I think there's a reason that most 3D platformers are not all about precision platforming, and tend to be more about the exploration and discovery of an interesting 3D space. There are no doubt games that can tow that line and deliver on both, but they're few and far between.

For Celeste's first 3D outting I don't think that line is towed completely successfully, but what was delivered here is admirable nonetheless. Exploring the level on offer here and learning the ins and outs of the movement, which hews closer to the original Celeste than I expected, was delightful through and through. There are a handful of bursts of precision platforming that demand perfection, but with the generous checkpointing and fast respawns that you'd expect, they don't break up the collect-a-thon-esque flow too much. I think the cracks really begin to show in the hidden cassette tape stages where you're presented with a much more demanding platforming challenge backdropped by a black void evocative of Mario Sunshine. I think these sections feel the most like the precision platforming of the original game translated directly to 3D, and it feels a bit incongruous. Having to quickly move the camera as you dart from platform to platform adds an extra element that really does not compliment this style of platforming.

I think despite those handful of sections though this is a really tight, solid little game that I can see myself returning to on a whim just to soak in the vibes and feel the movement a bit, because it is smooth as hell and there aren't many 3D platformers that clear that bar.