendo eShop, the new release is earning rave reviews and is a surprise early contender for game of the year.
IGN has awarded the game an impressive 10/10, describing it as a “surprise masterpiece”.
“Celeste is a surprise masterpiece,” the review reads. “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.
“Hidden throughout those levels are a wealth of secrets and collectibles, some of which push the skills it teaches you to the absolute limit, along with enough end-game content to keep you playing for dozens of hours.
“But 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.”
Gamespot is also impressed with the game, awarding Celeste a near perfect 9/10.
“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,” the review reads.
“Her struggle is one made easy to empathise 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.”
The high review scores continue with Nintendo World Report giving Celeste a perfect 10/10.
“In raw platforming prowess, Celeste is on par with the hallmarks of the genre, flowing with excellent challenges and content,” the review states.
“What separates it from the pack and makes it more of a platformer pinnacle are the other parts of the whole: the layers of accessibility, the engaging story, and the charming presentation.
“All of those pieces gelled together in a spectacular way, in a way that led to me adoring this game much more than I thought. Celeste is magical and beautiful, mostly thanks to its brilliantly designed levels, but it becomes transcendent thanks to everything else.”