Forsaken City

Lore & Background

The narrative of Chapter 1 unfolds within this abandoned city, where Madeline encounters familiar figures from her journey. Upon arrival, she is greeted by Granny, who questions her motivations for returning to the mountain; Madeline admits she plans to make a "big step" in her life. The setting culminates on a floating island where Madeline finally reunites with Badeline, the physical representation of her anxiety. When Badeline questions why she endures hardship instead of staying happy, Madeline responds that she does not need to justify her actions because "at the end of the day, it feels right," successfully convincing Badeline to return with her.

In Their Own Story

Madeline stepped into the abandoned Forsaken City, a stark contrast to the linear paths of her previous ascent. The environment was defined by its low-polygonal art style and open-world layout, allowing full 360-degree camera movement. She navigated hazards like pits and spikes using her signature run, jump, wall-jump, and mid-air dash mechanics. Along the way, she discovered green gems to refill her dash without touching the ground and purple gems granting a second consecutive dash. A feather power-up allowed her to float across large gaps. Checkpoint flags were scattered throughout to aid resurrection upon death. Her journey led her first to Granny, then to Theo on a skyscraper where he shared news about his sister Alex and Madeline's book. The climax occurred on a floating island, where the emotional reunion with Badeline resolved their conflict, affirming that fear is acceptable as they moved forward together.

Reader's Guide

Players control Madeline in this 3D platformer set solely within the abandoned city of Forsaken City. Navigation relies on running, jumping, wall-jumping, and climbing walls to avoid spikes and pits. Movement is enhanced by dashing on the ground or mid-air; however, only one dash is available before recharging on the ground. Collectibles include thirty strawberries located across the main environment and in secret levels unlocked via hidden cassette tapes. These secret areas serve as platforming challenges to help players adjust to the new 3D controls. The game includes a timer to incentivize speedrunning. Development teams noted that keyboard controls can feel "clunky" or "fiddly" for precise movements, recommending controllers instead. Depth perception was a development challenge solved with specific shaders and outlines. The aesthetic intentionally avoids strictly emulating the N64, opting instead for a generic retro style with pixel-art textures designed to tile easily on low-poly geometry.

Did You Know?

• Forsaken City is the first chapter of Celeste, designed as a linear 2D platformer rather than an open-world 3D experience.
• The original game features approximately 230 strawberries hidden across all levels and secret chapters (totaling ~280 with Farewell).
• Theo does not appear in Chapter 1; he makes his debut in Chapter 2 (Old Site) to help Madeline with her climb.
• Critics praised the soundtrack for its emotional resonance while reinterpreting original Celeste motifs.
• The development of this setting took place over years by Matt Makes Games, not during a single week-long game jam.