How frustrating is this game?

[OdanUrr]

I realize it's a very open-ended question, especially without a reference point. Unfortunately, comparisons to games like "Super Meat Boy" tell me nothing since I haven't played that game. Steam tells me it's similar to another game I played very little of, "Out There Somewhere." If someone could give me other references, it'd be much appreciated.

[Jack]

I heard praises left and right and how it's open level design or somesuch

What I see it super meat boy style hard level precise platformer, there's an apparently really good story in here too. But it's £15 (£18 on switch for some reason, £16 on ps4).

I'd like to know, videogamedunkey pointed out it's a relatively smooth ramp up til the end. But the bonus levels require you to do hard as concrete challenges to get to them (and then they're easy).

[Eddie]

It depends on how deep into the game you want to go. The base chapters are a bit challenging, but nothing that would frustrate a platformer fan. However, if you attempt to collect all strawberries and cassettes the challenge ramps up to almost frustrating. Then, if you so decide to tackle the B-Side levels you will find yourself cursing the gods for giving you fingers incabable of following orders.

[Delicious Egg Breakfast]

I would also add that you should only really buy the game if you're a fan of the action platformer genre. I am, and I love this game. The game plays similarly to Shovel Knight: Specter of Torment imo.

[Devolver]

People are praising this game for it's story, graphical style, and soundtrack. And rightfully so but this game is brutally difficult, at least it was with my experience.

[Baron Von Sucko]

I really hated Super Meat Boy and felt like it was punishing for its own sake. Celeste is frustrating, but fair. So far, every time I think, "This is impossible" or "Are you kidding me? There's MORE?" or "How can you make this any worse? I can barely do this as is.", I end up progressing anyhow. I absolutely feel like they are gradually training the player. It's a good game and they did a great job with level design.

I'm in chapter 4, and the "story" is largely forgettable right now. I wouldn't go in expecting some kind of elaborate saga. So far it's just a slightly neurotic girl climbing a magical mountain.

[*Yuki*]

just take a look on some playthroughs. Yep, its same "tryhard" formula, so - if you dont like such games, go play bejeweled or something. But it seems to be a bit more fun, than smb, due to less pixel-perfect puzzles (atleast from what I've seen, may be wrong)

[glass]

It is as frustrating as you want it to be. There is an "assist mode" which allows you to experience the game with "cheats".

[inappropriately_gendered_fungus]

Originally posted by n0qtrnL:

I really hated Super Meat Boy and felt like it was punishing for its own sake. Celeste is frustrating, but fair. So far, every time I think, "This is impossible" or "Are you kidding me? There's MORE?" or "How can you make this any worse? I can barely do this as is.", I end up progressing anyhow. I absolutely feel like they are gradually training the player. It's a good game and they did a great job with level design.

I'm in chapter 4, and the "story" is largely forgettable right now. I wouldn't go in expecting some kind of elaborate saga. So far it's just a slightly neurotic girl climbing a magical mountain.

The story actually gets a lot better.

[MADOX—⓪①]

The B-sides makes you feel like throwing your controller at the wall, hoping it breaks so you won't have to suffer again.

The main campaign gets harder but it's a steady learning curve, it's very fun and rewarding.

Some strawberries are really satisfying to get, some are like "why, why is that SPIKE THERE? ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥". That's the fun of platformers, tho.

The puzzles are not pixel-perfect (very, very few feel like it), you just have to get creative and have those "Oh my God, I'm going to need to do this crazy timed jump, huh?" moments.

I'm having a lot of fun, I suggest you play the main campaign then do the collectibles and bonus levels rerun.

[OdanUrr]

Originally posted by n0qtrnL:

I absolutely feel like they are gradually training the player. It's a good game and they did a great job with level design.

This is kind of what I'm looking for. I don't mind the game being tough so long as it's fair and progressively trains the player into solving more complex challenges. I think it speaks to good game design when the first level/s introduce you to the concept of the game, the mechanics you're going to use, and how you're expected to solve the puzzles, instead of simply leaving you to fend for yourself, with Level 1 being just as difficult as Level 30. Further mechanics and puzzles can be introduced throughout the game and later combined to offer tougher challenges but the player should at least understand how the basics work in order to overcome them. Flood of Light was a game I played last year that I feel did this rather well, although it's more of a puzzle game than a platformer.

[Senen]

Any% has a nice difficulty curve so far but 100% seems rather brutal. So yeah, the game isn't easy. Though very very few rooms have felt ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥, there's nothing really unfair.
Plus if you struggle the Assist Mode allows you to tune your difficulty as you want, an extra dash or longer grip time can make a huge difference.

My only complain is the directional dash. If you play with a stick, chances are you'll have misinputs (you want an orthogonal dash but get a diagonal one, or the other way around) because the directions' angle range are a bit finnicky. And dying because of that is pretty frustrating.

[Doggo Rosso]

I don't find the game frustrating at all. It's hard, yes, but you never get the feeling that it's unfair, so I'm motivated to try again and again and again. It's not like Dark Souls where you die some bullsh... death and lose all your souls and are totally pi**ed off. And you never lose much progress... You always start at the beginning of the same room, that really curbs the frustration.

[PRinciple prickley!?!?!]

Like other people are saying, the optional content can be super meat boy level hard. I find it a lot more fun than SMB though.
As far as how frustrating it is, it's fine. It's got those classic fast restarts, and each screen asks you to learn and incorporate a flowing pattern of inputs. You can usually figure out where you're going wrong within 10-20 tries.
Just put it down when you get worn out and you'll be fine.