I watched a "Let's Play" recently of one of my new favorite games, "Celeste." I can't stop thinking about it.
Here's the gist: a girl named Madeline sets out to climb Celeste Mountain. She's unsure why. She struggled with anxiety, depression, self-hate. The mountain has magical properties, and manifests some of these neuroses and negative emotions as an antagonist, a "Part of Her."
For every advance, it throws her down. She runs from this Part of Her, rages at it. She advances despite all that, climbing higher, until that fight comes to a head. She tries to leave it behind for good. She tries to disown that Part of Her.
It doesn't work. The Part of Her overwhelms Madeline, throwing her down the mountain when she's close to the summit.
And then, at her lowest, she changes tactics. Madeline stops fighting the Part of Her. She approaches her, listens to her, comforts her. Validates, acknowledges, and accepts her.
Only then, working together, does Madeline climb the mountain. It's not a smooth climb. They still argue and disagree, but Madeline LISTENS to that Part of Her. They reach the summit.
Anyway, I can't stop thinking about this game. I can't.
More tomorrow.
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Coldrun the Warrior
Continuing to level up. Finished off Loch Modan and headed north to the Wetlands, a swampy mess of a zone.
Charging through the Wetlands atop Brisket the Ram:
Bless this game's ridiculous humor.
