Dead Cells is called one again to pay tribute to Castlevania
- NA release: 6th March 2023
- EU release: 6th March 2023
- JP release: 6th March 2023
- Developer: Motion Twin, Evil Empire
- Publisher: Motion Twin
- IGN Review: 10/10
- Platforms: Switch, PC, Xbox One, PS4
- Version Played: PC
Some downloadable content for Dead Cells (read my main review for that here), where The Beheaded encounters a surprisingly cowardly Richter Belmont asking for help with the return of Dracula, with you shortly meeting up with Alucard who complains about the Belmonts not doing their job and asks you to defeat Dracula. At least you can steal his shield.
You’ll battle through the Castle Outskirts with some familiar music. The Dead Cells gameplay does suit Castlevania really well, using various weapons like Symphony of the Night. You’ll get a few returning Castlevania enemies, although only ones already similar to the enemies in Dead Cells.
You’ll reach the boss of the segment, Death, grabbing his pretty amazing scythe (which creates ghosts of enemies to help you) and Alucard will tell you to find him again later, returning you to complete a run of regular Dead Cells. At the start of the next run, Alucard will tell you that you’ll meet up again after the clock tower (a regular Dead Cells level) to return to Dracula’s Castle.
This is quite sprawling (at least the level generation here does fit the nature of the changing castle), and Dracula will keep popping up to annoy you. If you search we’ll enough, you’ll find a captured Richter to free before taking on Dracula himself, who has two forms. It’s an entertaining boss battle. After you defeat him, the credits roll and is the end of your run, and the end of the short Castlevania DLC.
There is a bit more. If you head back to where you saved Richter in a future run, you’ll be able to play Richter Mode, a new part of Dracula’s Castle. This plays more like classic Castlevania, with Richter having hair Vampire Killer whip and holy water. This is a set design level, and there are some secrets you can find which transfers back to the main game. Another bonus are unlockable costumes for the main game.
I do feel like splitting up the DLC for multilevel runs is just an attempt to hide how small it is, with just two levels and two bosses, and it’s not helped by how it blends in with the rest of the game. Still, it’s good enough that it would be great if the developers could make a proper Castlevania game. Oh wait, they did get that opportunity.
Fun
Dead Cells: Return to Castlevania is a shining blueprint of how to do a crossover right. It celebrates the history of the franchise while mixing it with Dead Cells’ own identity to make something that’s more than the sum of its already excellent parts. Not only does this collaboration feel like it makes total sense, the utmost care has clearly been put into every aspect, whether it be the still fantastic monster-slaying combat or the huge number of secrets waiting to be found inside.
Cameron Hawkins, IGN
Remake or remaster?
This got a special physical version, which is nice.
Official Ways to get the game
Bail or Jail is available on Steam, Xbox Store, PS Store and Nintendo eShop.
