Ever feel the need to embark on an adventure across a plague-ridden island, die a few times, and kill a king" Me neither. Apparently someone did, though, and brought us Dead Cells ($7.99), a kick-ass rogue-lite with more undead monstrosities than a bad horror flick. Not that you’ll notice them, though?you’ll be far too busy wondering where your head went, why you just can’t manage to stay dead, and what happened to throw this prison into such disarray. Don’t get so caught up in trying to solve these mysteries that you can’t take time to kick back and admire the view, though!
Dead Cells is fun. Actually, it’s really fun?one of the best games I’ve played this year, in fact. The art is beautiful, the gameplay is smooth, challenging, and rewards both practice and patience; the soundtrack is superb, and rewarding exploration with story is something I quite enjoy. It is, in a word, amazing. However, it is not perfect. Despite the effort to devise controls that feel natural and work well for a complicated and fast-paced game, they just aren’t good enough. Even with the extensive customisation available, it’s all too easy to whiff a dodge, botch a jump, or simply move the wrong way. Without a controller or a keyboard, the game becomes much, much harder, and it’s not a small difference.
Art and sound design are as integral to a game as the gameplay itself. Poor art or unsatisfying sound effects can turn an o...