Celeste's Portrayal of Mental Illness is Honest and Powerful. Here's How They Did it.

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Celeste is a new indie video game that portrays mental illness in a beautiful and candid way. From it's riveting soundtrack to its powerful themes, Celeste's story paints mental illness as something to work with rather than defeat entirely.
Celeste - www.celestegame.com/
Soundtrack - radicaldreamland.bandcamp.com...
Game Footage (Noire Blue) - / @noireblue
#mattmignogna #celeste #anxiety

[@Filet64]

**THIS VIDEO CONTAINS SPOILER** I wrote this too in the video, but could have made it more noticeable. You've been warned!

[@wickedeyebrows0713]

Conjecture This deserves waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa@aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay more views man.

[@neuth.]

Conjecture Damn you, I was 5 monutes in until I started thinking about spoiling everything. This game looks like a lot of fun though...

[@guibeck8259]

Who would portray better? -a millionary company doing a book adaptation Or -an indie boi

[@zeeb2190]

context pls

[@parsashirali8957]

Chong Ming Tan 13 reasons why vs Celeste

[@mathewbouse1105]

*indie NB

[@tomodachimccullough9081]

Indie Boi

[@UntotenTheo]

Indie boi

[@bigvidboi4909]

Something really curious, too, is that when you first find your dark side, you actually come across a dead climber. That might've been what triggered her, too.

[@Filet64]

oooh that's a cool point that I hadn't even considered!

[@Asphalt_Ship]

Except Badeline didn't appear from this; she was already 'out' when this scene occured. Instead, that's what trigger the chasing phase.

[@valrous1567]

where do i see it?

[@spectrethefox5450]

@@Asphalt_Ship I think he means that Badeline, seeing the unfortunate fate of a past climber, decided it would be better to not climb the mountain, and got scared.

[@gavart4509]

Big vid boi Bruh I didn’t even notice the body

[@hamboy2610]

I absolutely LOVE that badeline can break out of her text box, it's so cool!

[@badmeme486]

Ham Boy 🅱adeline

[@parkerbeck2335]

🅱ad Meme 🅱oy if you don't

[@TheActualMrLink]

Badeline says “fuck the 4th wall!”

[@dooplets._.5776]

I always called her eveline because I don't know her canon name and it's just madeline with evil in it, idk I'm might just be dumb.

[@theend7074]

Badeline you mean MADeline

[@edwheezer6231]

0:55 This bit of dialogue hit me pretty hard. As someone who used to have nightly panic attacks, I can confirm that that's how it goes. You start out trying to deny it, saying "I'm fine, I'm fine," but the panic quickly overwhelms you and you have to backtrack and say "I'm not fine." This game is so accurate in its representation of panic attacks. It really does feel like something terrible is happening that no one else can see. Good job, Celeste.

[@Jaerb4]

I think your take on the Dark Madeline is incorrect. She doesn't represent mental illness, she represents self-doubt. Like Dark Madeline says, she's trying to protect her. Self-Doubt is a good thing, and Celeste comes to learn that it serves a purpose. The issue for Madeline is that her self-doubt overwhelms her and that may be a sign of mental illness (she does refer to it at some point in the game.) So she needs to find a proper balance of self-confidence and self-doubt in order to be successful. It's not that Dark Madeline is mental illness that has to come along for the ride (although this is probably true for mental illness). It's that Dark Madeline is a healthy part of Madeline, when delivered in moderation.

[@DairunCates]

Except self-doubt is an almost inherently negative thing. The positive side of that coin is self-reflection, and you don't get that by embracing self-doubt. You don't work together with your self doubt to climb the mountain faster than before. You get that from acceptance. Mental illness is also ALWAYS along for the ride. You don't ever REALLY "get rid" of it. It's like near-sightedness, you just treat it one way or another. However, unlike Myopia, a lot of mental conditions can actually be a bit of a boon if you learn to stop hating yourself. Several famous musicians actually have a mental condition called synesthesia. A lot of authors suffer from depression that allows them to reflect on characters better. The real nail in the coffin is a lot of the dressing. Madeline has a panic attack in the middle of a lift and her coping mechanism is to imagine a feather floating up and down. This is a real life coping mechanism for panic attacks. If this was just about conquering self-doubt, there would be no need for such a scene, but it's there.

