When this game is good, it is so good.
I was addicted to Super House of Dead Ninjas in 2018, a game that prioritises moving fast as hell and smashing up dudes with a completely empty head. Sometimes Dead Cells reaches these heights; in fact, the time-sensitive aspect of some bonuses and powerups suggests that this is in the design brief for the game. Getting the right combo of weapons makes the experience almost transcendental as you annihilate all comers with dexterity and poise.
When this game is bad, it is so bad.
The above being said; after Dead Cells has taught you to go in Fast and Hard (heheheheh), leaning into momentum and combo-stacking, the brakes are pumped. Enemies that will punish rushing in become more numerous. Combinations of enemies packed into a tight space that you simply cannot clear without taking a lot of damage become more frequent. You will unlock weapons whose high damage does NOT justify their huge vulnerability window.
When this game is much, it is so much.
My first stint with Dead Cells was in early 2020 and there was a shedload of content even then. Now in 2024 with all the DLCs and collabs and tie-ins it is bursting at the seams with content. Too much. It's too much. Thematically random areas. Weapons upon weapons upon weapons that makes it hard to create a cohesive build. Runs that take well over an hour. Exhausting.
Dead Cells is great; but is it good?
I was addicted to Super House of Dead Ninjas in 2018, a game that prioritises moving fast as hell and smashing up dudes with a completely empty head. Sometimes Dead Cells reaches these heights; in fact, the time-sensitive aspect of some bonuses and powerups suggests that this is in the design brief for the game. Getting the right combo of weapons makes the experience almost transcendental as you annihilate all comers with dexterity and poise.
When this game is bad, it is so bad.
The above being said; after Dead Cells has taught you to go in Fast and Hard (heheheheh), leaning into momentum and combo-stacking, the brakes are pumped. Enemies that will punish rushing in become more numerous. Combinations of enemies packed into a tight space that you simply cannot clear without taking a lot of damage become more frequent. You will unlock weapons whose high damage does NOT justify their huge vulnerability window.
When this game is much, it is so much.
My first stint with Dead Cells was in early 2020 and there was a shedload of content even then. Now in 2024 with all the DLCs and collabs and tie-ins it is bursting at the seams with content. Too much. It's too much. Thematically random areas. Weapons upon weapons upon weapons that makes it hard to create a cohesive build. Runs that take well over an hour. Exhausting.
Dead Cells is great; but is it good?