Just like Dracula, Dead Cells refuses to die. The latest DLC, Return to Castlevania, may make you wonder why this crossover hadn’t happened already. At first glance it’s easy to see how much Dead Cells borrows from the famous Konami series: Art style, enemies, and even some weapons. That’s why the Return to Castlevania DLC is not only the best Motion Twin has done, but also the one that feels the most appropriate.
If you haven’t been paying attention, Dead Cells has had four major DLC packs since it launched in 2018, along with an extensive crossover featuring other indie action games like Hollow Knight and Hyperlight Drifter. This makes Return to Castlevania yet another major addition after many years of post-launch support.
Motion Twin have definitely honed their DLC skills because Return to Castlevania seamlessly blends into the base game. If you wander down the right hallway in the starting sewers, you’ll happen upon a stoic Richter Belmont who asks you to help him fight through Dracula’s minions and defeat the undead menace once and for all… again. Not only is the story set up extremely familiar, but so are the levels and enemies you will soon be fighting through.
The look and music are by far the best aspects of the DLC. The new environments look ripped straight from their 2D Castlevania forbearers. It isn’t drawing from a single game, but rather melds all the iconic entries into an easily recognizable style that hits all the important notes. The same goes for the music, which is a true remix masterwork. Dead Cells already gave me Castlevania feels, but this DLC pack brings the game full circle.
Look and feel are only skin deep, and luckily there are tons of characters and weapons to sink your teeth into. I already mentioned Richter, but it won’t take you long to run across Alucard, Maria, as well as villains like Medusa and Death. In my time playing I only scratched the surface of what’s hidden in here, but I can say it really is a (not so) miserable little pile of secrets. All this stuff blends seamlessly into the base game too, so after Dracula bites it feel free to roll through the original game as Richter or Alucard.
This is of course Dead Cells, so while it looks like Castlevania, it still plays like that tough as nails, fast-paced action rogue-like that took the indie world by storm. If you’re not a fan of the original game then this DLC won’t change that, but it does feature some great accessibility options that may help you see it all without grinding it all. As someone who likes a challenge, but not always the frustration, I was able to find a good balance between fun and challenge.
It’s hard to see where Deal Cells goes from here seeing as it was already channeling so much Castlevania energy. There’s no doubt, however, that the game is at the top of its… game. Motion Twin could easily rest of their laurels and hang up the Dead Cells IP, but if Castlevania has taught me anything it’s that Dracula never rests…. Well actually he does, but some jerk with a hero complex always seems wake him up. So time will tell if Dead Cells: Return to Castlevania will the a swan song or just one chapter in a much longer story.