[@Jaerb4]

I fundamentally disagree that self-doubt is inherently a negative trait. Obviously it's a negative thought, but negative thoughts aren't negative traits. I would argue self-doubt is a necessary component of self-reflection. You don't accept it, but you learn to temper it. You're right that mental illness is always along for the ride, but I'm saying that Dark Madeline isn't mental illness. Negative thoughts about yourself aren't mental illness. Fixating on them can be a symptom of mental illness, but again, when tempered they're perfectly healthy to have. I would argue in the game, the other stuff that kills/chases you is mental illness. When Madeline's mental state is at its worst, those become more intense. And like Dark Madeline says, there are worse things in regular Madeline's head than Dark Madeline. Again, it's a matter of degrees. The panic attacks occur when the self-doubt becomes overwhelming. In the end, Madeline doesn't succeed in spite of Dark Madeline. She doesn't just learn to accept it. She is learns to work with it and is actively benefited by it. That's why it's not mental illness. She uses the self-doubt to achieve self-reflection (also the reason Dark Madeline is unleashed by mirrors.) It's the difference between a healthy understanding of potential rejection, and locking yourself away so as to never experience potential rejection. Self-doubt is a component of both states of mind - in the prior you understand rejection is a possibility, and in the latter you overwhelmingly expect it.

[@samsonite789]

Perhaps, when Madeline embraces Dark Madeline, she is learning to overcome her depression and anxiety through the act of *transforming* her crippling self doubt into a healthier worldview. To put it simply, her shadow self is a fractured, negative piece of her own mind, a view of herself that actively fights against her efforts to live a happy life and do what she wants (like climb a mountain) and, as such, causes symptoms of depression and anxiety, such as panic attacks. In the scene where she embraces her "dark side", she's showing compassion to a part of herself that she has finally acknowledged is not the nasty villain she thought it was, but just a scared human being. She finally reclaims the tainted fragment of her psyche, the part of her that got corrupted with self-defeating negativity and unrealistic expectations. By understanding and empathizing with her difficulties rather than warring against them with obstinate "stiff-upper-lip" force, she sheds the causes of her depression and anxiety - at least for the rest of the game - and is stronger and happier for it. Who knows if the crippling self doubt will return. Did she truly overcome her obstacles and cure her panic attacks by addressing the root cause, or are her problems of a more biological and hereditary nature and she's figured out a way to cope and circumvent the hand life has dealt her? It's not clear, but either interpretation gives a hopeful message to the player, acknowledging that through compassion and empathy towards the self, you can live a happier and more fulfilling life. DairunCates, mental illness is not *always* along for the ride. It is sometimes able to be overcome, sometimes not and must be coped with or turned into a strength. Sometimes it is biological in origin, other times it is entirely learned behavior, other times it is a mix of the two. There simply isn't enough hard knowledge on the subject in this day and age to know with certainty, so the safest thing to say is that it's different for everyone, video game protagonists included. And, lest you get the idea that I'm speaking about something I have no experience with, let me assure you that I've suffered plenty at the hands of depression and anxiety my entire life. I would hazard that Madeline's mental illness does not speak for all mental illnesses, so to interpret it through the lens of "mental illness is ALWAYS along for the ride" does just as much a disservice to the nuance of the subject matter as does interpreting it through the lens of "mental illness can ALWAYS be overcome".

[@RellekEarth]

Badeline is neither self doubt nor a mental illness. It is the personification of our negative life experiences and thought processes manifested. Accepting the negative and hurtful aspects of ourselves opens us up to new experiences and knowledge

[@emblemblade9245]

Spoilers for Inside Out Badeline is a lot like Sadness, and Madeline like Joy. Both of the latter keep pushing the former away, feeling held back by them and refusing to accept them, but they come to learn that negative feelings are a cornerstone of the inner self, and that when used correctly they can help you to express yourself and protect yourself, just as Badeline’s negative traits were all an (extreme) attempt to keep Madeline from danger.

[@imnotselma3305]

That was beautiful. The portrayal of mental illness as something to accept instead of 'overcome' or plain out 'ignore' (cuz boy, is that effective!) is so rare. That feeling of being trapped inside your own mind is something I can definitely relate to, and accepting it for what it is and learning to live with it instead of in spite of it works so much better than to simply 'get over it'. It's comforting to see that represented in media too.

[@Filet64]

For sure. Have you read or are planning to read Turtles All the Way Down? It also had a really great portrayal of mental health

[@imnotselma3305]

I have, pretty recently actually, and I loved it

[@altosynesthesia]

Another great one is Fractured Minds - the ending is so beautiful...

