Part of the appeal of platformer Celeste was how challenging it was, demanding precise inputs for players to progress to new destinations. For fans of that celebrated title, another indie game emulates much of what made Celeste great, albeit with its own unique spin on the precision platforming subgenre. With a gorgeous hand-crafted 2D world and an interesting premise, this game is perfect for those looking for a compact platforming experience.
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Multiple new platformer games are releasing in 2026, with several innovations that help differentiate them from others in the genre. For example, Replaced combines 2.5D platforming with cyberpunk sci-fi visuals and sleek action, with highly detailed environments reflecting its Blade Runner inspirations. Other great games like Darwin’s Paradox! and Relooted aim to expand the genre further this year, but on game releasing on May 7, 2026, has an equal amount of potential to these other projects.
TetherGeist Takes Inspiration From Celeste While Creating Its Own Unique 2D Pixel-Art World
Designed for both newcomers and veterans to the platformer genre, TetherGeist is a coming of age story where you must go on a great pilgrimage through a fantastic world, lovingly crafted through hand-drawn pixel-art similar to Celeste. This game has you play as Mae, a young traveler who uses Astral Projection, a power passed on through the Mountain Shaman of the world. However, unlike other Shaman who can project great distances, Mae’s spirit travel is limited by a tether, meaning their journey will be far harder.
The biome levels of TetherGeist are incredibly intricate, and forge a huge expanse to explore as Mae tries to reach the Fount of Souls and join the spirit flight of the other Shaman from their village. Deeply connected regions also show off small towns and settlements, with interesting characters to talk to along your unique path. There is a lot of variation in the locations you travel through, with each holding plenty of secrets to discover along the way. The music, art, and story all are woven together fairly well to build a charming adventure that never overstays its welcome.
Unique Mechanics Add Extra Layers To Precise Platforming Within Different Levels
The central tether mechanic is one that evolves and changes throughout TetherGeist, sustaining a formula that keeps the game fresh and innovative. Mae can project their astral self only some distance forward, helping them reach ledges or avoid obstacles. As you progress, you’ll find new kinds of tethers to modify your existing one, discovering special properties to the central feature that alter how you approach various levels.
For example, one tether gives Mae the ability to shoot out a projectile of spirit, then teleport to it across a longer distance than usual. Others give you speed boosts to avoid environmental hazards, while others give you additional skills to use alongside your base tether. The variants to different tethers allow you to approach stages in new ways, eventually resulting in a complete arsenal of tethers to use however you wish. Some tethers are limited resources, though, making you have to think about when and where to use them.
Experimentation with tethers adds to the replayability of this game, with their precise use dictating how you progress forward. Unlocking new tethers is by far the most exciting part of TetherGeist, especially as you find synergy between new and old ones to make platforming far easier. The interactive “puzzle” provided by each stage’s design allows for a variety of creative solutions, encouraging you to find the flow that works best for you based on what tethers you have.
Instant Respawns & Collectibles Reward Players Who Take The Time To Master Gameplay
Mastering the use of different tethers is supported through instant respawns, allowing you to fail over and over again at any stage without losing a step. Levels are easy to get into without any threat of a “Game Over,” giving players time to learn TetherGeist‘s systems at their own pace. Although there will be some challenges to the precise platforming that cause more resets than others, there are no resets of entire stages just because you couldn’t make a specific jump.
Meanwhile, the replayability of TetherGeist is emphasized even more through the existence of Atropa Blossoms, or the collectibles of this game. Similar to the elusive Strawberry in Celeste, each stage has a number of Blossoms in TetherGeist, usually locked behind extremely tough jumps or hazards. You’ll sometimes have to backtrack to certain levels after unlocking a certain tether to reach a Atropa Blossom you missed earlier, but this adds extra layers to the levels you visit.
With an in-game tracker telling you how many Blossoms a stage has, gathering these collectibles isn’t nebulous like some platformers. Villages and towns have these items too, giving you extra incentive to explore every corner of a new location. Much like the detailed journey of Celeste, TetherGeist offers players a challenging but accessible experience, opening up its world fully to those who wish to engage with its precise platforming the most.
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