Dead Cells is a roguelike, Castlevania-inspired action game that was released way back in 2018 for the PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, and PC. It also made its way to both Android and iOS. and over the years, the game has added more than a handful of DLC additions, most recently, the Return to Castlevania add-on. That’s pretty much what we’re going to talk about here today and just how well Dead Cells has held up over the years.

I won’t say much about Dead Cells itself as it is a nearly a five-year-old game. What I will say is that the game has held up quite well and is still an excellent example of a roguelike, Metroidvania-style action game filled to the brim with content. You’re looking at tons of loot, challenges, and the fact that the game seems to change a bit each time you play. And yes, the game is hard at first and you’ll be dying a lot. But that’s one of the reasons why this game is so good. You naturally get better at it each time you play and with each death, you would have most likely unlocked new gear to use and new powerups.

For new players, the gameplay can be quite brutal and will take some time before you can even reach the Castlevania area, but for veteran players, it’s just a new area they can explore Speaking of which, you will need to die three times after downloading the Return to Castlevania DLC before being able to access the area. After which, you’ll find a new area called “Castle Outskirts” which will take you to the Castle. I’ve seen others mention that you had to complete the whole game once in order to play the Castlevania content and that’s just not true. You just need to find Richter Belmont in the Prisoners’ Quarters which will unlock the door to the entrance.

As always, we won’t talk about the story much as we don’t want to give away any spoilers for those that actually care. But you will see familiar characters such as Alucard, Richtor Belmost, Death, and Dracula.

Speaking of familiar, much of the biomes are modeled after the Castlevania games. The most familiar aspect is that of the candle lights on the walls and the way the castle is designed as a whole. Combined with the original art style of Dead Cells, the DLC as a whole is quite nostalgic for any player who has played any of the Castlevania games. Aside from the level details, you’ll also see some familiar weapons returning that have been used in past Castlevania games. Lastly, there’s a new mode called Richter Mode: stashed away in the gloomy halls, this unlockable mode will let players relive their experience in Castlevania: Symphony of the Night, complete with a move set inspired by the title that includes all of Richter’s original, iconic attacks. 

If you’re a long-time Dead Cells fan, I would definitely pick up the Return to Castlevania DLc seeing as it adds so much more to the base game. Not only that, it’s Castlevania. It’s literally the game that Dead Cells is based on. If you’re new to the series, this is definitely a great time to pick up the game as there’s so much content now to last you for a good long while if you pick up the Dead Cells Bundle. You also can’t go wrong picking up any version of the game, though the Nintendo Switch version makes it portable, but you could also pick it up on iOS or Android too at a much lower cost. Regardless, Dead Cells: Return to Castlevania is a winner certainly worth picking up.

---

Disclaimer: Received game from developer and/or publisher for coverage purposes.

Please Support TheGamerWithKids

I love to bring you guys the latest news and reviews whether it be apps or gadgets, but hosting and maintaining a website can be expensive. If you would like to purchase any of the items mentioned on the site, please do so by clicking our links to Amazon first (when available) and then purchasing the items. This way, we get a small portion of the sale and this helps me run the website.