[@RellekEarth]

I really like that you found this message in the game. Mental illness is not something you "get over" or "work through". It is quite literally something we live with. You cannot just change who someone is and what they have experienced to that point. You cant. So all the people who dont understand, who have never had anxiety, who had pleasant experiences in their life, arent mentally trained to understand the thoughts and issues someone with any mental disorder like this. It takes understanding. It takes compassion and trust. War cannot be won by hostility and violence, only by understanding and compassion. If you have a friend who struggles with mental illness, treat them with compassion and try to understand. And more importantly, if you yourself have these demons inside you, understand that they are not parasites to which you must eradicate, but rather, they are your essence in turmoil with your will which is too scared to show them the love in which they desperately seek. Never stop loving everything you are and do because when you embrace the pieces that make up you, you can climb any mountain you so desire.

[@curtandrewsjr.8163]

Woh, this is deep. True, but deep

[@whaleborne1308]

2:49 one of the most effective cutscenes in a game I've played. This game is one of the best of all time, honestly

[@Dusty1213]

anxiety is basically you can hear the enemies music but you can't see it

[@0-0-255repertorium]

More like the meme "why do i hear boss music?"

[@HunterDriguez]

When a game is more helpful than my therapist...

[@WillieManga]

It's not about overcoming your fear, it's about coming to terms with it, and understanding what's really important. It's why Dark Madeline comforting her physical self was so heartwarming as they come to an understanding.

[@PENGAmurungu]

I only made it to 4:14 before I had to pause and buy the game. that scene brought me to tears

[@Filet64]

Right? It totally floored me when I was watching it. It was amazing.

[@personally4211]

Me too, especially the face yourself part where I chase Badeline. The epicness of the game and the thought given to it made me tear up. This game is not just a game, for me it's a form of art

[@willwunsche6940]

How was it? I'm curious what you thought of it

[@ottobass9193]

Victor Yangco yeah lol

[@Ch4pp13]

game: portrays mental illness in a more realistic fashion people with no understanding of it: it's all in your head. ignore it. have fun. life is short. it doesn't exist. or, well, how i interpret that... being someone with aspergers. if i were to describe it, i'd probably compare it this weird example i pulled out of my head: your in a group of 10 people. you're all given a puzzle with the same picture on it. your puzzle has more pieces and it takes more time for you to complete it than the others. weird example, i know. another thing i'd compare it to is you missed a class at one point that teaches crucial information, kinda like not knowing the answer to a math question because you missed that one class where you learned about that very thing and just sitting there. but, in real life of course. can seem a bit hyperbolic, but it's one of the ways i can describe it.

[@TheActualMrLink]

I have Aspergers, ADHD, and depression, and I can verify that that’s a pretty accurate metaphor.

[@KatrinaEames]

I want to play this game.

[@microwaved_gravel]

It’s a really good one

[@nomukun1138]

Play before watching any more spoiler videos! Get it now!

[@paulespino4207]

Play it you won't regret it

[@Koobird784]

Katrina Eames it's so damn good. You should definitely get it.

[@samdal420]

Katrina Eames me too

[@ellengianini7110]

▪Chapter 2▪ Badeline: _lets go home together_ ●Chapter 6● Madeline: Lets climb *the mountain* together Badeline: You dare use my own spells against me Potter?

[@Phychologik]

9:46 That was almost so clean

[@vicenteisaaclopezvaldez2450]

In the mountain's heart badeline doesn't appear anymore, madeline aknowledges this and tells the old woman, who responds that she might not be actually gone, just changed in a way the mountain can't morph. and it opened my eyes, you can't chip away pieces of yourself, just rearrange them, change their shape and how they work.

[@itsallinthesoup2543]

I got this game after my new job gave me a breakdown and I had to start taking anxiety medication. I remember that I actually started crying after the second level when Madeline had to call her mom for help.

