Dead Cells (XB1) Review

I should hate this, but instead I love it.

Aside from a very small handful of games in the genre, I can’t stand Rogue-like games. I actively dislike the fact that I get so far into a “run” only to die from some mistake or difficult part of a section only to lose all progress in said level with little to nothing to show for it because I lose everything when I die. Doesn’t sound like too much fun to me. If that’s the case, I should despise Dead Cells. On the contrary, I absolutely love the game and let me tell you the reasons why.

Dead Cells’ story is told through a very minimalist sense. It has a few cutscenes here and there, but the majority of it will be small quips of dialog or reading something that one will find going through the dungeons. Basically, players take on the role of a cursed prisoner, a being that can’t actually die who is locked up on a prison island. They take over dead bodies to be “resurrected”, and then try to escape the island only to die and be sent back to the holding cells to take over a new dead body. Yeah, it’s a weird one, but for this style of game, it makes sense.

Platforms: XB1, PS4, PC, Switch
MSRP: $24.99
Price I’d pay: $24.99

Dead Cells is most certainly a Rogue-like experience. If a player dies, they lose everything on their person at the time. This means, any money, weapons, cells, blueprints for new weapons, everything. The game is divided into sections of the prison that have a hub world in between them. Going to the hub world allows players to drop off certain items for storage that can be used for later runs. These hub areas also heal the character as well as allow them to upgrade their character for that certain run – more on upgrading in a bit. The hub world allows the player to take a quick breather and it stops the in-game clock while in these areas. This is important not only for time scores, but also for limited time areas full of upgrades and currency in a level that close off after a certain amount of time has passed while playing a run.

The intricate systems in place can get overwhelming for the beginners, but after a few runs they begin to understand. So not only are there permanent upgrades like more uses of the healing flask or transfer rates for items into money, there are also “run upgrades” that only last until the player dies. These include more health, better attack power with certain weapons, and other special abilities that all revolve around stat boosts. These can work into the player’s favor as long as the roll is good. I can easily get a sword that also poisons enemies or one that sets them on fire, each with a different percentage of chance or damage over time.

Since everything is randomly generated, the things players find along with how potent they are can either be big or small. Finding blueprints in the dungeons and taking them back to the hub will unlock the ability to find them in the world. It’s another way to randomize a run. While I may have unlocked a blueprint for a new bow, I’ll first have to pay enough cells to actually have it drop during my random runs. Cells are the most important currency in the game. These are used for all permanent upgrades and are somewhat rare to come by. They randomly drop from defeated enemies, and can be found in secret areas in the levels. The biggest fear was dropping them when I died. Losing a nice 20-30 cells in a run over some dumb mistake was heartbreaking.

So, why do I actually like this game? From what I just described, it sounds like a game that is really not for me. Well, the reason why I’m in love with it is because of just how well it plays. The controls are tight, the jumping is responsive, and the combat is fast, deliberate, and satisfying. Just like with Rogue Legacy, because of how this game plays, it makes me want to play more of it. If something was off about it, or if there was some kind of overly complicated part with the controls, I would have checked out a long time ago, but with the combat being so visceral and fun, it comes off as a game that is difficult, but fair. Anytime I died, it was my fault. I didn’t assess the situation properly, I made a dumb mistake and wasn’t paying attention, or (the biggest one) I got in too much of a hurry. Without a doubt, the gameplay in Dead Cells is what makes it.

Dead Cells is most certainly a difficult game. It’s not going to take it easy on you, and it can get brutal at times, especially when making no progress in runs. While the game pushes for a speed run playthrough for the best possible outcome, it is important to know that rushing into a level can easily ruin a run for you. The fun is in the combat without a doubt, and any action fan will have a great time with this one. Even if you don’t normally enjoy Rogue-like style game, this is one of those you have to pick up.

Review copy of game provided by publisher.

Good
  • Great style
  • Addictive nature
  • Difficult but fair
  • Superb combat
  • Simple to learn
Bad
  • Progress can get slowed majorly with bad runs
9.5
Excellent
Written by
Drew is the Community Manager here at ZTGD and his accent simply woos the ladies. His rage is only surpassed by the great one himself and no one should stand between him and his Twizzlers.