Dead Cells is a 2D action platformer game with a mixture of Metroid and Castlevania. It’s also heavily influenced by Dark Souls. It was developed by Motion Twin and Evil Empire and was published by the former on August 7, 2018. the mobile versions. Meanwhile, Playdigious published the mobile versions.
It was initially released for Linux, macOS, PS4, Switch, Windows, and Xbox One. Later, iOs and Android ports were also released upon the groundbreaking success. Dead Cells won several awards including Golden Joystick Award 2018 in the Best Indie Game category and The Game Awards 2018 in the Best Action Game category. Several DLCs have been released so far expanding the storyline and game content.
What happened on the island? The storyline awaits.
In Dead Cells, the player controls a gooey green organism that takes over dead bodies. They must escape from the prison and find the truth behind the Malaise, a disease that has swept over the island and caused the death of its habitants and given birth to horrible monsters. The player must go through various locations on the island. This can range from a simple riverside fishing village to the mysterious undead shrine.
As the player explores these locations, they face monsters to reach The King and defeat his loyal subordinate, the Hand of King. The game’s lore expands further which can be explored by playing the game. Each NPC you meet in Dead Cells has a unique story to share.
Smooth gameplay backed by strong game mechanics
The player gains various kinds of weapons, tools, and power-ups in Dead Cells during each run. The game’s arsenal is large enough to suit your play style. The game has a wide range of melee and ranged weapons. You’ve got shields if you are more of a defensive or counter-attack type. Each weapon has a different buff that can help you cause havoc on your enemies. Also, the player has access to grenades, turrets, traps, and follower monsters as secondary weapons.
The game has two currency systems: cells and gold coins. These are earned by killing enemies. Sometimes you can find hidden objects that give bonus coins and cells. Gold coins can be used to upgrade your weapons. Weapon upgrades are also lost after death. Cells are more valuable as they can unlock permanent upgrades. Both cells and coins are lost upon death. Upon death, the green organism will return to the prison and take host in another body.
The player gets mysterious runes that grant the player permanent powers that help him explore the map and storyline further.
Rewards and achievements
The game’s fast-paced unforgiving battle system is easy to learn but tricky to master. The player can attack with two different weapons equipped on each hand. They can also use two pieces of equipment. Like any other action platformer game, Dead Cells allows players to jump and roll to escape enemies’ attacks and get behind them.
There are three types of enemies in Dead Cells: normal, elite, and bosses. Each enemy has a different type of attack, so stay cautious. There are several boss fights before the player reaches the King. The maps of Dead Cells change in every run. This change is random and makes it more interesting to explore the levels.
A perfect blend of theme, graphics, and music
The game graphics are 2d pixel art. The location backgrounds of this game are beautiful, making the animations feel smooth and lively. The soundtrack of Dead Cells also matches up with the atmosphere of the game. The game maps are ever-changing with multiple paths you can choose to explore.
Aside from its story campaign, you can challenge yourself in survival mode. The custom mode is available to create custom conditions and play the game the way you want to enjoy. In my opinion, for any player who likes roguelike or Metroidvania games, Dead Cells is highly recommended as one of the best fast-paced 2d hack-and-slash platformers.
Youtube: Dead Cells Release Date Announcement Trailer – Available August 7, 2018
Photo credit: The feature image is owned by Motion Twin and was provided as part of a press kit. The screenshots in the body of the article were taken by the author for TechAcute.
