Today marks the fifth anniversary of Dead Cells on the Nintendo Switch in North America, and what a 5 years it has been. From humble indie beginnings to releasing a wave of DLC with Castlevania builders Konami, it’s truthful to say that the sport we see immediately is somewhat completely different from the ‘roguevania’ (a phrase that we’re nonetheless not 100% on board with) that lit the spark all these years in the past.
Dead Cells left early entry on seventh August 2017 and developer Motion Twin swiftly introduced it to the Switch the next 12 months. It is unusual to recollect a time earlier than the sport had any DLC, however that is the way it was again within the early days — thankfully, the Dead Cells base sport was sufficient to instantly seize everybody’s consideration.
We are positive that almost all of you may be accustomed to the sport’s primary premise, however here is a quick refresher. You play as a mysterious creature able to possessing corpses. Assuming the type of the Prisoner — a decapitated physique whose head is now changed by a spooky flame — you make your method by way of an unnamed island that has lengthy fallen to damage with the aim of killing its reclusive king. You (the creature) are immortal, although the physique you possess is well perishable, so every time that your physique is slain you could return to the beginning space and start your run by way of the procedurally generated ranges once more.
A roguelike metroidvania hardly looks as if probably the most authentic idea as of late, however with attractive pixel artwork and a Dark Souls-esque fight system that was easy to know however tough to grasp, this base sport instantly noticed us throwing a numerous variety of corpses on the island’s maze-like corridors within the hope of reaching the top.
As with many video games of this kind, the top was not all that last — you may’t declare to have actually ‘completed’ Dead Cells till you’ve got made it by way of the final stage a very good few occasions — however because the months glided by, it turned clear that the identical was true of the sport’s content material.
Motion Twin launched Dead Cells’ first free DLC somewhat underneath a 12 months after its preliminary launch. ‘Rise of the Giant‘ got down to develop the sport’s lore, including a number of new areas to the island just like the Cavern and the Astrolab, however primarily increasing the story to clarify who the Prisoner may actually be and providing up some different endings. We will not spoil any of the most important story beats right here, however this primary replace ensured that the Dead Cells world was one which would not be rapidly forgotten.
