To beat the game you’ll have to master 2D souls-like combat with the ever present threat of permadeath looming. No checkpoints. Kill, die, learn, repeat.

Roguelike, Rogue-lite, roguelike-like, rogueschmike! The world needs more of these and we'd like to present for your consideration, the RogueVANIA. This means an interconnected world that you unlock progressively through exploration and battling bosses, with death replacing backtracking. Each death will unlock more of the world and you’ll begin to understand the scale of the choices in front of you. Sick of the stinking sewers? Why not go over the ramparts? It’s your skill, playstyle and of course the loot you find that will determine your choice your path.

But don’t think this will be a walk in the park. Pattern based monsters, and demanding boss fights will force you to fight cautiously and build your strength. Every weapon has its own unique feel and rolling and dodging will become second nature as you learn to manage the mobs of monsters that will overwhelm the unprepared. Tough, but fair.

Tired of the violence and death? Explore a bit, take a stroll, enjoy the view from the ramparts, find a secret room. Thomas and Gwen, our graphic artists, never miss an opportunity to impress with their pixelart and shape a world that you’ll want to explore. You might even learn a little more about the lore of the place, who knows?

Just revealed on The Game Awards, fans are invited to embark on an incredible and unprecedented collaborative crossover adventure between Dead Cells and Castlevania in an epic brand-new mashup DLC for the genre-defining roguelike.

Honoring the franchise that inspired the very beginnings of Dead Cells, players will be able to explore Dracula’s castle (and more) along with all of its delightful evil within. Joined by Castlevania’s Richter Belmont and Alucard and chock full of incredible and surprising new crossover content, Dead Cells: Return to Castlevania is the biggest DLC for Dead Cells to date, launching early next year on PC and Consoles.

This unparalleled collaboration sees Motion Twin and Evil Empire going back to their roots, paying tribute to the franchise that inspired the very beginnings of Dead Cells.

Ben Laulan, co-founder of Evil Empire and COO said, “Like so many millions of players around the world, we are huge fans of Castlevania and remember vividly what playing it for the first time felt like. It opened up a world of possibilities and potential for so many games to come, including Dead Cells. The original inspiration - the roots of Dead Cells - was born from a shared passion for the Castlevania franchise. We are so excited to bring this DLC to fans of Dead Cells and Castlevania early next year. It means so much to us to be bringing this to fans of both franchises.” 

The coming DLC unfolds a new storyline in which The Beheaded is approached by Richter Belmont following the appearance of a strange, malevolent castle. Drawn by the promise of new loot more so than an ethical sense of duty, players will need to harness their utmost undead fighting skills to defeat the evil within. Packed with new loot, creative-but-deadly new weapons, loads of enemies begging for a stake through the heart and more, this is the largest and most ambitious DLC for Dead Cells yet. 

Dead Cells: Return to Castlevania introduces a jaw-dropping 14 iconic weapons and items from one of gaming’s most venerable franchises to assist you in your undead-slaying needs in Dead Cells, including Castlevania favorites the Vampire Killer, the Cross and, of course, the Holy Water. Tweaked from original renditions in the Castlevania franchise, the Dead Cells versions of these weapons will reflect the fast-paced, frantic style of combat that players have come to love, hate and love to hate.

The real piece de resistance in the upcoming Dead Cells: Return to Castlevania are two entirely new biomes, one of them being the iconic Dracula’s Castle. Packed with deadly werewolves, haunted armors and food stuffed into the walls, players will attempt to defeat terrifying and dangerous creatures that comprise Dracula’s army and bop along to an alternative soundtrack of 51 original Castlevania tunes, as well as 12 truly iconic tracks that have been reimagined in the style of Dead Cells. 

But uncovering the secrets of Dracula’s castle and yet-to-be-revealed biomes won’t be a walk in the park. Three epic boss fights await in the haunted corridors of the estate, including battles with Death and Dracula himself. If these battles can be survived, you’ll need to prepare yourself for Dead Cells’ most epic and ambitious boss battle yet. 

With skill, luck, hard work and a determination for extinguishing the undead, you may just be able to survive the night. Dead Cells: Return to Castlevania launches early next year and stay tuned for more reveals in early 2023 for this incredible crossover. 

Key Features:

• RogueVania: The progressive exploration of an interconnected world, with the replayability of a roguelike and the adrenaline pumping threat of permadeath.
• Souls-like combat: Pattern-based bosses and minions, weapons and spells with unique gameplay. Make do with what you have and don’t forget to roll.
• Nonlinear progression: Unlock new levels with every death and explore undiscovered parts of the castle as you prepare for the inevitable bosses.
• Exploration: Secret rooms, hidden passages, charming landscapes. Death is now your way of backtracking.

Dead Cells is currently available on Nintendo Switch, PS4, Xbox One and PC for $/€24.99.