[@raephillips3563]

Watching this video made me almost cry, because of how you worded the whole video and how passionate you were about this concept in the game. I could relate in a different aspect to what Madeline was feeling. I've struggled my whole life with Dyslexia and ADHD and for most of my life I thought that's all I had. But as events happened in my life I developed PTDS but on the side of grief. As well as finally figuring out why I felt so messed up growing up due to my medication for ADHD creating (most likely) Borderline Personality Disorder. The medication make it so that i was emotionless, antisocial, easily annoyed, mean, and aggressive and off it I was a hyper, weird, and loud. As a kid it really messed me up thinking I was broken and that I couldn't be myself since my personality on the medication would constantly arise almost daily. Once I was abandoned by friends on this subject matter for 2 weeks and was constantly alone and emotional unstable, even went to the doctors crying because I wanted to change medications due to it making me feel this way and he said It was all my fault which put me in even a worse state. Which I decided Senior year I would take a break off the medication, which it really helped to ease my true self a little more forward. But what really helped me the most was discovering that it might be due to a personality disorder, since I finally could put a reason behind what I've been feeling and why i felt so broken. Even though I discovered this, I don't tell people about this problem or my PTSD since I see myself as a messed up bottle of disabilities and feel that that people will think I'm more broken then they already see as. Neither have I told my parents since they have focused on helping me with my ADHD and Dyslexia for my whole life, I didn't want to burden them and I really didn't want to hear that they don't believe me. But I guess when its comes to mental illness its something that some people wish to hide and don't want to talk about to other, but know deep down that you might need to tell someone or seek help. Sorry for accidentally writing a journal entry, I meant to tell a quick insight point of view and not post it... but, some of you might struggle with the same issues and I thought it might be a way to not feel alone and help each other out!

[@burakylmaz1289]

love you buddy

[@tracyh5751]

If you play the audio from the mirror world backwards, you can hear the dark side of madeline talk about how she doesn't want to scare herself, or hurt herself, but that she doesn't really control what she does or even recognize who she sees when she looks in the mirror(madeline) as herself. There's a video on youtube of someone who cleaned up the reversed audio if you look for "celeste audio backwards".

[@mr.cup6yearsago211]

Tracy H I think it's worth saying that the monologue there fits both Madeline and her dark side, so it could be either.

[@Luchux177]

Late to the party and you may alredy know this, but it's neither. This is the composer of the OST who has anxiety and panic attacks herself

[@waytoobiased]

Lena Raine did that. She’s trans. Coincidence? I think not. Badeline’s dysphoria.

[@Anonyomus_commenter]

@@waytoobiasedMadeline is confirmed as being trans- Maddy Thorston (one of the devs- referred to in this video as Matty, guess why) confirmed it in an article

[@waytoobiased]

@@Anonyomus_commenter I am aware, but I don't think she did the sound design

[@sylver8919]

Not gonna lie that moment with gondola actually makes me anxious and a bit scared. Good job, creators of the game

[@meatballsub2735]

This is exactly what it feels like with my depression and anxiety. The game did such a great job explaining both, and more. I also loved the graphics and music! The game itself was amazing.

[@Filet64]

glad you enjoyed it and that it was helpful!

[@NetJetMichael-A.H.1449]

I am a Shadow, the True Self!

[@lumas825]

Micheal Hudgens That's exactly what I was thinking the whole video!

[@delicioushitlist]

PeRsOnA rEfErEnCe

[@emilybrown4531]

Also, whenever dark Madeline speaks, the noises she makes sound painful, even scared or unsure.

[@bigboykenob2244]

After this fight, when I was climbing the summit, I felt confident. The game made me feel that I was unstoppable. Even when I failed, I knew I could eventually get it. This game is very fun.

[@ganondorj2]

What's great about the soundtrack especially in this game when it comes to representing Madeline's struggles both physical and mental is not just how good it is and how much it gives the player a sense of the moment and drawing them in to feel much of the same emotions. Its also that the composer herself struggles with anxiety and other mental health issues like depression and she composed the soundtrack to reflect her own state of being as well. So we as the player are not just experiencing Madeline's battle, but Lena Raine's as well.

[@ioananedelescu1470]

BOI 👏🏻 YOU 👏🏻 FORGOT 👏🏻 ABOUT 👏🏻 THE 👏🏻 FAREWELL 👏🏻 CHAPTER That is one of the most important parts of the game, as it represents how it's hard to get over the loss of someone and all the stages that someone goes through to finally accept that loss (even though Maddie is mostly in denial) It's one of the most important parts of the game in so many ways that I can't really explain all of it properly through my own words, but it's amazing either way And I just realised I commented this for no frikkin' reason, but eh

[@way7952]

I actually don't think farewell was out when this video came out. But yeah farewell I think solidified Celeste as my favorite game ever.

