Dead Cells: Return to Castlevania DLC content review: a nostalgic gothic roguelike

Alucard and the gang reunite with the Dead Cells crew for a fun ride

• by
  
  Ross Frushtek
  

• on March 6, 2023 9:00 AM

dead cellsThe development studio, Motion Twin, has never been shy about leaning into Roguelite’s Castlevania-inspired roots. From 2D side-scrolling medieval levels to Metroidvania-esque exploration systems that rely on finding new exploration abilities, it’s clear that dead cells He owes a lot to games like Castlevania: Symphony of the Night. So it was no surprise that the team convinced Konami to hand over the license for Castlevania to be fully integrated into the universe dead cells.

It’s a big step for Motion Twin, who have, so far, only teamed up with other indies for it fashion collaboration. Blending in a well-established major franchise like Castlevania is another step entirely. And luckily, the studio pulled it off.

Dead Cells: Return to Castlevania It is the fourth paid content for the game, and at $10, it is also the most expensive of the bunch. But for Castlevania fans, there is an abundance of great fan service hiding within.

As with dead cellsprevious DLC packs, Back to Castlevania It adds a new path through the game, taking you to the outskirts of Dracula’s castle, over its well-worn drawbridge, and into the depths of despair lurking within. In practice, it mainly consists of two new biomes inspired by the outer walls and inner sanctuary of the castle made famous by dozens of Castlevania versions. As with other biomes in dead cellsThere is a generation of randomized levels that play with these new areas, so it will be a little different each time you make your way up. Within these areas, you’ll discover plenty of familiar scenes, such as bone-throwing skeletons, haunted collections of shield-throwing axes, and various other nods to the franchise.

The newly added visuals are a perfect re-creation of the Castlevania atmosphere within dead cells Aesthetic, which selects a more accurate pixel pattern from the source material. However, the familiar landmarks, such as Symphony of the NightExotic floating geometry to indicate a save point, instantly recognizable. Help sell illusion is a new soundtrack on dead cells It consists of classics from Castlevania history, which you can choose to play wherever you are in the gameAnd Not just in new biomes.

Photo: Motion Twin, Evil Empire

Some of the new boss fights, including Dracula himself, make these areas full of tension and laughter. In the lead-up to the battle of Dracula, for example, he might appear at random and turn the entire castle upside down (in another playful gesture Symphony of the Night). Touches like this match perfectly dead cellsThe tone, which, for a game where you play as a headless character, has always been surprisingly silly, never takes itself too seriously.

Photo: Motion Twin, Evil Empire via Polygon

I’ve been having fun dead cells Since it was first launched, and until now I have been thrilled Back to Castlevania. It is one of the most polished and well-executed content in the game. Castlevania fans also have plenty to like, with tons of series references and a large handful of unlockable costumes to discover, letting you explore dead cells As mainstays like Alucard, Richter, and Death herself. All we can hope is that this lays the foundation for Motion Twin to pair up with other long-dormant franchises for similar passion projects. the ball bubble x dead cells Mashup is just begging to be made.

Dead Cells: Return to Castlevania It was released on March 6 on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Windows PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X. The game was reviewed on PC using a pre-release download code provided by Motion Twin. Vox Media has affiliate partnerships. These do not influence editorial content, although Vox Media may earn commissions for products purchased via affiliate links. You can find Additional information about Polygon’s ethics policy here.

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