Dead Cells: Return to Castlevaniadoesn’t do a lot to change the overall structure of the game.Dead Cellshas existed for over five years now, including its beta phase. Throughout that time, Motion Twin has provided free updates on top of paid DLC packs like this one.
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So, those hoping for big changes withinDead Cells: Return to Castlevaniawill be disappointed. There are still some missing features that are baffling to be without in a roguelike in 2023. Also, it can’t be helped, but the Switch load times seem to be getting worse and worse. If Motion Twin could fix the load issues on top of patching these ideas in,Dead Cellswould be golden.
6Separate The Content
Unless players are paying attention, it’s kind of confusing to finish the DLC forDead Cells. The beginning is straightforward enough inDead Cells: Return to Castlevania,wherein players will meet Richterin the prison level, who will point the way to Dracula’s Castle. From there, players will fight in the outskirts and then in the castle itself. Before players can get to the throne room, they will be dragged to the underworld via Death for a boss battle.
Alucard will then explain players can only enter Dracula’s domain once per run, either from the prison or from the clock tower area. It’s more confusing than it needs to be. It would be more helpful if players could somehow activate this DLC through separate menus withinDead Cells. Overall, it would have been less confusing if all DLC for the game, includingThe Bad Seed,Fatal Falls, andThe Queen and the Sea,were in separate modes in the menu.
5Starting Gear Selection
One of the nice things about current indie roguelikes is their reward systems. There aren’t many rewards to make the nameless hero inDead Cellsstronger on each consecutive run, unlikeRogue Legacy,which allows players to raise stats. However, there is an extensiveupgrade system in the core game and inDead Cells: Return to Castlevaniawith tons of unlockables like weapons.
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The problem with this system is that once a weapon or some other piece of gear is unlocked, it may take many runs to come across that particular item again. The beginning of each run inDead Cellsthrows three different items at players to choose from. It would be nice if there was an option for players to choose what gear they get based on everything unlocked. The developers should at least give players more starting equipment to grab from upping the count from three to ten at a bare minimum.
4Add Multiplayer
How cool would it be for future DLC to include multiplayer? There are many roots the developers could take to add it toDead Cells: Return to Castlevania. Players could fight each other in battle arenas akin toSuper Smash Bros, or they could fight off hordes of monsters with co-op partners in arenas.
The biggest get would be true co-op throughout the campaign. Imagine how cool it would be to see the nameless hero fight alongside Alucard, Richter, Maria, or any of thecostume choices inDead Cells: Return to Castlevania. The initial trailer for the DLC showcased this three-player co-op idea. It was just for show, but adding it into the DLC proper would be a huge surprise for fans.
3Add An Extras Gallery
It’s been five years since this game launched, and Motion Twin has added a lot of cool stuff to the experience. One of the most obvious features would have been to include an Extras gallery. This Extras menu could include links to all of the cutscenes in the game.
There aren’t many, but the ones that are present are cool enough for what they are. Who wouldn’t want to watchDracula’s Castle inDead Cells: Return to Castlevaniacrumble with Alucard on repeat? An artwork gallery along with a 3D model gallery would also be appreciated.Dead Cells, overall, has great art design, so it’s a shame the game itself doesn’t add links to enjoy these things outside of combat.
2Photo Mode
Another obvious feature would have been to include a photo mode at some point.Most 2D gamesdo not feature photo modes for obvious reasons; there’s not much opportunity for players to capture their own landscapes when there are just two dimensions. However, there are some examples to look at for inspiration.
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Super Smash Bros. Ultimateincludes a way to pause the action and take 3D photos, and that game is primarily 2D. Would the same trick of the camera work forDead Cells? Probably not, so this photo mode request might be more of a wish for a sequel, but it never hurts to throw ideas out there.
1Additional Assist Mode Adjustments
The addition of the assist features prior toDead Cells: Return to Castlevaniawas a good call on Motion Twin’s part. Roguelikes are some of the hardest games around, making the barrier to entry high. Even games with reward systems can still give players a run for their money. That’s why more games shouldinclude assist modes.
What’s here inDead Cellsis good, but there is always room for improvement. Giving players the ability to get Cells from every kill would be masterful. Allowing players to keep their Cells, even in death, would be good too. Finally, there is an unlock map button already in the assist options. This map unlock should allow players to warp from each gate from the start as well.
Dead Cells: Return to Castlevaniawas released on July 24, 2025, and is available on PC, PS4, Switch, and Xbox One.
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