[@Squiggles01]

To me, this kind of feels like confronting your shadow in Persona 4. The dark parts of you that you don't want to see or acknowledge... But in accepting that part of you, you grow stronger! Now I feel like fireing up my ps2 and playing P4... But I need sleep...

[@HaiSuShi]

I've felt like Madeline at the start of Reflection so many times. I thought I had found a surefire way to cope, or I was finally free of anxiety, only to fall down really deep. There is no easy or fast way for finding out how to live with anxiety and depression. And I love how the game acknowledges that! Btw, I totally didn't realise Madelines chase in chapter 6 being a parallel to Badelines chase in chapter 2. I was so focused on the scene itself.

[@indigoecho9016]

Madeline even says, "Let's climb out of here [...] together," before chasing after Part of Madeline, DIRECTLY referencing when Part of Madeline says, "Let's go home [...] together," before chasing Madeline in the dreamy Old Site.

[@shadowdemonaer]

I'm surprised no mentions of anything that happened in Mirror Temple or Celestial Resort were in this video. There was SO much symbolism there.

[@Ani]

Really great video! Thought provoking and very enjoyable to listen to, great job!

[@Filet64]

Thanks!

[@kelismaincharacter4925]

celeste’s candice portrayal

[@couch_enthusiast8915]

I know that this is an old video but it's interesting to point out: at the end of the first chapter, there's a memorial that most players on their first playthrough will just look at and go "damn." Only when you understand the meaning of the game itself, and play through it again, do you understand the real meaning of "this memorial is dedicated to those who perished on the climb"

[@victoriathecutie4525]

As a not neurotypical person this makes a lot of sense, and it was a conclusion I'd been slowly walking towards in the past year. I was diagnosed with ADHD and Autism as a child, and for the longest time- mostly due to prejudice- it was something I saw as overall negative, but now it's different. There are bad parts, but there is also good- I can zone out and make entire fight scenes in my head so long as my body is in movement, dissasociate and make my own fantasies. And while anxiety isn't a good feeling, I can find joy in the fact that those intrusive thoughts are not mine- that me thinking of them as intrusive, and not having control over them, means I'm better than that. Celeste helped show me that this will always be a part of me, and maybe that's not such a bad thing- maybe by acknowledging my strengths I can make my weaknesses more bearable, even if I can't outright beat them to the dust. I'll always be anxious over things and that's okay, it keeps me from going down a rabbit hole and thinking bad things are fine. It keeps me from going overboard and making hurtful comments towards others. Also the Badeline boss fight was awesome and it had an absolute banger song.

[@afurhat4726]

Sometimes you have to climb a virtual mountain just to feel normal, or at minimum I need to sometimes

[@scrunkliestscrimbo9981]

times like that scene before chapter 6, in games, are my favorite thing. when a game about mental illness gives you something to get through it with, and there's a "final boss", in which you use those, but it fails? amazing.

[@slateoffate9812]

Theo: Easy every time. Me: That was NOT easy.

[@michaellogozzo2073]

So for 3 years ago yes I understand it definitely but I do want to mention that Matt goes by Maddy now

[@nightsetted]

omori confronts you with fear celeste makes you work with it

[@waypastcool5788]

I personally deal with panic attacks, so i can relate to Madeleine a lot in that aspect. I loved this game so much, and it helped me understand my own emotions and myself better, and seeing it come to a close with the fantastic Chapter 9 (Farewell) has been hard. I think that if you could do a video tackling the Core and Farewell and what they represent would be great to see. This game taught me so much, things like: be more confident, it's ok to make mistakes, trial and error is learning. I could go on for hours about this game, but what for, really? The only thing left for me to do is to get all Berries and Golden Berries, but to some extent, i don't want to. Why? Because i don't want it to end. But it's ok if it ends, because there's other things to look forward to. I truly do think we'll never get a game as amazing (wich doesn't even begin to describe this game), but it's ok. Because life goes on.

[@annisasabrina8259]

as a person who experienced mental illness, that scene is so powerful, so much that left me speechless.. well done, team

[@ShermTank7272]

Thank you for presenting this in a easy-to-digest way, so that both gamers and non-gamers can understand. I was able to share this with my non-gaming parents to help explain what sort of stuff I go through with my depression and anxiety.

[@methmeth]

Yay Conjecture is back

[@Filet64]

yay indeed!

[@mhmdbilani]

Great job dude! Perfect explanation

[@grass4991]

I actually didn't think of it that way! There is so much logic into this explanation! thanks for this great idea!!!

