Just A Thought: On Celeste, And Mental Health

Since a relatively young age, I’ve struggled with the effects of anxiety and depression. In a lot of ways, it’s been a major part of my life, whether I wanted it to be or not. I am where I am today either because of it or in spite of it. Even so, I’ve always been acutely aware that my understanding of my own diagnosis is rough, at best. What better way, then, to explore this subject than with something else that has a firm grasp at the reigns of my life?  In particular, I wanted to share my thoughts on a game I finished recently, and its portrayal of mental health.

This topic is no stranger to the medium. Plenty of indie games have recently found success as of late, in part due to their take on the subject. Games like Night in the Woods tackle themes like depression and life in a small American town, while Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice gave us a shocking and insightful glimpse into the mind of a woman suffering from a severe mental illness, a feat no other game before it has achieved with such effectiveness. Celeste, by comparison, may seem pretty lighthearted at first glance.

On the surface, Celeste looks and sounds similar to any other retro-inspired, hard-as-nails platformer that we see so frequently.  Our protagonist, Madeline, is a troubled youth who has traveled to Celeste Mountain in hopes that, by reaching the summit, she can rid herself of her inner demons. On her journey, she encounters a physical manifestation of her anxiety, doubts, and fears (lovingly referred to as Badeline). Badeline is the voice in the back of her head, telling her that she won’t succeed, that she isn’t good enough. Madeline’s attempts to understand and overcome this specter are at the heart this story. To do this, Madeline is going to need some help.

While its cast of characters is small, Celeste more than makes up for it in personality. Each introduction offers perspectives and advice that often challenge Madeline’s understanding of the world around her. Granny, an elderly woman who lives on the mountain, doses out tough love in order to push Madeline to new heights. And then there’s Theo, a fellow climber and aspiring photographer (with his own slightly spoiler-ish Instagram account), who quickly befriends Madeline and eventually helps her open up. These character interactions quickly became my favorite part of the game, due in no small part to the abundance of relatable writing and clever sprite animations.

If video games have one benefit over other entertainment mediums, it’s that they allow a player to actively participate in the story that is being told. Thanks to this, games have the benefit of creating an immersion like no other, with audio and visual components built specifically for each scenario, coupled with the ability given to the player to influence the world around them. Celeste deftly builds upon its platforming mechanics throughout its entirety, with no single level’s mechanics outstaying their welcome. The developers use this strong foundation to build engaging set pieces that let you experience the highs and lows of Madeline’s battle with mental illness.

Celeste Mountain, then, isn’t just a fictional setting in Canada. Rather, it’s an on-the-nose metaphor for the obstacles we all face in our lives. Everyone has their own mountains to climb, big or small, and for most, it can seem insurmountable. Celeste does an excellent job presenting Madeline’s struggle with depression. To this end, the game lives up to its namesake; a challenging but ultimately fulfilling climb that is worth embarking on. I hope that we see developers continue to explore narratives in such a way as the games mentioned here have, maturing the industry into a more viable format for storytelling.