| Overall Rating: | ★★★★★ |
|---|---|
| Representation Quality: | ★★★★☆ |
| Representation Clarity: | 4/5 (Clearly plural, but not directly stated) |
| Representation Impact: | Pivotal to the entire story |
| Focus Characters: | Madeline (player character), Part of You |
| More Info: | Official Site |
A game about climbing a mountain, well known for its transgender protagonist Madeline, inspired by developer Maddy Thorson's own struggles with gender identity and mental health. While climbing Celeste Mountain, she experiences various supernatural phenomena, and is repeatedly impeded by a doppelganger called "Part of You" (nicknamed Badeline by the game's fans), who tries to discourage her from continuing the climb.
— Major spoiler warning! —
"Part of You" is presented as a textbook persecutor, who weaponizes Madeline's anxiety and self-loathing to discourage her from continuing to climb the mountain. Over the course of the story, it's revealed that she does so in order to protect Madeline from herself, despite her misguided methods. With the misunderstandings between them resolved, the two are able to join forces, overcome "Part of You"'s overprotectiveness and Madeline's anxiety, and reach the summit of the mountain.