August 23, 2018

What doesn't kill you makes you stronger, except in Dead Cells you will die again and again, but fear not, new strength will continue coming your way in this metroidvania. 

Dead Cells takes the rogue-like approach so every time you die, levels and their layout will never be the same as before. Thankfully I didn't find this to be such a big problem in Dead Cells as I quite enjoyed moving up and down the levels, however it can hurt, especially if you found something cool and its now been moved elsewhere.

Death is the name of the game and in a sense its probably the best way to not only get better at the game, but also give you a better chance at completing it. Levels are made up of several floors, along with teleportation portals to make moving around easier, of course only once these are activated.

Enemies can range from super challenging (especially later on) to pretty basic and you can probably guess what kind you will be encountering to begin with. The variety is really cool and they all have their own distinctions that make them unique. Sometimes you may come across the 'ELITE' version of an enemy who is above its comrades not only in strength, but also health. Think of these as a mini kind of boss battle that offer good loot if you manage to get past them.

Enemies also drop something called Cells which can prove quite handy if you want to survive, so if you see them fall off, make sure to pick them up.

So how do you actually deal with enemies? Well your character not only has access to one heck of a roll that can thankfully bypass a lot of things, but you also have several slots to put weapons in and begin causing mayhem. To begin with you quickly get access to not only a sword. but bow and arrows as well, however as you progress you can pick up weapons that have much better stats then your beginner toys. Items such as the blood sword that will cause an enemy to bleed and fire grenades that light up the place.

The abundance of weapons allows for soo many different play styles and even now I'm not confident that I've discovered them all yet as they can also be found in chests you come across. This is furthered by the variety of upgrades your character can get that will make any play through seem like new. 

Levels will also have scrolls dotted around the place which you can use to power yourself up. I personally went for health a lot of the time as part of my strategy, but you can also choose to increase your power or technical skill.

At the end of every level you not only get the chance to rest, but also work on yourself. In this space you can exchange the cells you've collected for blueprints of new weapons and items. Once you exchange enough. that item will be available to you in the world and to buy as well. It is worth noting that blueprints can be found out in the levels as well, so this isn't the only way to gain sweet new equipment.

You also have the necromancer who can help with small boosts for the next level. I tend to go for the extra life in case I die and if I somehow manage to keep it, I tend to opt for the ability which allows me a certain amount of HP back after an enemy is defeated. The same floor allows you to refill your health and your health potion, so you're ready for the next stage.

The game makes use of 2D sprites and the visuals are beautiful. The environments are detailed and lively and combat with the enemies is pleasing to my eyes. Whether its the fire effects after throwing a fire grenade or each slash from the blood sword, it gives real impact and spectacle to the scene.

I never thought I would enjoy an experience like Dead Cells as I personally wasn't a huge fan of the whole death is a big part of the game mechanic, but there's something about this one that just drew me in and even after death, I was happily jumping in to give it another shot, time and time again.

Perhaps it was due to shifting level layout or being able to discover something new every time. One thing for sure is that Dead Cells is special and I would recommend it to those who like challenges without it feeling like you are being punished.


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