Dead Cells (Extended Review)
I talked about this game a few posts back, but I really don't think I put together the words that truly describe how great this game actually is. Here's the deal: When you're dealing with the rogue like genre and you want to make a good game with those qualities, there are specific things you have to follow. Is the game fun? Do the controls feels tight? Are the graphics at least good? And is it tough? Those four things are what I tend to look for when games like this come out, and you can bet damn well that I put a huge check mark next to each of those questions as I've been putting more time into Dead Cells.
So what is this game? Well, take everything you know about Rogue Legacy, Metroid, Castlevania, and the like, and throw it all together into what I consider a Binding of Isaac meets Castlevania meets hack n slash. This game is so well made with where it's at in its development that it's nearly impossible for this game to do poorly. I've been playing run after run (and dying a lot) and I still find myself enjoying each and every run. There are a lot of areas that tend to start to feel the same, but you really don't notice it too much because you're too busy trying to kill the next wave of enemies, or trying to find the right amount of loot so that you can be powerful enough to take on the next floor.
Now, one of my favorite things about this game that it does differently than a lot of these style games, is how it lets you basically upgrade your items between floors. You get these things called "cells" which I believe are a huge inspiration from Dark Souls with how you collect souls, and you use those cells to purchase upgrades for specific weapons you find around the world. You can also pick up things called blueprints that allow you to unlock those items in order to upgrade them as you progress. It's set up to be just like you'd think: a run by run basis where if you can get powerful enough early on, you'll do just fine, however if you lack the patience and want to get through rooms as quickly as possible, you'll find that the enemies pack a punch.
There's no denying that this game is tough. It really is. But that's because the controls and fighting styles are so fluid and well polished that it makes every single move you make count. You also have a dodge roll which is executed perfectly in this game. You'll find yourself pulling off some really neat moves. Like for instance, I had a bow and arrow as my secondary item, so I hit an elite enemy with my blood sword, inflicted bleed damage, rolled under him, and shot an arrow into his back. You also get variations of weapons like ice arrows, and blood swords, and fire swords, and the list goes on and on.
Again, I want to reiterate the fact that this game is in early access, but it feels like a fully done game with some minor tweaks needing to be done to add more accessibility etc. But, it's still a really really well done game and I can't wait to see how it evolves.
If you're in for an itch like the Binding of Isaac gave you on your first try, where everything was just up to chance and finding the right items, this game is definitely one you need to play. If you've ever taken my opinion on games seriously, this would be the time to really take it seriously. It's been a long time since I've had a game take over this much, but that just pays tribute to how good and well thought out every moment of this game is done.
This has the potential to take my game of the year slot if other games don't do it first. And I know Breath of the Wild exists, but unfortunately I just haven't been putting a lot of time into that. If I were to do categories however, this would easily be the best roguelike / rogue light game I have played this year, and perhaps over the past couple years.
Get it, it's only 15 bucks I believe. You owe it to yourself.
Also, the soundtrack is ****ing phenomenal. Very minimalist but it adds a certain style of intensity that works for the game really well.
https://valmontderagondas.bandcamp.c...ndtrack-part-1