[@cirnocard5710]

I really like how they handle mental illness. I've never had panic attacks, but I did try to fight myself, well it was more like two parts of myself fighting each other, with me caught in the middle. But yeah, every time the light filled me with hope, the dark would soon throw me right back into despair, and then I'd soon be filled with hope again. It was a constant back and forth war that no side could win, and I appeared to have no control over, it sucked. Fortunately, the light and dark in me have ended their war and do appear to be working together, or at least came to a compromise

[@gunkwizardry]

this needs more views omg this is so well put together and thought out!!

[@Kr0mpus]

Spot on. I loved this game's message, and this is a great analysis. You missed the "Precision or death" message though, lol. I'm playing through the B-sides, and I've found myself literally screaming at my Xbox 360 controller's d-pad for registering up-left instead of left, hahaha. I don't even want to think about the C-sides right now. RIP me. X_x

[@SpockAndStep]

footnote: "Matt Thorson" is now maddy thorson after coming out as transgender

[@bareq99]

Congrats to her 🎉

[@user9267]

Yeah I was like "**huh**" when I heard that

[@Jimpipecigarbear]

Well done video. Feel that Celeste is a great example of what one may go through in personal shadow working also.

[@seanoodles7008]

So I have a paper to write in my first year College English class. We have to analyze and write about a text or speech that gives the audience an “authentic” view on a major world issue. Instead of analyzing a text I thought, “How about a game” so I am writing about how Celeste addresses Mental health. This video is perfect for what I am trying to display and you bet I’m going to include this video as a reference for the paper.

[@altosynesthesia]

Fractured Minds: Are ya winnin' son? Celeste: yes dad :)

[@alongo4444]

Great video. You made me look at this game message differently. This game does a great job of exploring a very relate-able issue such as mental illnesses with a smart aspect of gameplay. I love it

[@Filet64]

This video has been up for a bit, and I really love all the discussion happening here. Whether you agree with my interpretation or not, please continue to share your thoughts in the comments. I've already learned a bunch from reading the comments that disagree with some of what I've said here!

[@Dj-br6gh]

Yo

[@Filet64]

@@Dj-br6gh yo

[@Dj-br6gh]

@@Filet64 i didn't think you would reply lol.

[@elvinestrella5895]

now that I realized what this game is portraying after playing it, I wanna play it again it legitimately teared me up seeing how personal the message really was to me...

[@kxunaifn]

This was a great and informative video. Thank you!

[@salvob7224]

you... and this game... made me cry! damn.. you

[@markncl100]

Hey Matt, you're back! This is quite a divergence from your usual videos but have to say I enjoyed your insight and I shall definitely give it a go. Too many people struggle in silence with their mental health, so star points to you for raising awareness on your forum.

[@Filet64]

Thanks! Yeah, it's very different from what I tend to make but at this point I really just want to share whatever I'm excited about in the moment. And for the past week, that was Celeste! Glad to see you still here and commenting on videos, mate!

[@markncl100]

I would never desert my little purple buddy!

[@charliestarkey9825]

I'd like to point out the excellent subtitling work done at 8:15. It really seems as if the subs are written for people who cannot hear the music, and not just an extra aid for hearing people. In addition, they are concise and really effective. Very well done.

[@realperson9951]

i'll add this video to my collection thank you very much

[@jimmyfreakinhopkins1713]

you did such a good job with this video dude!

[@Filet64]

thanks!!

[@eveningstardraws_]

i actually almost cried during the panic attack scene with theo, ive never seen so accurate a portrayal of mental illness and how it sneaks up on you where nobody else can see it. its a painful scene to watch, even moreso to live it, and i think its beautiful how they captured so much emotion into one scene so accurately.

