Chapter 1: Forsaken City (2024)

Chapter 1: Forsaken City is the first proper chapter of Celeste (although it is technically preceded by the Prologue). The chapter introduces many of the primary game mechanics and collectables, including acquainting the player with the dash maneuver and introducing both normal and winged strawberries. It also introduces several objects to the game, detailed below. Additionally, this chapter introduces one character: Theo.

Gameplay[]

Objects[]

Start[]

• Spikes
• Springs
• Traffic Light Blocks
• Disappearing Platforms
• Smashable Walls

Crossing[]

• Spikes
• Dash Crystals
• Smashable Walls
• Springs
• Disappearing Platforms
• Traffic Light Blocks
• Falling Platforms

Chasm[]

The B-Side Cassette Tape for the chapter is located here.

• Traffic Light Blocks
• Spikes
• Disappearing Platforms
• Springs
• Cassette Blocks
• Dash Crystals
• Falling Platforms

Crystal Heart[]

Main article: Crystal Hearts Guide

The crystal heart is located in the second sub-chapter, Crossing.

Alternate Sides[]

The B-Side includes three parts: Start, Contraption, and Scrap Pit. Skull Binoculars, which are not found in the A-Side of Chapter 1, can be found in the B-Side and C-Side.

Start[]

• Spikes
• Traffic Light Blocks
• Skull Binoculars
• Dash Crystals

Contraption[]

• Spikes
• Traffic Light Blocks
• Springs
• Dash Crystals
• Falling Platforms

Scrap Pit[]

• Spikes
• Traffic Light Blocks
• Disappearing Platforms
• Dash Crystals
• Skull Binoculars
• Cassette Blocks

Forsaken City C-Side[]

• Spikes
• Traffic Light Blocks
• Dash Crystals
• Falling Platforms
• Skull Binoculars
• Shields
• Shield-Activated Platforms

Winged Golden Strawberry[]

Forsaken City is the only A-Side that features a hidden secret that can only be found if the player decides to finish the entire chapter without dashing even once. In order to complete this challenge, players need to abuse the game's lenient hitboxes and "coyote frames" in order to perform very tight and difficult jumps. The player also has to learn a technique called "neutral jumping", which will be needed in a few sections towards the end. If the player manages to complete the chapter without dashing even once, a flying Golden Strawberry will appear on the last screen.

Unlike all other Golden Strawberries, the player doesn't have to complete this chapter without dying in order to get it.

Plot[]

Madeline travels through the titular Forsaken City, finding another hiker, Theo, about halfway through the level. Madeline and Theo converse, and Theo explains that he came to Celeste Mountain to explore and to take pictures, although Madeline avoids explaining why she came to Celeste Mountain. The two also discuss the origins of the Forsaken City, with Madeline explaining that a mega-corporation started building the city, but nobody wanted to live there, although neither of them know why. Madeline also expresses a desire to reach the summit of Celeste Mountain, something that Theo does not seem as interested in doing. Eventually, Madeline returns to climbing Celeste Mountain. At the end of the level, she encounters a memorial (entitled the Celeste Memorial), decides to stop there and make camp for the night, and goes to sleep, thinking that climbing Celeste Mountain might have been a mistake.

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Speedrunning Record Progression[]

On 27 November 2018, Buhbai achieved 1:30 in City B, obtaining the first ever full sweep of a level.

Clear (1A):

Note: World records prior to 12/2/2018 have been omitted due to extremely fast turnover. UltraMarlin's 58.1 was briefly the record on 23/10/2019 when Zkad and FPlush deleted their PBs, however, Zkad's 55 was quickly reinstated.

B-Side (1B):

C-Side (1C):

Full Clear:

Quotes[]

Madeline: This might have been a mistake.

Theo: YOLOOOOOOOOO!!

Gallery[]