Celeste (2018) is a platform game that requires players to use jumping and climbing moves to ascend an increasingly challenging two-dimensional mountain. You play Madeline, who is haunted by self-doubt at the scale of the task at hand. She presses on but is unnerved by encountering a dark reflection of herself in a mirror.

The doubts intensify as Madeline first tries to run from, and then do away with her alter ego before accepting it as part of herself. Along with the use of metaphor, it’s the game’s ability to change its interactions and controls to match Madeline’s emotional hazards of doubt, failure or blind positivity, that create a unique way of considering wellbeing.

If you’re new to difficult platform games, the Assist mode is a great way to experience this game while also being able to progress when you get stuck. Slowing down the game grants more time for making jumps just right. This enables any player to engage in the subject of emotional well-being in this unusual way.

Our examiner, Jonah Monaghan, first checked Celeste 3 years ago. It was re-examined by Andy Robertson and updated 10 weeks ago.