[@grantwalker8053]

your forgot to mention that the progress during the entire game is almost entirely just right and up but at the fight scene its down also she litterally says she could pull them to the center of the earth sooo

[@BeetleTheBoy]

Hey here's a mini essay about my thoughts on the whole portrayal of depression thing Knowing that only Madeline (and the player) can see her panic attacks, I interpreted the scene wear dark madeline (or badeline) slam jams Madeline into lush green semi-center of the mountain as Madeline trying to cope with her depression without her usual way of coping with it she eventually goes to kill herself but lands safely in the lush green semi-center of the mountain. And this whole reflection chapter was just *feelies overload* just seeing Madeline beat herself. Another thing, when you're in the Celestial Hotel, there's a room with a Pico-8 in it. If you boot it up you can play a mini Celeste and halfway through you get a power-up that let's you boost twice and it gives you green hair. When i saw this i though "i fell like they're gonna use this later" and oh my God i squealed when Madeline and Badeline fused and you could boost twice. Also one last thing, in the box art, it depicts Madeline with one anime hair sprig. But if you complete the bonus chapter "The Core" (insert undertale reference here) in the chapter complete art, when Madeline and Badeline are fused she has to anime hair sprigs. Just a little ol' thinking out loud, or would it be thinking quietly

[@Nickachuuuuu]

This game teaches something very important, which my therapist also taught me: how to LISTEN to my depression. Instead of fighting it, I try to understand what it's telling me. Maybe my panic attack means that I'm overworking myself and I need to ask my colleagues for help. Maybe me slipping back into depression means I've been neglecting myself and my social relationships. Viewing depression as a protection mechanism (which it is) and acting on it has helped me more than trying to banish it ever could.

[@chromiumex2384]

I think the message of the game is that the ‘dark side’ isn’t really a negative think, that she isn’t really the villain, that the real conflict in the game is just to accept every side of you. That no emotions are negative, all emotions are neutral, it’s just how we live with those emotions. And that thought can also be reflected upon mental illness in all forms.

[@samsonite789]

Yes

[@TheTheoLogan898]

Cool breakdown! It’s amazing how much depth the game has. It totally blindsided me and so early in the year too!

[@ryangordon3597]

Really enjoyed this video. Just subscribed. Hope your channel grows and you start making more content!

[@AloisAgos]

Very good analysis. You captured the essence of IFS and "parts" therapy in a nutshell.

[@mrlampy]

I am getting assessed to see if I'm ocd and asperges and throughout my 11 years so far I've just ran away from my fear and did not confront them, i was scraed i was going to get hurt or killed and I still do that evn when I'm 11 so this game helped me understand how to confront them and how i should calm myself when I'm about to cry or get angry, thanks for expressing the point of this game and letting me know how to make sure i am safe in the enviromet i am in now. Thank you

[@Gregoryzaniz]

Wow this is a great video, thank you for making it :)

[@Filet64]

thanks for watching it!

[@danielnielsen2536]

Hi Matt! These are some really good thoughts! Thank you for sharing your interpretation and analysis of this game. :) Made me think of other media (movies, and series), who portray this very important topic inadequately.

[@Filet64]

Thank you! I think portrayals are getting more accurate as time goes on (think Turtles All the Way Down), though I think many still are lacking.

[@danielnielsen2536]

I've been meaning to pick up the book. It's no secret that I am also looking forward to Hank's new book :) Thanks again!

[@sebastiangarciasmed9584]

Very nice video man, you deserve more subscribers for the videos you do.

[@falxie_]

When I played the game I wasn't expecting this to be covered, but I really appreciated it

[@MusssabM]

Great video!

[@FinalVaati]

Man you are so good!

[@mercifulbutbroken6675]

I started using the feather trick, and it works for me! I’m happy that I saw this. I can’t purchase the game myself, so this is great!

[@emblemblade9245]

As someone who dealt with a huge pit of anxiety last fall, this game resonated with me so much... And you did a wonderful video on it! I think the only thing I feel was missing was talking about how Theo said that her dark side is like a defense mechanism (albeit twisted) and that it truly is trying to protect her, but that’s just my opinion.

[@MrMega1423]

You would think that the final level of the game is its climax. No, its the falling action. The Badeline boss fight is the climax, as we can clearly see.

[@leksluther4417]

You’re awesome! Subbed

[@foxcannon]

Excellent video. After watching Madeline try to work through her depression, when I beat this game I felt that I could combat my depression as well. It's amazing that a game like this manages to do that.

[@emy7788]

Amazing video as usual! Thank you for taking time to share your thoughts with us. Oh and now I'm interested in the game :)

[@Filet64]

Thank you very much :) And yeah, check it out!

[@shahilagh]

I wanted to cry watching this. It resonated with me a lot and I felt oh .someone understands.

[@madieandbadie3703]

lol falling of celeste was the spoopyest thing that's ever happened to me i think it was my backpack that saved me tho -madeline

[@marche800]

I thinknpart of the problem of why the she failed to control herself that first time is because she was still trying to reject that part of herself and be rid of it. When in actuality you can't simply destroy the part of you, you have to learn to live with it.

