Though… they certainly are recognizable parts. It’s easy to pigeonhole Terraria as “2D Minecraft,” but Re-Logic’s side-scrolling action-platformer/sandbox survival game is more than the sum of its recognizable parts.

The mood in each of those levels is set masterfully by Lena Raine, whose soundtrack contains some of the best retro-inspired music you’re likely to hear. Additionally, Celeste also feels great to play, with some of the best platforming you’ll find in a game not developed by Nintendo, and creative levels that take full advantage of protagonist Madeline’s jump and dash. This approach feels fitting for a game, like Celeste, that provides a sustained look at mental health and what failure and success mean for different people. On the other hand, developer Extremely OK Games is deeply committed to accessibility, allowing players to tweak the difficulty of their game experience as much or as little as they want, with the option to turn on invincibility, give yourself unlimited jumps, and more.

On the one hand, it’s a tough-as-nails platformer, a la Super Meat Boy, where your death count may well climb to skyscraping heights. Celeste is an interesting lesson in how difficult games can provide the best of both worlds.

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