Dead Cells

Genre: Action-Platformer Roguelike

Players: 1

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Review:

Dead Cells is a game that takes the Roguelike formula and really makes it work at its very best, taking the randomly-generated dungeons the genre is known for and giving them a bit of a Metroidvania feel. A lot of a Metroidvania feel, actually, thinks to a presentation that’s very much at home next to the likes of Metroidvania.

This game also copies the “collect stuff, die, collect more stuff” formula that makes some of the best Roguelikes so enjoyable – the game is tough, and you will die a lot, but everything you unlock will stay unlocked, and you’ll keep a portion of what you earned on your last life, pushing you to always strive to do better next time.

The combat in this game is visceral and compelling, giving you a wide variety of weapons to acquire, as well as challenging you to make good use of the dodge button, as there are some fearsome foes to take on through the game.

I touched on the presentation before, but suffice it to say it is fantastic, with well-animated, intricately-detailed 2D sprites loaded with personality.

If I had one complaint to make, it’s that the main campaign is a bit short, and the post-game is such a steep increase in difficulty that you’ll likely feel compelled to go back to “normal mode” to grind before you can take it on. However, that doesn’t keep this from still being a blast to play from start to finish, and perhaps even after the finish if you have the patience for some grinding.

All in all, Dead Cells is everything you could want from this sort of game. Great Roguelike mechanics, great combat, and a great presentation. All would need to make it perfect is a longer main campaign and a smoother difficulty curve.

tl;dr – Dead Cells is an action-platformer Roguelike that shines as a great example of all of those elements. It’s damn hard, but always compels you to try to get a little farther after each time you die, and the presentation is a wonderful companion to the likes of the Castlevania series.

Grade: A

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