There's almost no hedging in the reviews. Words like 'masterpiece' and 'instant classic' show up without irony. The praise lands on three things — the precision of the controls, the story about mental health that doesn't feel preachy, and the Assist Mode that lets people finish the game on their own terms without compromising the design for everyone else. Several outlets called it the best 2D platformer ever made and meant it.
Most player reviews talk about their fingers hurting. The recurring thread is that Celeste makes dying feel productive instead of punishing — instant respawns, the next attempt feels closer, and the loop just doesn't break. The other thread is community: this is one of the games the trans community made a home in, and that history shows up in basically every player review now.
Just play it. Both numbers are right. The five-point gap is players having more time to climb the postgame chapters. Even people who don't usually like platformers tend to finish this one and call it their favorite.
Data last updated: May 29, 2026