It's a fun little roguelite-lite-lite, compared with Tax Evasion there's a bigger focus on gameplay rather than story which I do feel is somewhat to the game's detriment.

Weirdly disappointed in Turnip Boy's transition from "Chaotic Neutral Little Bastard" to "Guy who does what he's told" but idk if that's even a valid complaint.

Short, sweet, stupid, fun.

I hate to rag on this game when I'm (at present) the only review here but I picked this up based on the previous Immortal Mantis game which was a reasonably fun experience if a little basic.

This one however? I had to grab a pen and paper for the first puzzle, no big deal, you can't expect to always be spoon fed answers. The second puzzle however? First a bunch of wire-matching where the hint is on a separate screen (back to the pen and paper) and then I have to pick the right video tape based on a VERY ambiguous clue. I have to guess how the developer meant me to interpret it.

I chose wrong.

Instant failure; back to the start of the scene. The wire puzzle solution is scrambled meaning it's back to the pen and paper.

Not a pretty start to a game and if that's how it presents itself at the outset, I'm not interested in continuing.

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?