[@BadWolfNeron]

Thanks for this. I wanted to play this for a while , now I definitely will. Really great video. Also, lowkey have a crush on you. Kbye. WELCOME BACK :D

[@Filet64]

Yeah! It's a fantastic game. I summarized the plot generally, so there's still a ton of detail to explore and some things I chose to leave out altogether. Lol thanks XD THANK YOU!! good to be back

[@sprazz8668]

I completely agree with you, and this game is certainly not only my favourite game of the past year, but also portrays mental illness better than any other media I've seen. Now brb gonna go look up what candid means.

[@mechalonic1613]

I really like your opinion. I watched this video couple of times, and i can say, you really caught the spirit of the game. I love this video.

[@axalu2598]

This hit really close to me as well because I'm actually going through being depressed right now.

[@AttentiveDragon]

One of the things I love about "Confronting Myself" (the music track during the part when Madeline is chasing "Part of Me") is that its two competing musical melodies (a higher pitched synth vs. a much lower one) are very similar in sound to Madeline's and Part of Me's voices. In other words, what we're hearing musically is a reflection of their struggle against each other in that section of the game. Both the game-play and music in that section are working in counterpoint to underscore the same idea. I don't know if you ever got to listen to the music from the final Mirror-Temple sub-chapter: "In the Mirror" backwards, but it reveals that a large part of it is actually a reversed version of another Celeste track: "Quiet and Falling," overlayed with composer Lena Raine's reversed voice talking about her own struggles with mental illness. It sheds even more light on Madeline's struggles.

[@captainawk043]

This was fantastic, and I really can't find much to disagree with! I've been considering writing a similar editorial for the site I work with, so this was a fantastic way to pick my brain. I'll be giving this several more views, I'm sure.

[@JoelTheParrot]

So great!

[@edenmairay60]

I been going through this a lot lately..... sometimes I think of running away to be alone...

[@josephbeltran9409]

This is one of my favorite takes on the game so far. :)

[@tineaus]

I related really deeply to this game specifically because of how honestly this abstraction/representation of living with anxiety and depression is done. I went in expecting to have fun with a hard platformer with the same kind of polish super meat boy had. I got both that and a game I'll never forget.

[@fredman4457]

I can’t speak for everyone, but this game really felt like it understood what anxiety is like to deal with. Really touched me personally

[@1-Hit-Delete]

I wish people need to make more games like this that portraits our real life consequences.

[@MrPoop9000]

To be frank, I got an _entirely_ different retrospect from you on this story, and how Badaline functions. I'll preface this by explaining something that I see come into this game a lot personally. The psychological model of IFS, or, in other terms, Internal Family System. This is the idea that the mind has two main sections to it. The active, conscious self, which is in charge of the system. And the parts, which are a collection of smaller operating members of the mind, each one responsible for a function and keeping the system alive and well. Of course... Those parts sometimes tend to overwork, due to plenty of reasons. Childhood trauma, stress, you name it. And, due to that, some are pushed back to protect the system as a whole, which only makes them lash out even harder. This is, in a way, what Madeline's other part is, they even state it outright. She clearly says that she's not an evil side, but a pragmatic side, though that statement could be taken with a grain of salt, considering how afraid she is. Regardless, I think that Badaline was, in fact, a part of Medaline. A simplified version of this concept, brought to life by the mountain (Usually there would be plenty more, though don't confuse this with multiple personalities. Those parts are not autonomous and cannot act and think on their own.) The important thing to note here is that *every* part has a function. Even those overdoing it, everyone is needed. Which is why the notion of getting rid of a part is both impossible and doomed to failure, making the scene where Badaline taking over even more powerful with this context. But, when she confronts that part of her, and actually recognizes that she _does_ need it to go forward, she essentially made the perfecte treatment that she needed. Overall, I loved Celeste. It's a powerful game with a powerful message, which to me seems to introduce a concept that many aren't overall aware of.

[@sicdedworm09]

This game was a surprising masterpiece for me. Level design is stupid good, back drops, characters, story and gameplay are masterful when it all comes together. That reprisal of all the soundtracks from each level coming together as you progress through the final chapter makes the music nerd in me lose my shit. Her battle with anxiety and panic attacks is all too relatable. I seriously couldn’t pick out a single complaint in this game. Thanks for this video!