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?

Evil Empire, Motion Twin and Merge Games announced brand-new physical editions of Dead Cells, centered around its recent major expansion, Return to Castlevania.

Coming to PS4, PS5 and Nintendo Switch in August 2023, the physical editions are available for pre-order starting today, with a Standard ($44.99) and Signature ($69.99) edition. Fans of physical games can also currently back a Kickstarter for Dead Cells: The Rogue-lite Board Game.

Outside of these brand-new physical editions of Dead Cells, an updated PlayStation 5 version of the game is also on the way. Putting to use all of the console’s features, players will feel every enemy they take down and power they use with trigger effects, custom vibrations, feedback using the DualSense’s speaker and lightbars and more. Dead Cells’ PlayStation 5 version will be available on the Playstation store and PS5 players who own the PlayStation 4 version will be able to upgrade to the new version for free. All console owners meanwhile now have access to the roguelike hit’s latest update, Clean Cut.

The shiny new Dead Cells physical editions come complete with the recent and unprecedented crossover collaboration with Konami, Dead Cells: Return to Castlevania and include two versions to choose from - a Standard and Signature Edition. 

Coming from Merge Games, Dead Cells will see Standard retail physical versions of Dead Cells: Return to Castlevania include reversible retro cover art that harkens back to the retro eras of the NES and PlayStation One, while the Signature Edition comes complete with an additional host of extras including a soundtrack CD, art book, enamel pins and more. Regardless of which version fans purchase, they’ll also get access to all of Dead Cells’ expansions, including Rise of the Giant, The Bad Seed, Fatal Falls, The Queen and the Sea and a whopping 34 additional free updates - all of which provide players with creative new ways to get clobbered on runs, accessibility options, a huge variety of weapons, deadly baddies, overpowered bosses and more.

Dead Cells: Return to Castlevania’s Signature Edition includes the following collectable extras for flame-headed fans:

• Standard copy of the game for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5 or Nintendo Switch with retro reversible cover
• Signature Edition outer sleeves
• Alternative disc soundtrack featuring 28 Castlevania tunes remixed in Dead Cells’ style
• Four drop-dead gorgeous enamel pins
• An exclusive Art Booklet filled with designs from Dracula’s Castle
• Five Snapshot Photos from The Beheaded during his adventures with Alucard and Trevor Belmont
• A perfectly eerie Lenticular Card of Dracula’s Castle
• Four Dead Cells: Return to Castlevania postcards with signatures from the development team
• A Special Edition collector’s box to keep all of your brand-new goodies in

With all of these treats for Dead Cells fans on the way, Evil Empire and Motion Twin wanted to make sure they have something new to play as soon as possible. That’s why they are happy to announce that Dead Cells’ most recent update, Clean Cut, is now available on Xbox consoles, PlayStation consoles and the Nintendo Switch, adding two new weapons and one fancy haircut to the game, along with a suite of new features and tweaks. 

Providing players with a different Dead Cells experience is Dead Cells: The Rogue-lite Board Game. A cooperative, rogue-lite Metroidvania-inspired experience, players will have to carefully choose their path through unforgiving biomes and work their way through Malaise-infected enemies or die trying. Each death provides an opportunity to mutate into something far more powerful, turning the end of every adventure into the start of something greater. The Kickstarter page is live now.

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, PS5, Xbox One and PC for $/€24.99.